Unions

Chapter 14

Question #5

"Explain in detail each step in a union drive and election".

There are five steps in a union drive and election:

1. Initial Contact- The union determines the employees' interest in organizing, and establishes an organizing committee. Once an employer becomes a target, a union official usually assigns a representative

to assess employee interest. The representative

visits the firm to determine whether enough employees are interested to make a union campaign worthwhile. He or she also identifies employees who would make good leaders in the organizing campaign and calls them together to create and organizing committee.

2. Obtaining Authorization Cards- In order to petition for a union election, the union must show that at least 30% of employees may be interested in being unionized. Employees indicate this interest by signing authorization cards. During this stage, unions can picket the company, subject to three constraints:

o The union must file a petition for an election within 30 days after the start of picketing.

o The firm cannot already be lawfully recognizing another union.

o There cannot have been a valid NLRB election during the past 12 months.

3. Hold a Hearing- Once the union collects the authorization cards, one of three things can occur. If the employer chooses not to contest union recognition, the parties need no hearing, and a special "consent election" is held. If the employer chooses not to contest the union's right to an election, and/or the scope of the bargaining unit, and/or which employees are eligible to vote in the election, no hearing is needed and the parties can stipulate an election. If an employer does wish to contest the union's right, it can insist on a hearing to determine those issues. An employer's decision about whether it feels it needs additional time to try to persuade a majority of its employees not to elect a union to represent them. The bargaining unit is the group of employees the union will be authorized to represent.

4. The