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Union organizers can promise you anything to get you to support union representation. However, these promises are not guarantees. What you are unlikely to hear from them is any downside of union organization and how it directly impacts you and our company.
Union representation has a hefty price tag. Here are a few examples of the financial obligations you may encounter with membership:
Union dues and fees can really add up over time.
Union contracts typically contain lots of work rules that tie a company’s hands in dealing with its employees. For example, our ability to provide flexible schedules and help our people achieve a work-life balance could be severely affected by typical seniority provisions found in union contracts, which are based on how long you’ve worked for the company, and nothing else. We don’t think that’s a fair system for anyone. We think treating our people as individuals (and not as numbers) is better.
Under most union contracts, promotions and raises are also done strictly on the basis of seniority. Merit is not a consideration. So, our hardest working employees may not be eligible for advancement if someone with more seniority wants the same job. We prefer a system like we have now, where employees who work hard can use their talents to get ahead.
Union members are required to abide by the union’s rules. These are often set out in the Local union’s by-laws and/or constitution. Union members are often subject to disciplinary rules and procedures that include trials, fines, suspension, or even expulsion from the union. They also may be stuck with decisions the union makes about what’s in the contract, or whether to go on strike.
Unions often create conflict and a less friendly, more formal work atmosphere. Many former union members can attest to the “us vs. them” mentality that often comes with having a union. Unions can stand between you and Howmet Aerospace and between you and your manager when it comes to trying to find common sense solutions to routine issues that inevitably crop up during the workday.
Despite all of the above costs and disadvantages, you have no guarantee that you will get more or better terms and conditions of employment through the negotiation process. In fact, you could lose just as easily as you might gain in the process. In cases where the union is unable to achieve what it has promised at the bargaining table, unions sometimes draw employees into costly and unsuccessful strikes.