Box 6.2: The Soul and Scope of Employee Representation

1. Box 6.2:The Soul and Scope of Employee Representation INSERT BOX 6.2

2. Box 6.3: UNION STRATEGIES INSERT BOX 6.3

3. THE STRUCTURE OF THE U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT • Craft and amalgamated locals are likely to have elected business agent to administer the contracts that have been negotiated with various employers. • Most worksites also have one or more elected or appointed shop stewards who are the primary point of contact for most unionized employees. • Steward’s most important responsibilities are processing grievances that have been filed within their work group. • Local unions are governed by a president and executive committee who are democratically elected (mandated by Landrum-Griffin). • In most locals, president not paid full-time to do U business • Works regular job during day, does U business nights/ weekends

4. THE STRUCTURE OF THE U.S. LABOR MOVEMENT • There are approximately 100 national unions in the U.S. • Largest national unions are: • National Education Association (NEA) • Teamsters • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) • Service Employees International Union (SEIU) • American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) • NEA has over 2M members; other unions have over 1M each. • National unions charter locals and often have final authority over local actions.

5. Box 6.6: The Structure of the U.S. Labor Movement INSERT BOX 6.6

6. UNION DEMOCRACY • Since providing voice is one of the primary roles of labor unions, it is imperative that unions are democratic. • Democracy in unions is also championed on the belief that democratic unions are more effectively representing their members. • Union democracy can be analyzed along three dimensions: • Procedural (the extent of democratic procedures within unions, such as free speech). • Behavioral (the extent that behaviors within unions support democracy, such as voting rates). • Substantive (the extent to which the union leadership is responsive to the wishes of the rank and file).

7. AFL-CIO • Most U.S. national unions, including internationals, are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). • The AFL-CIO plays an important leadership role in the direction and coordination of the U.S. labor movement. • The AFL-CIO is a support organization whose main functions are: • Political lobbying • Research • Education

8. AFL-CIO STRUCTURE (2004) INSERT BOX 6.7

9. Change to Win Coalition • Had pressured AFL-CIO to convert to institution w/ authority to order U mergers, grant exclusive organizing rights to industry sectors • Seven member unions represent ~5.4m workers • AFL-CIO now has ~8.8m members • Believe Us must be much bigger to be able to bargain w/ global Cos and nationwide chains • Will have strategic organizing center and central organizing fund • 75 percent of revenue from per capita fee will go to organizing, 25 percent to administrative activities • Disaffiliation has implications for ability of AFL-CIO to coordinate get-out-the-vote drives, activities of state and local central labor councils

10. “Divided They’ll Stand – Maybe Even Taller” • Robert Reich (Sec. of Labor in Clinton Admin) notes that while watchwords for labor have been “in unity there is strength,” labor movement may in fact be stronger disunited • History of organized labor has been one of upheaval and rebirth, reflecting changes in structure of American economy • KoL, AFL, CIO • 1950s and 1960s were golden age for unions • To achieve economies of scale, major industries became dominated by few large producers (labor costs taken out of competition) • However, 1980s–present has seen rise of global product markets and increasingly global labor markets • Local service sector of economy remains exception to globalization • Source: Washington Post, 7/31/05

11. MANAGEMENT GOALS AND STRATEGIES • Business-level strategies often divided into two general types: • Cost leadership strategies (emphasizing low cost) • Differentiation strategies (emphasizing product quality and features) • To pursue business-level strategy, management designs functional strategy that includes human resource strategy whose bottom line is effectiveness and efficiency. • Attract, retain, motivate • Labor relations strategy (e.g., union avoidance or acceptance) function of environment, corporate goals, values

12. Box 6.8: Managerial Goals and Strategies Insert BOX 6.8

13. MANAGEMENT GOALS AND STRATEGIES • Two possible management attitudes towards labor unions: • Union avoidance-The extent that management works toward remaining nonunion, or becoming nonunion if unionized. • Union avoidance tactics can involve either union suppression or union substitution. • Union acceptance (tolerance?)-The extent that management accepts, perhaps begrudgingly, the presence of a union, or drive to establish a union.

14. Box 6.9: UNION AVOIDANCE TACTICS

15. Union-organizing election campaign tactics • Percentage of companies that used these tactics: • Held mandatory ee meetings 92% • Held supervisor one-on-ones 78% • Hired mngt consultant 75% • Distributed anti-U leaflets 75% • Mailed anti-U letters 70% • Used anti-U videos 55% • Discharged pro-U activists 25% • Promoted pro-U activists (?) 11% • Source: Cornell University study reported in Wall Street Journal, 8/15/05

16. Share of representation elections in which union supporter is illegally fired 1964-69 8% 1980-84 20% 1998-99 25% 1999-03 34% Data: LaLonde, Meltzer, and Bronfenbrenner, Cornell University, as reported in Business Week, 9/13/04; Bronfenbrenner, as reported in the New York Times, 5/20/09. Union-organizing election campaign tactics

17. Union-organizing election campaign tactics • Among cos that have used consultants recently: Cintas, Coca-Cola, and ConAgra • Consultants typically charge ~$50k for four to five week campaign • Wal-Mart doesn’t hire consultants, but relies on its own 20-member team • Dispatched to any store that unions attempting to organize, including two in 2005 in PA and CO • Labor Relations Institute has online store that sells campaign literature, including packets of recently published newspaper articles on U strikes, violence, financial irregularities; videos; “Vote No” campaign buttons; fortune cookies containing messages such as ‘Picket line often next to bread line’ • Source: Wall Street Journal, 8/15/05

18. ARE LABOR RIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS? • The prime foundation of human rights is the belief that there are basic rights that everyone is entitled to simply by being human. • Created in 1919, the International Labor Organization (ILO) sought to address issue of human rights of labor recognizing positive economic and social rights • in which governments have a responsibility for ensuring adequate standards of living including employment opportunities, income, housing, medical care, safety, and education.

19. ARE LABOR RIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS? • UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) • Pay sufficient for existence worthy of human dignity • Equal pay for equal work • Reasonable working hours • Periodic paid holidays • Unemployment and disability insurance • Right to form labor unions

20. ARE LABOR RIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS? • But what happens when property rights conflict with labor rights? • Property rights and labor rights are both human rights • No accepted hierarchy so they should be balanced • Balancing property rights and labor rights is a key theme in labor relations • The labor relations processes try to balance property rights and labor rights • The NLRB tries to balance property rights and labor rights in its decisions • Note tension with social justice viewpoint