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this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2024
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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I'd be open to some of those resources, if you don't mind
Sure thing! The NLRB is a fantastic source, but only covers national labor rights. You'll want to look up your state's department of labor for local labor laws. CODE-CWA is the group I organized with, they specialize in the tech industry and offer free training each weekend; I know several of the top organizers in CODE, you'll be in good hands. Dr Richard Wolff's program Democracy@Work is a great general news source with a heavy emphasis on worker power and the broader economy. If there's anything more specific you'd like, I can definitely provide those too!
I appreciate having the reference for the NLRB. The right to discuss wages was a good thing to read and a good thing to remember.
So, the company I work for is based in multiple states, and I work in multiple states as well. What should I reference in relation to the local labor laws?
There's also no unions for this job (yet), and I feel like it might be very difficult to start because of how new/niche it is. I'm questioning if there is even enough people to warrant starting a union, and where to begin with the research. Would a union be able to cover all employees of a certain job type, regardless of which company they work for specifically? If that was the case, then the labor pool would be slightly bigger.
Yes, sharing wages is always a good thing at work! My company has a tradition of an anonymous salary survey, so folks can properly grasp that it's the company's fault you aren't getting enough.
Your work sounds very unique, but thankfully I've been there a few times trying to figure out an appropriate bargaining unit. There aren't any hard and fast rules or laws on this topic, but it gives us flexibility to decide how big we go. Traveling and working at a national company has some good precedence with the Teamsters and NALC, as long as you have a "home" office that you work at when you aren't traveling, that should be enough to claim an appropriate unit.
It's ok to be first, someone has to be! What you're referring to, where unions bargain for an industry minimum for all the workers in a particular industry, is known as sectoral bargaining. It exists, but it will take time. You're taking the first step towards that point, but start just with your workplace. I also understand your concerns about the work being unique and small. Protected concerted activity only takes 2, so there's always enough people! When it comes to bargaining, you and your coworkers know the work best, which is why you elect a bargaining committee from your coworkers. For the time being before you get too concerned about how bargaining will go, you must win your union first. Even industries with sectoral bargaining still need to organize workplaces to bargain the stuff that isn't covered by the standardized working conditions.
I'm open for DMs to continue this if I didn't cover everything