Frequently Asked Questions
What will be in our Collective Bargaining Agreement?
It is for the Union members of Local 351 to decide what issues to negotiate for during negotiations with their respective employer. Everything is negotiable and once a tentative agreement is reached with your employer, the agreement must be voted and approved by the Union membership at your employer. Local 351 members of different employers do not get to vote on your Collective Bargaining Agreement with your employer.
Who runs Local 351?
It’s a democratic process in which Local 351 members elect all Union Stewards, Negotiating Committees and Officers.
The company says that Local 351 is just after our Union dues. Why should we pay dues to Local 351?
No worker will pay any Union dues to Local 351 until after a first Collective Bargaining Agreement is voted and approved by the Union members at their respective employer. Union dues are used to provide salaries to the Officers and Staff of Local 351 for administration and representation, to provide for the expenses associated with negotiating Collective Bargaining Agreements and the fees associated with arbitrating grievances.
Could we lose or have our benefits or wages reduced for joining Local 351?
It’s against the law for your employer to retaliate against you by taking away wages or benefits. The purpose of forming a Union is to negotiate improvements in wages and benefits, not to lose them. Local 351 will use your current wages and benefits as the starting point for making proposals with your employer during contract negotiations.
What can Local 351 do about favoritism?
Fairness is one of the most important parts of the Collective Bargaining Agreement – the same rules and conditions of employment apply to all employees. Once a Collective Bargaining Agreement has been agreed to by the Union and your employer, a grievance can be filed to remedy issues. The Union negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement will contain a grievance and arbitration procedure to remedy issues, instead of “Kangaroo Court” that occurs at non-Union employers.
What about all these articles and speeches the employer has been giving about Unions being corrupt?
It’s a strategy from the employer to try to make you think that Local 351 is corrupt. It is no secret that history proves that some Labor Unions have been corrupt in the past, but Local 351’s Staff, Officers and Membership is made up of decent, honest, hardworking people like you that have joined together collectively to make the lives of the Union members and their families better.
The employer says that Local 351 can’t guarantee us anything. Can you?
Local 351 knows when workers stick together collectively as a Union, they have more bargaining power and more of a voice than they do as individuals. We can make no promises on what the Collective Bargaining Agreement will contain because that is for you and your co-workers who join Local 351 to ultimately decide. Local 351 can guarantee that the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be legally binding and that Local 351 will make sure it is enforced.
The employer is implying the company could close if the employees join Local 351?
Companies do not go out of business because they have a Union representing their employees. Companies close because of market conditions or poor management. This is a scare tactic to keep you from voting to join Local 351.
Could I get fired for participating in the Union campaign?
The law prohibits the employer from discriminating against anyone for Union activities. If the employer does discriminate, you need to let us know immediately, so we can file an Unfair Labor Practice Charge with the National Labor Relations Board.
The company says there will be a strike if we organize?
The Officers, Staff or Representatives of Local 351 cannot make you go on a strike. You and your co-workers who are members of Local 351 are the only individuals that get to vote for a strike against your respective employer. This is another scare tactic that the Company uses to keep you from voting to join Local 351.
What does it mean to sign a Union authorization card?
Signing the Union authorization card is a personal commitment of your support for Local 351 to be your representative at your employer. The Union authorization cards are not shared with your employer but are given to the National Labor Relations Board in order to prove support for Local 351 as the exclusive bargaining agent for you and your fellow co-workers.
Local 351 Executive Board Members