Coworker discussion- "what would it take?...."

Here's a fun email that was submitted to the website-

I was talking things over with a coworker, he's on the fence about the union stuff. He agrees we're getting screwed and is in favor of a union at this point but not by much. I asked him what it would take for the company to win him back.

Him- "Oh, I don't know, I liked the idea of work force engagement but they kind of screwed us on that one. I don't think a simple promise would be enough."

I pushed him- "Yeah, but what would? More PTO? Higher pay? Better food? What could they give you that would make you turn away from the union?"

Him- "Yeah, I think a pay raise would be nice but I'd worry that it would basically just be a bribe at this point to keep us from voting YES, and then what? They'll just skimp on raises for the next 12 years instead of the next 10? I don't know. PTO? Yeah, I suppose an increase in PTO would be good but-- I just-- I don't know, I feel like they'd find some way to steal it back from us again, maybe not right away, maybe it would take 2 years before they messed with it but-"

Me- "So you don't trust them?"

Him- "No, I guess not really. I want to work with them, we always did before, but I kind of feel like the only way they wouldn't take advantage of us in the future is if we had a way of guaranteeing we’d be able to keep our pay and benefits.”

I laughed- “So you want a written agreement that lays out what our relationship with the company would look like for the next few years.”

Him- “Yeah, I guess something like that.”

Me-  “Aren’t you worried about what the company would do after this written agreement’expires?  Like, do you think the company would renew the agreement with fair terms?”

Him-  “On their own?  No, probably not.  Not unless we have a way to participate.”  

Me- “So you’d like the ability to bargain with the company?”

Him-  “Yeah, I guess you could say that- just a way that we could make sure the contracts we have with the company stays fair for the things that matter to us.”

Me-  “Are you screwing with me right now?”

Him- “What do you mean?”

Me- “You literally just described a Collective Bargaining Agreement.”

Him- “I’m not sure what that is.”

Me- "That's one of the cornerstones of a union, we get a collective bargaining agreement that we hash out with the company to set our wages and benefits and we get to have future input into changes to that agreement.  Next you’re going to tell me that you want a more fair way to keep people from getting fired.”

Him- “Uh, actually yeah.”

Me- “Jesus dude.”

Well damn! He's not on the fence, he's camped in the middle of the yard, but clearly he could use a little more educating about what a Union is and what a Union actually does! As unbelievable as it sounds at this point, there are still workers among us who are absolutely clueless on the functions of a union. We've tried very hard to lay out some of the basics but please please please, do some of your own research too! When we encounter people who are "not pro-union" ask them a few more questions- if they are truly opposed to unions we would LOVE for you to share their viewpoints with us. It seems that 90% of the fence sitters, or No-union people are simply un-informed. We get it! 90%+ of us weren't pro-union either- but we too were extremely ignorant about the benefits of a union and unbelievably naive to believe that management would do the right thing- but our eyes are open now, and it sounds like your coworker is starting to see the light as well. Keep up the great work and don't fall for empty promises or bribes from these snakes. They'll do anything to keep us from voting Yes.