Ask a Union Organizer: Where to Get Started?
Dear Union Organizers,
Where to get started?
Signed,
Budding Union Organizer
Dear Budding Union Organizer,
We get this question often at ReproJobs. We’ve covered how to get started unionizing your workplace in several different contexts, like when you work for a small organization or are currently unionizing and have to talk to new hires. We also have a handy Union FAQ you can browse for some quick answers. I thought I’d give you some advice from my experience organizing two separate campaigns at two very different organizations. Before I get into things, I cannot stress enough the importance of genuine relationship-building throughout the entirety of your union campaign; successful campaigns are built on solidarity and a whole lot of trust: in the process, in the movement, and in each other as coworkers. Relationship-building has been a key part of both campaigns I’ve been a part of, and the conversations you have with your coworkers will be critical to building those relationships, so that’s what I’ll be focusing on now.
Before any conversation, you’ll want to think first about why you want to unionize. Make a list! Think of all the reasons you want to unionize, and all how a union could benefit your workplace. Commonly, folks think unionizing is only for when conditions are in dire need of change. But unionizing can also help you keep aspects of the job you love–so don’t limit your thinking to only things you’d change. Once you’ve exhausted your list, start thinking about individual people, or similar roles to yours around the agency–who might also have a lot of the same concerns as you do. Who have you vented to, or who has vented to you? They may be thinking the same thing as you, without knowing where to start. When you’ve pinpointed some people, begin the conversation by asking a few questions about their experience at work, and sharing some of your experiences. Some of these questions could be:
What brought you to the organization?
What do you like most about working here?
How does your work impact your personal life?
If there’s one thing to know about organizing, it’s that organizing requires a lot of conversation. Like, a lot. It can be difficult in the early stages of organizing to know how to pop the union question amongst your coworkers. This is especially true if you don’t know where your coworkers may land on the union question. As already mentioned, relationship-building is key to organizing, and that should be your modus operandi: to build relationships with your coworkers. Depending on your workplace environment, this could be easy to do or it could be quite a challenge. If you or your position is remote, or your workplace is siloed (departments are kept almost separate with little co-mingling), it can be intimidating to reach out to start conversations. Through this conversation, identify sticking points or changes your coworker mentions. These are agitation points that you can use to turn the conversation towards unionizing.
Once you’ve identified agitation points, you can begin asking other questions such as where your coworker might think these issues come from or what you think the root cause of this issue is. These questions are great ways to get them thinking about their issues in a broader context and the possibility that conditions could change. This is crucial to building a collective vision with your coworkers. If at this point you’re feeling like your coworker is mulling over the word “union,” feel free to name it and move to the topic of the union difference. Make sure they know that the union would be made up of your coworkers and ask them questions about how different work would be if workers had more of a say in decisions being made.
Remember that most employers are hesitant about unions because they are uninformed and because unions fundamentally shift the power dynamic between employers and their employees. You may even want to question recent decisions that have been made by management and highlight the ways these changes have impacted you (or them).
Honestly speaking, your initial conversations with coworkers might not even mention the word “union,” it might simply focus on building relationships, and that’s totally okay! If your conversation leaves you without saying that word, then plan a casual follow-up with them to continue the conversation. It’s kind of like building conversations around abortion! Feel free to explain the federal protections around unionizing which can ease a lot of anxiety around the process.
Unionizing is daunting and you need people who are ready to dig their heels in and do the work. After talking with people and identifying those who have an interest in getting more involved, meet up sometime outside of work to discuss the next steps, which includes the decision of which union to organize with.
One of the toughest hurdles when starting the unionizing process is initiating conversations, but trust me the benefits will outweigh any anxiety that comes with it. Those initial conversations are the building blocks of a larger movement you and your coworkers are starting and will continue to build upon until you’ve won your union. Congrats and good luck!
Cheers,
Jorie Lane