Organizing a union is the best way to protect the benefits we currently have, which are at the full discretion of management in a non-union environment. Once our union is recognized, the company must maintain the status quo and can no longer make unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment; any changes must be negotiated through the collective bargaining process. When negotiating a first union contract, the union will typically propose to lock in the things employees like and make improvements where things could be better. And then it’s a negotiation from there. The stronger and more participatory the union, the more likely it is that employees can secure workplace improvements.
