The Union's Vulnerability Assessment: Are You At Risk of Unionization? And what you can do today
All companies wishing to remain free from trade unions must have some form of union prevention strategy. However, this strategy does not come in a "one size fits all" program. There are many factors, both internally and externally, that are used to measure the level of "Union threat" for businesses, and understanding this will give management a better idea of what kind of workplace prevention should take place.
Pre-evaluation: Basic
Before starting, it is important to lay the foundation to avoid unionization. A 3-part approach will cover the basics. The first of these is for your new employees. A direct explanation of the company's philosophy without unification should be a permanent part of the employee handbook and must be communicated on the first day in a strong way, but not with a strong hand.
Secondly, also on the policy side, but for current employees, consider developing a non-application / non-disclosure law policy covering all electronic and printed materials. Be sure to consult a legal advisor on the best wording of these policies, but educational information is available online.
The third part of this basic foundation is to ensure that counselors and managers have been trained in legal tactics for Union evasion.
Vulnerability assessment of the Union
With this 3-part base in place, a more complete vulnerability assessment can be performed. Start with five key areas: employees, geography, industry, local factors and corporate concerns. You can rate these areas on a 10-point scale with low-risk "1" and "10" as an area where serious and immediate attention should be given.
1) Employee concerns. Placing the business as an "employer of choice" can be a powerful component of an effective union fraud strategy. It's important to know what employees think about the company's key issues (not just wages, but job security, medical care, etc.) and how they responded. One way to obtain an accurate indicator is by using anonymous employee surveys; An open and open open dialogue with direct supervisors is also a powerful tool.
2) Location, location, location. The geographical diversity and the number of places are also factors to consider. The different factors can affect different places, which makes some places more prone to unionization than others. Understand the professional or anti-professional culture of each area and the research statistics on organization and unionization. In many companies there are places where trade unions and union avoidance training work side by side. This can make union members much more receptive to the organization, whether it's in their best interest, as professional staff will see the potential for strength to add members.
3) The wisdom of the industry. Of course, some industries are more exposed to unionization than others. Organized labor has publicly announced that its current plans include the workers' organization in health, construction and transport. But even it is evolving to include very visible organizational campaigns for the fast food industry. For a generation ago, the industries most likely to be unionized, manufactured or auto parts, but it has apparently been an effort. Today, a goal may be more about the standard of living in an industry: low-paid and low-skilled workers are the ones who most support trade unions and their promises.
Pre-evaluation: Basic
Before starting, it is important to lay the foundation to avoid unionization. A 3-part approach will cover the basics. The first of these is for your new employees. A direct explanation of the company's philosophy without unification should be a permanent part of the employee handbook and must be communicated on the first day in a strong way, but not with a strong hand.
Secondly, also on the policy side, but for current employees, consider developing a non-application / non-disclosure law policy covering all electronic and printed materials. Be sure to consult a legal advisor on the best wording of these policies, but educational information is available online.
The third part of this basic foundation is to ensure that counselors and managers have been trained in legal tactics for Union evasion.
Vulnerability assessment of the Union
With this 3-part base in place, a more complete vulnerability assessment can be performed. Start with five key areas: employees, geography, industry, local factors and corporate concerns. You can rate these areas on a 10-point scale with low-risk "1" and "10" as an area where serious and immediate attention should be given.
1) Employee concerns. Placing the business as an "employer of choice" can be a powerful component of an effective union fraud strategy. It's important to know what employees think about the company's key issues (not just wages, but job security, medical care, etc.) and how they responded. One way to obtain an accurate indicator is by using anonymous employee surveys; An open and open open dialogue with direct supervisors is also a powerful tool.
2) Location, location, location. The geographical diversity and the number of places are also factors to consider. The different factors can affect different places, which makes some places more prone to unionization than others. Understand the professional or anti-professional culture of each area and the research statistics on organization and unionization. In many companies there are places where trade unions and union avoidance training work side by side. This can make union members much more receptive to the organization, whether it's in their best interest, as professional staff will see the potential for strength to add members.
3) The wisdom of the industry. Of course, some industries are more exposed to unionization than others. Organized labor has publicly announced that its current plans include the workers' organization in health, construction and transport. But even it is evolving to include very visible organizational campaigns for the fast food industry. For a generation ago, the industries most likely to be unionized, manufactured or auto parts, but it has apparently been an effort. Today, a goal may be more about the standard of living in an industry: low-paid and low-skilled workers are the ones who most support trade unions and their promises.
Comments
Post a Comment