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Howmet Aerospace has unions in the following locations: ENGINES (Fontana, CA; Hampton, VA; and Whitehall, MI); FASTENERS (Kingston, NY); STRUCTURES (Niles, OH) and STRUCTURES/WHEELS (Cleveland, OH).
A union – like the United Steelworkers (USW) – is a business. All businesses require revenue. For a union, its primary revenue sources are member dues and fees. Members pay for the union to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, also known as a labor contract. Even though members pay for this service, unions do not have to uphold promises made during a campaign.
We believe the United Steelworkers have contacted employees. Union organizers often ask employees to sign cards or petitions to get more information. You could be giving up important rights by signing a union document. You should never sign something just to get more information.
No. You are not required to speak with union supporters or organizers. If you are not interested in unionization, you may ask them to leave you alone. They are not allowed to speak with you while you are working. If organizers visit your home, you may treat them like any other salesperson or trespasser and ask them to leave.
Yes, union organizers are like the sales team of the business. Their job is to generate new business. Once employees join the union (or the sale is made), the organizers typically hand off the business to a representative to negotiate the contract. That person may or may not be aware of promises made during the campaign and is not obligated to keep any of them.
A union is allowed to make any promises it would like during a campaign, but it cannot guarantee anything – wages, benefits, or that the terms and conditions of employment will improve. No one knows what will be in a collective bargaining agreement ahead of time, and neither party can simply demand things from the other party during bargaining.
There is no way the union can guarantee that things will only improve. You may end up paying dues whether or not you like the terms negotiated in the labor contract.
FAQs about Authorization Cards
If a union is elected to represent Howmet employees, all employees in the bargaining unit will be represented by the union. The union will expect everyone to pay dues. In Indiana and other right to work states, unions are known to use public and peer pressure to get bargaining unit employees to pay dues. Unions sometimes name employees who don’t pay dues or fees on websites, bulletin boards and in union materials.
Every union decides on its own how much it wants to charge members.
According to the most recent annual financial filing with the federal government, called an LM-2 report, regular USW dues are 1.45% of a member’s total earnings during the month up to 2.8 times the member’s average hourly earnings. Use the Dues Calculator to estimate how much your union dues could be.
A union determines the amount it charges members and has the right to increase dues at any time. Dues amounts are not negotiated, and Howmet would have no say in what the union charges.
Typically, when a union is newly elected, members will be required to pay dues after a collective bargaining agreement or labor contract is reached.
While it is entirely up to the union, it’s not uncommon for unions to waive initiation fees for current employees. However, it is likely the union would charge new employees this fee, which has the potential to hinder recruitment efforts.
According to the USW LM-2 report, initiation fees are $10.00 per new member.
Yes, unions usually have a constitution and bylaws that members are required to follow. Not following the rules outlined in those documents can result in additional fees and assessments beyond monthly union dues. Before considering whether or not to elect a union, it’s important to read those documents so you are aware of the rules you would be expected to follow.
Collective bargaining is the back-and-forth process between a union and employer to try and reach an agreed upon labor contract, also known as a collective bargaining agreement. If a union is elected, the union will collect dues and/or fees from you in exchange for managing this process on your behalf.
According to an analysis by Bloomberg Law, it takes an average of 465 days to reach a first-time labor contract. While waiting for a contract, the employer must legally keep the status quo, meaning wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment generally cannot be changed.
The only topics that must be bargained are pay, benefits and terms and conditions of employment, which are things like working hours, seniority, scheduling practices, promotions, transfers and grievances.
No. Like most negotiations, the process is two-sided and neither side is legally required to give into the other side’s demands. Howmet would be able to decline any union demand.
Collective bargaining is a gamble, and things can get better, worse or stay the same. Even the National Labor Relations Board’s case law states “Collective bargaining is potentially hazardous for employees, and as a result of such negotiations, employees might possibly wind up with less benefits after unionization than before.” (228 NLRB 440)
No. Collective bargaining is between the union and employer. Each party may have a bargaining committee. It’s possible the union’s bargaining committee would consist of a few members of the bargaining unit, and those people can push to have the union focus on their priorities, even if they don’t align with yours.
No, once a union has been voted in and a labor contract has been negotiated, you cannot opt out of the contract, even if you don’t like the terms, never supported the union, voted no in the election, or don’t want the union.