Ask a Union Organizer: Should we organize as a repro department or entire staff?
Dear Ask a Union Organizer,
I work at an org that does repro work, and other work as well. Is it better to organize by department or as a whole org with everyone having the option to organize?
— Ready But Unsure of Where to Go
Dear Ready But Unsure of Where to Go,
This answer depends upon so many factors. If we were having coffee together, I’d probably ask you some questions like: How big is the organization? How large is your department? What are your relationships like with people in various departments? Are you all on the same hierarchical ladder-rung at work, or are some of you considered higher-up on the food-chain? Are the barriers to organizing the entire organization due to size of the organization, distance of your coworkers, or another structural barrier? Or are the barriers to organizing the entire organization due to a difference in opinion about unionization? Who signs everybody’s paychecks? And that’s just a start!
Asking the hard question of who to include in your bargaining unit, and other structural and cultural questions are easier to answer once you’ve gotten a solid foundation of organizing already done. Don’t let the architectural questions get in the way of action; and by action, of course, I mean holding space for your coworkers as you exchange vulnerabilities and identifying solutions to improve your workplace.
Begin organizing anyone willing to be organized and the bargaining unit will naturally emerge. There’s a lot of added benefits to including other departments in your initial organizing conversations! You can identify places where company policy isn’t being fairly enforced or figure out if similar positions in different departments receive equitable pay.
Remember: even if you don’t include every coworker in your bargaining unit, you’ll still need solidarity from everyone if you expect any success. Don’t get bogged down. Educate, Agitate, Organize everyone. And when it is time to sign union cards, your chosen union will help guide your informed decision-making about who to include in the bargaining unit.
Unions have lawyers and researchers who can examine the organization's structure and any relevant legislation or precedence to determine which employees at your organization even qualify for the bargaining unit. One of the first things the anti-union lawyers do is question employee’s qualifications for bargaining; if they can prove you don’t belong in the bargaining unit, they can invalidate your vote. If they can invalidate enough votes, they can invalidate the union election y’all just won.
So, the union very carefully considers a combination of job descriptions, chain-of-command, and contracts-language to determine which employees, departments, or affiliates are a good fit for sharing a collective bargaining agreement. Then, the organizers and researchers help you think through some strategic options for your campaign, including which coworkers get an invitation, and when they get pulled-into unionizing efforts.
Don’t put carts before horses when organizing your union. Structural questions like these can feel overwhelming until you understand more about how unions work as a legal entity. Spending too much time thinking about them might get in the way of the work you need to organize your coworkers!
As I’m always saying: unions are complicated, but organizing is simple. Authentic relationships build community. Honest conversations that value vulnerability help heal workplace trauma. Solidarity naturally arises when we know others have our backs, and the rest, well, I say leave it to the lawyers.
If you want to chat more with me about what’s happening in your unique workplace and how to approach specific challenges or get more direct advice about your organizing efforts, let ReproJobs know. They’ll put us in touch!