BASIC UNIONISM

1. BASIC UNIONISM Helen O’Donnell Santa Rosa RRC Becky Flanigan Faultkine RRC

2. What’s in a name? • union, n. … a number of persons joined or associated for some common purpose • association, n. … an organization of people with a common purpose and having a formal structure • labor union, n. … an organization of wage earners or salaried employees formed for mutual aid and protection and for dealing collectively with employers Random House Webster’s College Dictionary 1996

3. WHO ARE Union Members? • 37% education, training & library occupations • 36% protective services • 26% transportation and utilities • 16% construction • 14% information industries • 14% manufacturing • 12% healthcare • 8% sales and office workers

4. UNIONS Decent Working Conditions Unity Inclusive Community Meaningful Work Equal Treatment for All Contractual Rights Democratic Structure MANAGEMENT Efficiency Divide & Conquer Exclusive Individuals ‘The Bottom Line’ Subjective Treatment ‘Case –by-case’ Authoritarian INTERESTS & VALUES

5. WHY UNIONS ARE IMPORTANT LABOR HISTORY COLLECTIVE ACTION WORKERS WELFARE

6. LABOR HISTORY • Most citizens of the United States take for granted labor laws which protect them from the unregulated industry. • Perhaps the majority of those who argue for the removal of restrictions on corporations are unaware that over the course of this country's history, workers have fought and often died for protection from the mistreatment of workers by industry. • In many instances, government troops were called out to crush strikes, at times firing on protesters. Following are a few of the key incidents in the too often overlooked tumultuous labor history of this country.

7. LABOR HISTORY • 1884 The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, forerunner of the AFL, passed a resolution stating that "8 hours shall constitute a legal day's work from and after May 1, 1886. • 25 July 1890 New York garment workers won the right to unionize after a seven-month strike. They secured agreements for a closed shop, and firing of all scabs • June 1938 The Wages and Hours (later Fair Labor Standards) Act is passed, banning child labor and setting the 40-hour work week. The Act went into effect in October 1940, and was upheld in the Supreme Court on 3 February 1941. • November 1935 The Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was formed to expand industrial unionism. • July 1970 United Farm Workers forced California grape growers to sign an agreement after a five-year strike

8. THE COLLECTIVE ACTION OF UNION MEMBERS BENEFITS WORKERS WELFARE • Union workers earn 27% more than non union workers • 69% of union workers have guaranteed pensions • 14% of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions • 75% of union workers have health insurance • 49% of nonunion workers get health insurance

9. MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS, 2000 28% 19% 31% 27% 37% 55% Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Earnings, January 2001

10. CTA/NEA LABOR HISTORY • 1857 NEA founded (as National Teachers Association) • 1863 CTA Founded - John Swett, First President • 1897 Chicago Teachers Federation organized • Additionally NEA & State Organizations lobbied for: • Grammar Schools Kindergartens Intermediate Schools High Schools Compulsory Attendance Creating normal schools for teacher training Require public funding for schools Placed first dibs on public resources

11. CTA/NEA Establishment of Teacher Rights • Prior to 1950 - No legal rights • 1950-65 Right to address Boards of Education • 1965-75 Winton Act – • “The Professional answer to collective bargaining” Written agreements not binding, verbal agreements were not required.

12. Collective Bargaining • 1975-Present - The Rodda Act • Defined units for representation • Provides for “Exclusive Representation” • PERB oversees implementation • Right to bargain binding Contracts • Binding Arbitration of grievances permitted • Impasse procedure

13. Mileposts of the Modern Era • 1988 CTA drafts, gathers signatures, places on the ballot, and passes Proposition 98 which guarantees a minimum portion of state money to fund K-14 education. 1993 • The Proposition 174 voucher initiative is an example of CTA at its finest. Thousands of teachers and citizens are organized and mobilized to fight the most serious threat to public education that California has faced. NEA coordinates national efforts in support of CTA members. CTA emerges from the campaign as a major force in California politics. • 1998 CTA helps defeat Prop. 226, a so-called “paycheck protection” measure, intended to derail unions’ political action.

14. Mileposts of the Modern Era • 2000 After a massive mobilization effort, culminating with more than 10,000 CTA members and supporters in a Sacramento rally, California public schools receive more than a $1.84 billion increase in state support. This infusion results in hundreds of double-digit salary increase agreements • 2005 May 11 Day Of The Teacher Rallies Statewide May 25 Alliance For A Better California Rally Sacramento & Los Angeles November Election Victory – Defeat of Governor’s Initiatives • 2009 Stand Up For Schools – “Pink Friday”

15. WHAT DO UNIONS BELIEVE • UNIONS ARE ABOUT ORGANIZING • TO BUILD WORKERS POWER • Member Involvement • Expanding Leadership • Achieving & Maintaining Parity • Developing Alliances

16. COMMUNITY • The labor movement builds communities—that’s what unions do, by bringing together workers, unions forge a community in the workplace. They help workers understand that they have rights, and they provide a collective vehicle for exercising those rights. • Beyond the defense and promotion of individual union members’ rights, unions also provide a collective voice for workers, and their families, in the political process. • They provide a check to the power of management and they fight for the right of workers to participate in decision-making in the workplace, in their community and within society.

17. ORGANIZING Organizing gives voice to the voiceless, empowers the powerless, and makes the old respond to the new. It is based on the belief that changes comes when those who wish for it take the responsibility for making it happen. It grows out of the understanding of the best way to prevent abuse of power is to make it accountable to those whom it is supposed to serve. It is America’s history at it’s best. It’s the Boston Tea Party, the Abolitionists, the Suffragists, the union organizers, and the civil rights workers. Organizing is democracy in action. Marshal Ganz

18. THE IRON RULE Never Do For Others What They Can Do For Themselves “Everyone has a contribution to make and it is the job of an organizer to figure out how” Charles Payne

19. Proactive unionism • Relationship Building • All Members Participate • Members Involved In Problem Solving ‘Doing With Not Doing For’

20. MEMBER CENTERED CHARACTERISTCIS • Proactive Unionism • Decentralized Organizational Structure • Members See Themselves As The Union • Members Participate In Educational Activities, Political Activities, Community Activities • Members Set Agenda • Chapter Work Is Not Limited To Bargaining Or Grievance • Open Communication & Information Sharing

21. IS YOUR UNION MEMBER CENTERED? • What are The ‘Blockers’ To Creating Member Centered locals? • What are The ‘Builders’ To Creating Member Centered locals? • Is Your Local Blocking Or Building A Member Centered Organization?

22. AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL This is the basic premise of unionism

23. AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL • Creates a balance of power between the employer and employees, and is the foundation for solidarity among employees • Means that mistreatment of any individual worker creates the possibility of mistreatment for every worker. • Requires that workers come to the support and defense of fellow workers who are threatened

24. ALLIANCES Association of two or more groups or individuals who agree to cooperate with one another to achieve a common goal. Association of groups with a common aim.

25. ALLIANCES & POLITICS • Most unionists recognize that politics is important to the labor movement and that there is nothing that labor can win at the bargaining table that cannot be taken away by regulation, legislation or political decision making. • It’s therefore urgent for organized labor and working people in general to organize politically, in the community through political parties and social movements. Unions cannot leave politics alone because politics will not leave unions alone.

26. WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A UNION LEADER • Leaders endeavor to create a member -centered organization through facilitation, motivation and encouragement of their members to work for the success of the union. • Leaders promote proactive unionism, a decentralized organizational structure and members participation in educational, political and community activities. • Leaders find & train new leaders, teach basic unionism, assist in devising “best” plans to secure members interests, utilize due process, listen and communicate regularly.

27. CHALLENGES FACING LEADERS • Demographic Change in Membership • New Workforce – Different Needs & Expectation • Lack Knowledge of Labor/Union History • Anti-union Environment • Members view union As “Service” Or Insurance • Competition From Other Unions

28. CHALLENGES FACINGLEADERS & ASSOCIATIONS • Fiscal Crisis in State & Local Government • “Reforms” • Employer Opposition/Hostility To Unions • Privatization • Legislation & Ballot Propositions

29. RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES EDUCATE COMMUNICATE ORGANIZE MOBILIZE

30. Empowered Union • Leadership capacity Depth, Diversity, Experience, Inclusion • Membership capacity Mobilization, Participation • Dispute settlement/resolution capacity ( IBB, Bargaining and/or Dispute Resolution Courses • Member participation ( Educational, Political and Community Activities • Leadership Development Expansion & Promotion

31. MOVE FORWARD STEP BY STEP No on can force people to grasp, or run with, an opportunity. We can only provide that opportunity. Ralph Flynn