It’s more complicated than an “us” vs. “them” scenario when you’re organizing a small repro organization, but when the lines are drawn, you want the new hire falling on the right side of the battlefield. Whoever makes them feel most supported, welcome, and confident will likely win their alliance.

If you can find a way to create a movement that does not retraumatize your coworkers, your union will be stronger, more successful, and more sustainable.

There’s a lot you can ask for in a union contract that won’t cost the clinic a penny: a voting seat on the board for a staff member; better boundaries for off-the-clock and working hours; stronger non-discrimination policies; a formal grievance procedure.

Organizing across miles carries a lot of barriers, but it also holds some unique opportunities. Many locations means many opportunities to compare workplace locations, find discrepancies between job descriptions or wages, and identify who really makes the decisions about things like working conditions.

You and your co-workers have really been through a lot. Acknowledging the trauma you’ve been experiencing is an important step to surviving it.

I wish I had a better answer for you, but at the end of the day, exploring whether a union is right for you and your coworkers is almost always a risky process.

Remember, there’s no “right” answer. Just what’s right for you.

Unions love to find ways to bolster the skills and knowledge of their workers. Unions send people to conferences and often cover the costs of continuing education courses or facilitator fees so your unionized staff can improve themselves and the workplace culture.

Bargaining looks like people sitting on opposite sides of a table discussing the terms of a contract. The Bargaining Team is the debate club of union leadership roles.

We asked you to share your questions about unionizing. Here are some quick answers to your top five questions.

How can we deal with emotional reactions from our boss when trying to unionize in a small workplace? We are in the early stages of unionizing and anticipate that there will be Feelings. What resources or trainings can we share to help them understand that unionizing might benefit the organization?

If there's anything non-profit leaders have even less of than time, it’s money. Make your demands clear.