To the Employees of Hutchinson Hospital,

The following are questions  people have had regarding Service Employees International Union, Local 513. We realize it is sometimes difficult to talk at work and get all the information needed to make an informed decision. We hope this answers all your questions.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE UNION

Why do we need a Union?

Union members enjoy higher wages (see this chart), better benefits and more job security than their nonunion counterparts. Most people build a Union at their work place because they want to make it a better place to work. You and your co-workers know best what needs to be improved at the work place.

How does a Union work?

A Union is a democratic organization of working people. The basic idea of a union is that by joining together with fellow employees to form a Union, workers have a better ability to improve their working conditions. The members control the organization, elect officers, and make rules. The workers elect their own stewards, develop their own contract proposals, elect a committee to bargain a contract, and vote to approve the contracts. The Union has a professional staff to assist the members in organizing, negotiating contracts, filing grievances, training stewards, and much more.

How can the Union make things better?

Having a Union changes the basic power relationship at the work place. Without a Union, the employer pretty much has all the rights. They can change your pay and working conditions at any time as long as they do not violate certain laws, like the minimum wage. Any benefits you may continue to receive will be at the discretion of the employer. In most states, a worker without a union can be terminated at any time for any or no reason. Once you have a Union, the employer cannot make any changes unless they are negotiated with the Union. Any benefits or working conditions covered by your contract are protected by law. When it comes time to negotiate the contract, it is more likely to be able to improve pay, benefits, and working conditions because the Union gives you strength in numbers.

How do we get the Union in?

If the workers at the facility show enough support, the Union will file with the National Labor Relations Board and there will be an election. Before we do that, we form an organizing committee that will be responsible for bringing the Union message to their coworkers. We need to educate workers about the Union and about how and why the employer will fight the Union. We need to have workers demonstrate their support for the Union by signing Union cards and other activities. A Union is about building an organization, not about having an election.

Is it easy to get a Union in?

No, and everyone must realize that there are no magic answers to every problem. With a Union, we can make improvements, but it takes dedicated work and people working together.

Can I get fired for joining the Union?

Your right to organize a Union is protected by law. The National Labor Relations Act makes it illegal for an employer to fire anyone for participating in Union activity. However, that does not mean that it never happens. Sometimes an employer will decide to risk a fine and negative publicity in order to stop a Union drive. We hope it does not happen in this drive. If it does, the Union will file charges with the National Labor Relations Board and will take other appropriate action.

Why is management against the Union?

Because all employers oppose the Union to some extent simply because they would rather not pay the higher wages and benefits that Unionization brings. More importantly, they do not want the workers to have a voice over their working conditions. The company knows that with a Union you will be able to make improvements in your wages, benefits, and working conditions, but they don't want you to know that. If the Union couldn't do anything to improve things, why would the company fight so hard? Because they know that Unions are good for workers. That's why they want you to vote against the Union.

What does signing a Union card mean? Is it confidential?

The Union card says that you want to be represented by the Union. I will not tell anyone that you signed a card, but I hope you will. We need the people who have decided they want the Union to talk to their friends, co-workers, and families about why they are doing it. It helps build the strength of the Union.

How much are Union dues? What are they for?

The dues rate is set by a membership vote. The dues rate for Local 513 are l and 1/2% or $1.50 for every 100 dollars you make. Like many other organizations, the money to run the Union comes from membership dues. Dues go to pay for the many services the Union provides to its members, such as contract negotiation expenses, salaries for Union representatives, office and support services, legal services, Union newsletter, and other communications, training for stewards and members, and of course, organizing. You do not pay any dues until 30 days after you have ratified your contract.

What about initiation fees, fines, and assessments?

Local 513 does not have initiation fees, nor does it impose fines or assessments.

Does everyone have to join?

In the United States, Unions are required by law to represent everyone in the bargaining unit, so it is actually in everyone's interest to join the Union, and have a say in Union policies. And, of course, a stronger, more united Union membership gives the Union more power.

Who exactly runs the Union?

The members run the Union. You elect your own committee for contract negotiations, and after you have a contract, you elect your own stewards. The Officers of Local 513 are also elected by the membership. There are regular membership meetings where members discuss the issues that are important to the Union. The Union is not "outsiders" or a third party. It is made up by and for you and your co-workers. The strength of the Union is up to every member.

What can the Union guarantee?

The Union can only guarantee one thing: when workers stick together you will have more bargaining power than you do individually. When you win the election, you will negotiate a contract with the company. The company must negotiate with the Union about wages, benefits and working conditions. The Union makes no promises or guarantees about what will be in the contract. We can guarantee that the contract you negotiate will be legally binding on the company, and the law and the Union will make sure the contract is enforced.

Does the Company have to negotiate if the Union wins?

Yes. The law requires to the company to bargain "in good faith" with the committee which the employees elect.

Will we have to go on strike to get a contract?

The right to strike is protected for workers in the United States. A strike is a very serious move for a worker-that's why a strike is not authorized without a membership vote. It takes a 2/3 vote of the membership to go on strike. Not 2/3 of the people who show up for a meeting, but 2/3 of the entire membership. Members must decide for themselves whether a strike or some other method is the best way to win the contract they want. Management, too, would regard seriously any possibility of a debilitating strike. Over 98% of all contracts are settled without a strike. Wise Unions only call for a strike they know they can win. If the Union is weak a strike won't help. If the Union is strong, a strike is probably not necessary. Having an active, involved membership all the time will make the Union as strong as it can be. You will never be forced to go on strike just because workers at another facility are on strike.

Can we lose benefits if we vote for the Union?

You do not lose anything when you vote for the Union. You only build up. The law prohibits the company from threatening to take away benefits if the Union wins the election. If they do so, they could find themselves facing charges before the National Labor Relations Board. When the Union does win the election, the company cannot change any existing benefits unless the Union agrees. You and your co-workers would probably not agree to lose benefits. Remember, without a Union contract, the company can change whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

Can the company close if we vote to Unionize?

Companies do not go out of business because their workers have a Union or get treated fairly. Companies close because of market conditions or poor management. This is a scare tactic that employers use to keep people from gaining a voice on the job. More non-union companies close each year than union companies. Government studies have shown that a unionized company is no more likely to close than any other company. With a Union contract, fair wages and working conditions, and a voice on the job, workers here will be more productive, and the company will probably do better, not worse.

What is a grievance procedure?

A grievance procedure is a method for solving employee complaints. Right now you can take your complaints to management, but they have the final say on whether to make improvements or correct a problem. With the Union, when you have a problem, you have the help of the Union Steward, who will help you file a grievance. If the company refuses to settle the complaint with the Union, the grievance goes to a neutral judge called an Arbitrator. The company is required to abide by the arbitrator’s decision. The grievance procedure has time limits, so it does not drag out. It insures that the company can't ignore you. With a grievance procedure, if the company mistreats any worker, the company can be forced to correct the injustice or be taken to an arbitrator who can force the company to act fairly.

If we go Union, does it mean that we can't deal directly with our supervisor?

That is not true. In Union contracts, the Union representative gets involved in a problem only after a worker has not received satisfaction from attempts to work something out directly with the company. Without a Union, a person can talk all he or she wants with management-but management has the last word, take it or leave it. With a Union, that person can still talk all they want to management, but he doesn't have to take "no" for an answer. The Union gives you the right to effectively appeal unfair decisions and force the company to correct unfair actions.

Don't Unions just protect bad workers?

All workers should be protected from arbitrary or discriminatory action from their boss. The Union believes that every worker is entitled to a fair hearing and good representation. Union contracts have a fair means by which management can get rid of problem employees. It is management's responsibility to prove that a worker has not been performing his or her job. Remember, both sides have to uphold the contract.

We hope this has been both helpful and informative. If you have not already done so, please fill out a Union card and give it to anyone on the Organizing Committee. If you have any other questions, or need to know who to talk to on the Organizing Committee, please call me at 663.1211. We have Union meetings every Tuesday night at 7p at the Quality Inn in Hutchinson. We would love to see you there.

Thank you

Teresa Hayes

Regional Organizer

SEIU-Local 513 AFL-CIO

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