BASIC UNIONISM

Helen O’DonnellSanta Rosa RRC

Becky FlaniganFaultkine RRC

What’s in a name? union, n. … a number of persons joined or associated

for some common purpose association, n. … an organization of people with a

common purpose and having a formal structure labor union, n. … an organization of wage earners

or salaried employees formed for mutual aid and protection and for dealing collectively with employers

Random House Webster’s College Dictionary 1996

WHO ARE Union Members?

37% education, training & library occupations

36% protective services 26% transportation and

utilities 16% construction 14% information industries 14% manufacturing 12% healthcare 8% sales and office workers

INTERESTS & VALUES

UNIONS Decent Working

Conditions Unity Inclusive Community Meaningful Work Equal Treatment for

All Contractual Rights

Democratic Structure

MANAGEMENT Efficiency Divide & Conquer Exclusive Individuals ‘The Bottom Line’ Subjective

Treatment ‘Case –by-case’

Authoritarian

WHY UNIONS ARE IMPORTANT

LABOR HISTORYCOLLECTIVE ACTIONWORKERS WELFARE

LABOR HISTORY Most citizens of the United States take for granted

labor laws which protect them from the unregulated industry.

Perhaps the majority of those who argue for the removal of restrictions on corporations are unaware that over the course of this country's history, workers have fought and often died for protection from the mistreatment of workers by industry.

In many instances, government troops were called out to crush strikes, at times firing on protesters.

Following are a few of the key incidents in the too often overlooked tumultuous

labor history of this country.

LABOR HISTORY 1884 The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor

Unions, forerunner of the AFL, passed a resolution stating that "8 hours shall constitute a legal day's work from and after May 1, 1886.

25 July 1890 New York garment workers won the right to unionize after a seven-month strike. They secured agreements for a closed shop, and firing of all scabs

June 1938 The Wages and Hours (later Fair Labor Standards) Act is passed, banning child labor and setting the 40-hour work week. The Act went into effect in October 1940, and was upheld in the Supreme Court on 3 February 1941.

November 1935 The Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was formed to expand industrial unionism.

July 1970 United Farm Workers forced California grape growers to sign an agreement after a five-year strike

THE COLLECTIVE ACTION OF UNION MEMBERS

BENEFITS WORKERS WELFARE

Union workers earn 27% more than non union workers

69% of union workers have guaranteed pensions

14% of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions

75% of union workers have health insurance

49% of nonunion workers get health insurance

$696$739

$616

$716

$584$596

$377$436

$565$620

$542

$472

All Workers Men Women Whites African-Americans

Latinos

Union

Non-union

MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME WAGE

AND SALARY WORKERS, 2000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Earnings, January 2001

28% 19% 31% 27% 37% 55%

CTA/NEA LABOR HISTORY

1857 NEA founded (as National Teachers Association) 1863 CTA Founded - John Swett, First President 1897 Chicago Teachers Federation organized

Additionally NEA & State Organizations lobbied for: Grammar Schools

KindergartensIntermediate SchoolsHigh SchoolsCompulsory AttendanceCreating normal schools for teacher trainingRequire public funding for schoolsPlaced first dibs on public resources

CTA/NEA Establishment of Teacher Rights

Prior to 1950 - No legal rights 1950-65 Right to address Boards of

Education 1965-75 Winton Act – “The Professional answer to

collective bargaining” Written agreements not binding, verbal agreements were not required.

Collective Bargaining

1975-Present - The Rodda Act Defined units for representation Provides for “Exclusive Representation” PERB oversees implementation Right to bargain binding Contracts Binding Arbitration of grievances

permitted Impasse procedure

Mileposts of the Modern Era

1988 CTA drafts, gathers signatures, places on the ballot, and passes Proposition 98 which guarantees a minimum portion of state money to fund K-14 education. 1993

The Proposition 174 voucher initiative is an example of CTA at its finest. Thousands of teachers and citizens are organized and mobilized to fight the most serious threat to public education that California has faced. NEA coordinates national efforts in support of CTA members. CTA emerges from the campaign as a major force in California politics.

1998 CTA helps defeat Prop. 226, a so-called “paycheck protection” measure, intended to derail unions’ political action.

Mileposts of the Modern Era

2000 After a massive mobilization effort, culminating with more than 10,000 CTA members and supporters in a Sacramento rally, California public schools receive more than a $1.84 billion increase in state support. This infusion results in hundreds of double-digit salary increase agreements

2005 May 11 Day Of The Teacher Rallies Statewide

May 25 Alliance For A Better California Rally Sacramento & Los AngelesNovember Election Victory –Defeat of Governor’s Initiatives

2009 Stand Up For Schools – “Pink Friday”

WHAT DO UNIONS BELIEVE

UNIONS ARE ABOUT ORGANIZING

TO BUILD WORKERS POWERMember InvolvementExpanding LeadershipAchieving & Maintaining

ParityDeveloping Alliances

COMMUNITY The labor movement builds communities—that’s what

unions do, by bringing together workers, unions forge a community in the workplace. They help workers understand that they have rights, and they provide a collective vehicle for exercising those rights.

Beyond the defense and promotion of individual unionmembers’ rights, unions also provide a collective voice for workers, and their families, in the political process.

They provide a check to the power of managementand they fight for the right of workers to participate in decision-making in the workplace, in their community and within society.

ORGANIZINGOrganizing gives voice to the voiceless, Organizing gives voice to the voiceless, empowers the powerless, and makes the old empowers the powerless, and makes the old respond to the new. It is based on the belief respond to the new. It is based on the belief that changes comes when those who wish for that changes comes when those who wish for it take the responsibility for making it happen. it take the responsibility for making it happen. It grows out of the understanding of the best It grows out of the understanding of the best way to prevent abuse of power is to make it way to prevent abuse of power is to make it accountable to those whom it is supposed to accountable to those whom it is supposed to serve. It is America’s history at it’s best. It’s serve. It is America’s history at it’s best. It’s the Boston Tea Party, the Abolitionists, the the Boston Tea Party, the Abolitionists, the Suffragists, the union organizers, and the civil Suffragists, the union organizers, and the civil rights workers. Organizing is democracy in rights workers. Organizing is democracy in action. action.

Marshal GanzMarshal Ganz

THE IRON RULE

Never Do For Others What They Can Do

For Themselves

““Everyone has a contribution to make Everyone has a contribution to make and it is the job of an organizer to and it is the job of an organizer to figure out how”figure out how”

Charles PayneCharles Payne

Relationship Building All Members Participate Members Involved In Problem

Solving ‘Doing With Not Doing For’

Proactive unionism

MEMBER CENTERED CHARACTERISTCIS

Proactive Unionism

Decentralized Organizational Structure

Members See Themselves As The Union

Members Participate In Educational Activities, Political Activities, Community Activities

Members Set Agenda

Chapter Work Is Not Limited To Bargaining Or Grievance

Open Communication & Information Sharing

IS YOUR UNION IS YOUR UNION MEMBER CENTERED? MEMBER CENTERED?

What are The ‘Blockers’ To Creating Member Centered locals?

What are The ‘Builders’ To Creating Member Centered locals?

Is Your Local Blocking Or Building AMember Centered Organization?

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL

This is the basic premise of unionism

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL

Creates a balance of power between the employer and employees, and is the foundation for solidarity among employees

Means that mistreatment of any individual worker creates the possibility of mistreatment for every worker.

Requires that workers come to the support and defense of fellow workers who are threatened

ALLIANCES

Association of two or more groups or individuals who

agree to cooperate with one another to achieve a common goal.

Association of groups with a common aim.

ALLIANCES & POLITICS Most unionists recognize that politics is important

to the labor movement and that there is nothing that labor can win at the bargaining table that cannot be taken away by regulation, legislation or political decision making.

It’s therefore urgent for organized labor and working people in general to organize politically, in the community through political parties and social movements.

Unions cannot leave politics alone because politics will not

leave unions alone.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A UNION LEADER

Leaders endeavor to create a member -centered organization through facilitation, motivation and encouragement of their members to work for the success of the union.

Leaders promote proactive unionism, a decentralized organizational structure and members participation in educational, political and community activities.

Leaders find & train new leaders, teach basic unionism, assist in devising “best” plans to secure members interests, utilize due process, listen and communicate regularly.

CHALLENGES FACING LEADERS

Demographic Change in Membership

New Workforce –

Different Needs & Expectation

Lack Knowledge of Labor/Union History

Anti-union Environment

Members view union As “Service” Or Insurance

Competition From Other Unions

CHALLENGES FACING LEADERS & & ASSOCIATIONS

Fiscal Crisis in State & Local Government

“Reforms”

Employer Opposition/Hostility To Unions

Privatization

Legislation & Ballot Propositions

RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES

EDUCATE COMMUNICATE

ORGANIZE MOBILIZE

Empowered Union

Leadership capacity Depth, Diversity, Experience, Inclusion

Membership capacity Mobilization, Participation

Dispute settlement/resolution capacity (IBB, Bargaining and/or Dispute Resolution Courses

Member participation (Educational, Political and Community Activities

Leadership Development Expansion & Promotion

MOVE FORWARD STEP BY STEP

No on can force people No on can force people to grasp, or run with, to grasp, or run with, an opportunity. We can an opportunity. We can only provideonly provide that opportunity.

Ralph Flynn