Spring Break
The need for unions hasn't gone away
Benjamin Israel
Issue date: 10/3/05 Section: Opinions
Last week, representatives of seven labor unions met in St. Louis to found an alternative to the AFL-CIO called the Change To Win Coalition. Their plan is to devote as much of their resources as possible to organizing non-union workers in industries that cannot go overseas.
It won't be easy, but workers need unions.
Under current law, if you work in the private sector and don't have a contract,. you are what is called an "at will employee." That means that the employer can fire an employee or the employee can quit at will. In other words, you can get fired for no good reason.
Federal law protects employees from being fired if they can prove that they were victims of discrimination based on age, race, sex or religion or for trying to organize a union, and probably a couple of other reasons that I don't know about. To get your job back, you have to sue. That takes time and money. Most employers know that the person suing has the burden of proof, so most of the time, you are out of luck.
Employers also know that there are other people who need work, so if you don't like the wages or working conditions, they can always hire someone else.
Workers in union shops have contracts. The contract not only spells out wages and hours and working conditions, but it gives reasons that an employee can be fired and what procedure the company has to go through to fire someone. And it spells out a binding grievance procedure if an employee believes the company has violated the contract.
Back in the mid-1970s I worked at a now-closed factory that made hospital beds and the insides of sleeper sofas. The United Steelworkers of America represented us. I was fired and immediately filed a grievance. The company looked at my grievance, realized I would win, and the personnel director called me up.
"We've decided to take you back."
It was early morning and I was lying in bed with my wife and three-month old baby.
When do you I go back?"
It won't be easy, but workers need unions.
Under current law, if you work in the private sector and don't have a contract,. you are what is called an "at will employee." That means that the employer can fire an employee or the employee can quit at will. In other words, you can get fired for no good reason.
Federal law protects employees from being fired if they can prove that they were victims of discrimination based on age, race, sex or religion or for trying to organize a union, and probably a couple of other reasons that I don't know about. To get your job back, you have to sue. That takes time and money. Most employers know that the person suing has the burden of proof, so most of the time, you are out of luck.
Employers also know that there are other people who need work, so if you don't like the wages or working conditions, they can always hire someone else.
Workers in union shops have contracts. The contract not only spells out wages and hours and working conditions, but it gives reasons that an employee can be fired and what procedure the company has to go through to fire someone. And it spells out a binding grievance procedure if an employee believes the company has violated the contract.
Back in the mid-1970s I worked at a now-closed factory that made hospital beds and the insides of sleeper sofas. The United Steelworkers of America represented us. I was fired and immediately filed a grievance. The company looked at my grievance, realized I would win, and the personnel director called me up.
"We've decided to take you back."
It was early morning and I was lying in bed with my wife and three-month old baby.
When do you I go back?"
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