Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CHAPTER 5 Working with Unions

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved INTRODUCTION Professionals join unions because they fee that their work is being devalued. - Kate Bonfenbrenner, director labor education research, Cornell University - Kate Bonfenbrenner, director labor education research, Cornell University

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved TALES FROM THE FIELD Do I have to join the union?  Right-to-work states  Non right-to-work states  Union’s impact on employee morale  Accepting a union as a hospitality organization’s “business partner”

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CHAPTER OVERVIEW  The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)  Illegal activities under the NLRA  Right-to-work states  Union organizational structure  Key hospitality unions  Union organization process  Why employees join unions  Creating a positive work environment

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved GOVERNMENT’S ROLE  The National Labor Relations Act gives employees the right to join unions without management interference  The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) enforces this right and ensures that neither employers nor employees engage in “unfair labor practices”

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES  Interference: Management may not interfere, or coerce employees who desire to act collectively or who refrain from such activities.  Dominate: Management may not dominate or interfere with the formation or administration of any labor organization by contributing money or other support of it.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES CONTINUED  Discriminate: Management may not discriminate against anyone in hiring or any other condition of employment because of their union activity.  Retaliate: Management may not retaliate, discharge, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against employees who have exercises their rights under the act.  Refuse: Management may not refuse to bargain in good faith with employee representatives.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD The NLRB enforces employees’ rights to join labor unions and to bargain with management about wages, hours, and other working conditions The NLRB enforces employees’ rights to join labor unions and to bargain with management about wages, hours, and other working conditions

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved RIGHT-TO-WORK STATES  Right-to-work states have passed laws that ensure that new employees are not required to join an already-established union as a condition of retaining their jobs.  Non right-to-work states have no such laws, and employees in these states may be required to join the union and pay dues if the union contract requires new employees to do so.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved In non right-to-work states shown in white, new employees may be required to join an already existing union and to pay dues to the union if the union contract requires them to do so. Failure to comply would mean losing one’s job.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved THE LOCAL UNION The local union structure most likely includes a president, a secretary- treasurer, a business agent, a grievance committee, and a bargaining committee The local union structure most likely includes a president, a secretary- treasurer, a business agent, a grievance committee, and a bargaining committee

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved This organizational chart reflects the local union’s relationship with the national union

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved THE UNION STEWARD The union steward is an employee of the hospitality business that is unionized and is elected by fellow employees to serve as a liaison between management and the union - The union steward is an employee of the hospitality business that is unionized and is elected by fellow employees to serve as a liaison between management and the union - The union steward may also represent the first step in the grievance process should an employee or the union feel that some element of the union contract has been violated - The union steward may also represent the first step in the grievance process should an employee or the union feel that some element of the union contract has been violated -

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved STEPS IN THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS 1.The employee with the complaint meets with the meets with the supervisor and the union steward to discuss the grievance. Most grievances are resolved at this step. 2.If the grievance is not settled, there is a conference between the union steward, the employee, and the supervisor’s boss or another manager such as a human resources manager in larger operations. 3.If the grievance continues to be unsettled, representatives from top management at the operation and top union officials try to settle it. 4.If still unsettled, the grievance is given to a neutral third party such as an arbitrator or a mediator.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION  THE MEDIATOR listens to both sides and suggests ways to solve the grievance, but has no authority to force either party to accept the proposed terms -  THE ARBITRATOR makes a decision which will be final and binding on both parties, provided that both parties have agreed in advance to submit their dispute to arbitration -

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved THE ORGANIZATION PROCESS  Union authorization cards are passed out to employees  If 30% of the hospitality operation’s employees sign these cards, then the NLRB will hold a hearing and set a date for a union election  During the election, if the majority of employees vote in favor of the union, then management is required by law to recognize the union and to bargain in good faith

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY UNIONS  Atlantic City  Boston  Chicago  Detroit  Honolulu  Las Vegas  Los Angeles  New York  San Francisco  Washington, D.C. The largest segments of union representation in the U.S. are in these cities: UNITE HERE labor union represents workers in hotels, casinos, foodservice operations, airport concessions, and restaurants

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved WHY EMPLOYEES JOIN UNIONS  Wages  Benefits  Job security  Seniority issues  Unfair treatment by supervisors  Physical work environment Employees join unions when they feel that management is not being responsive to the issues they’ve raised relating to their job satisfaction. These issues often include the following:

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CREATE A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT  Design jobs that are personally satisfying to employees  Develop plans that maximize individual opportunities  Establish meaningful performance objectives  Train workers and managers so that they are able to achieve expected levels of performance  Provide ongoing training and professional development

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved SUMMARY  The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)  Illegal activities under the NLRA  Right-to-work states  Union organizational structure  Key hospitality unions  Union organization process  Why employees join unions  Creating a positive work environment