Wednesday, December 28, 2011

HR Special Comment - Last one for 2011

Sorry for the delay!  Here we go - Last one!

Please see http://jaundicejames.com/ for the question...and here's

Ms. Underpants on Unions...


Let me ask you this:  How many people do you know who work an actual 40 hour week? When did lunch become the “extra hour” or “extra half-hour” every day?  

How many companies have chosen to “ignore” holidays and offer no holiday pay for the poor schlubs forced to work? Welcome to the new China-inspired workplace.  Nah, we don’t need unions.  My ass we don’t.

I believe this “trend” began in the 1970’s, during the shift from a manufacturing to a service-based economy.   Conservatives and Business leaders began to poison the dialog.

Companies began to brainwash employees - and the public - into believing unions, not design teams, engineers, accountants, CFO’s, CEO’s and Risk Managers were the “problem” in regard to “Made in USA” quality.  How many times have you heard someone joke about a “lemon car” being “built on a Friday!”  The UAW didn’t decide where a Pinto’s gas tank was placed! The engineers and the Vice President for gas tanks did.  The attorneys and bean counters decided to take that “risk” and build ‘em “wrong” anyhow.

Wasn’t it Lee Iacocca who decided to ignore the “hedgehog” philosophy and invest in a grab-bag of companies?  I don’t think the unions invested in the “space race.”  Facts notwithstanding, the unions were blamed for the financial woes - we were told they made too much money and THIS was the problem.  “Lee baby” got a best-seller and the UAW got screwed. 
  
But this part of the “story” isn’t told.  What employees are told is to be very afraid of the unions.  A core tactic of “Union Awareness” is FEAR.  From the numbers, fear of unions seems to be working on the very people who need them most.

I loved Wisconsin & Ohio's push back on these tactics for their public employee unions - some amazing pieces have been written on this (John Nichols) so I won't attempt to re-hash it.  Just was excited to see it!

ANYway...in the private sector (and public) Managers (& taxpayers!) are warned they will have their hands tied in a union environment; work rules will result in inferior service and products. Oh the horror! 

Bullshit!  Managing in a union environment is no more difficult than managing in a non-union environment. I’ve done both. I’ve been on both sides as an employee and as “the boss.”  I think it’s easier to manage in a union environment.

Why easier? The rules are known and contractually agreed to by both sides. When there is a violation on either side, the parties come together on an even playing field and hash it out.  There is a sense of fairness and “rules” that apply to everyone equally – Sounds pretty democratic to me; doesn’t the GOP tell us the capitalism is a cornerstone to democracy?   Apparently NOT when it applies to the actual wage slaves. 

Despite what the consultants tell you, here’s a little inside tip: If XYZ company, or ABC organization, a school, a police department, a manufacturing company, a hospital, a casino, etc. etc. etc. has morale, productivity, safety, service, or quality “issues” in a union environment there is a leadership problem, not a union problem!   

By the way - what is so wrong with ensuring employees are allowed a pee break, given time to eat a lunch, receive assignments based on seniority, get paid without having their time “modified” and have someone with them “in the office” if their job is in jeopardy.  I consider these basic human rights. Employees not covered under collective bargaining have no guarantees “management” will follow the law.  Sure, you have a “Policy Manual” and an HR Department who can “investigate” but policies – not to mention laws - are violated daily.  Too many organizations do whatever they care to…until they get caught.  Right Wal-Mart?
                                                                                                             
True, it’s not all roses; unions can be difficult to work with from management’s perspective.  In my experience “difficult” unions have been treated poorly in the past.  Maybe it was an idiot from management accusing employees of some ticky-tack violation or some executive in HR engaging in tactics he or she believes will “destabilize” the union. The unions fight back.  It’s their job – unions are “We the Workers” just like you and I are “We the People.” Yes, this can be toxic - but you can bet your ass the Union didn’t start the fight.

Some companies take another tack and have stated goals to either get rid of unions, or stay Union-free.  Yes, I’m looking at you Home Depot, Starbucks, FedEx and Wal-Mart - who MUST bargain with their UNION in China.  How’s THAT for ironic?

Staying “union-free” is about control, the deified bottom line, “The Street” if they are publicly traded and of course, the money.  Companies forget the old saying of “you get what you pay for.” If I’m building a new house - you bet your ass I’m using a Union plumber - a Master Plumber - not Joe the Plumber! 

Here’s a little perspective.  If we look back at the reasons unions were necessary in the first place, we can find those same “necessary conditions” today.  

  • We still have major safety issues
  • OSHA is viewed with contempt or is a target of “model legislation.” 
  • Minimum wage v. Living Wage
  • Proportion of the profits at the Executive Level v. the "Front Line" employee level
  • Managers manipulate employee work schedules to ensure employees do not receive over time
  • An at-will environment ensures employees never “really” have job security
  • Benefits? What Benefits?
Hell, if Newt gets his way even child labor rules will be overturned.  Is it 1911 or 2011?  Good ole’ Newt is confusing “history” and “the present” again.  Sadly, he’s not the only one who believes US workers should subject themselves to working condition found in China and India – the whole damn GOP crop wants to return to an era Charles Dickens would recognize at first glance.


On a positive note, here’s a bit of a new development to chew on: it’s not just the “hourly” folks who need – and want - collective bargaining. Many “salaried” workers have worked 40 hours by Wednesday - not Friday and are subjected to difficult and dangerous working conditions - and they are fighting back!  I love the nurses unions and pharmacists unions who remind us all how workers labeled as “professional” and “educated” are organizing too.  


Dear America: just because we don’t manufacture as we used to does not mean we do not need to unionize as we used to.

As long as we have people who don’t value unions, and are more concerned about keeping their heads down and slogging along - which is exactly what the Corporate folks are hoping for - there is little hope for an increase in union membership.  Companies spend astronomical amounts of money on union-busters, union-free engagement consultants and tactics. 

Some companies – like you Wal-Mart and Home Depot – have been outspoken about remaining “non-union” and this “fact” has resulted in employees not even questioning or challenging that “fact”…for the most part.  Are many of these “union-free” tactics illegal? You bet your ass they are – but you have to file charges, there is no NLRB omniscient presence and companies know it.  Like the Pinto gas tank, it’s a “risk-benefit” analysis approved of on the Executive Floor.

Conversely, local unions don’t have the money to compete with the 1% deep pockets!  Union organizers are the 99%, not the whores of the 1%.  The only way this changes is by changing the dialog much like Occupy has done with wealth inequality.  Maybe we should call this “Occupy the Organizing Drive!”

Unions also need to do their part.  In Chicago we had (another) headline screaming about a “Union Boss” scamming the system and double dipping. Union leaders must keep their collective noses clean and move into the 21st century.  

Unions ARE doing a much better job of getting their message out and offering social media outlets and web pages so “average workers” can educate themselves and get become inspired.  I may be showing my age, but I want more “Norma Rae” and less “Kim Kardashian” in headlines.  Hey kids!  I think you can even “like” the AFL-CIO on Facebook.  It’s a good place to start. 

One strategy worth looking into is expanding union membership to more workers in service-based occupations. I would love to see customer service reps, accounting clerks, administrative assistants, hair stylists, retail workers, lab techs, day care providers, delivery drivers, and fast food workers unionize.  Ronald McDonald is not hurting for cash – how about a living wage with that Happy Meal, clown boy?  

Many of these employees would benefit greatly from a union BUT – and this is a big but - we cannot make workers unionize.  We can make workers more aware of their options.
  
To be fair, not every company’s workforce “needs” to be unionized - but to be clear - the “deciders” on that question are not the shareholders, the Boards of Directors, Management or external consultants.  This decision lies solely with the employees. 

I wish employees knew the power they held and how much management is really afraid “some day” their workforce will wake up and realize it.

Wake up!



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