Organize your workplace
Unionizing a non-union workplace
It can take a long time, and it can take guts, but you’re not alone. Union brethren across the country are eager to help bring others into the fold.
We’ve seen so much union success lately (think of Burgerville as an impressive recent and local example). When you organizing the support of your fellow workers to better your working conditions, you can also receive the support and backing of a current union, strengthening your cause.
Yes, I want to take a stand with the help of Local 555
What to expect
You’ve heard the expression “lots of ways to skin the cat?” Well, there are lots of ways to organize a union. Look at a common structure so you have a sense of what might happen.
Reach out to the organizing department
Let us know you’re interested in considering unionizing your workplace. Just call the Tigard office at 503-684-2822 and ask to speak to someone in the Organizing Department, or fill out the form below.
The process
Organizing a union doesn’t always work in the same way, but this is the way doing so via the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) might work:
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Talk with your fellow workers
about the benefits of joining a union and gather together those who are most interested.
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Identify internal leaders
from amongst those interested workers.
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Interview interested workers.
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Workers sign a petition
(or equivalent) to signal interest to the NLRB; this is sometimes called a “showing of interest”
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Hold elections
to decide whether the workplace will be unionized or not
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Workers identify
a bargaining team
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Team begins
the negotiation/bargaining process with the employer
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Workers vote
to implement the new contract secured during the bargaining process
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…at this point,
workers begin paying membership shares (also known as dues or membership fees)
Good call, considering unionizing! Let us know some details about yourself, your workplace, and why you’re interested. We’ve given you space to upload documents if needed. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.