Talking to Your Co-Workers: What Difference Does a Union Make?
■As a steward, it's your job to sell the benefits of union membership to unorganized workers. And it doesn't hurt to remind our own members from time to time, either. Here (in capsule form) are eight big advantages unions bring to a workplace:
| UNION | NO UNION | |
| Wages, benefits, working conditions |
Protected by legal contract. | At the whim of management. |
| Wages | Spelled out in the contract. | Secret. Negotiated individually by management. |
| Raises | Bargained for everyone. All workers vote on the settlement. | Favoritism can determine individual raises. |
| Discipline | The union will defend you. | Lots of luck. You' re on your own. |
| Promotions | Awarded fairly according to negotiated agreement. | Favoritism, the romance, blackmail, you name it. |
| Vacations, shifts, layoffs | Based on the negotiated agreement. | See above. |
| Problems | Union will work on the job to solve them. | Their way or the highway. |
| Give people a voice in the political arena | Work for laws that protect all working people and their families. | Take away or weaken laws that protect workers, i.e., health and safety, overtime, etc. |
The American Labor Movement has consistently demonstrated its devotion to the public interest. It is, and has been, good for all America.
- John F. Kennedy
NAGE HEADQUARTERS
159 Burgin Parkway
Quincy, MA 02169
Main Phone: (617)376-0220
Main Fax: (617)984-5695
Quincy, MA 02169
Main Phone: (617)376-0220
Main Fax: (617)984-5695
Union Local Tax Issues
Federal law now requires that every local union file an annual information return—Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N—with the IRS. If your local fails to file under this new requirement..
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