McDonalds statements on Unions
The below questions have been posted up in our store on a
question and answer board. Here's what they say word for word.
1. Q If we had a union, what would it cost me?
A It would cost you money to belong to a union. Unions can
determine what your dues will be and demand a deduction from your
paycheque. Some unions may also charge an Initiation fee. As
well, a union usually requires that all employees be union
members and pay dues which in our industry could represent $20.00
or more per month. Regardless of the hours you work.
2. Q Can a union really get everything that they promise?
A If a union is elected, it would only get the right to
negotiate with McDonalds. A union cannot guarantee anything
because it cannot force the company to give anything it is
unwilling or unable to give.
Message to Toronto McDonald's workers (and all workers) trying to start a Union
Your message was reposted to the labr.party newsgroup to which I subscribe.
I would like to share with you some perspectives on the questions posed and
answered by McD, as well as your comment about the openness of your manager.
First the questions
1. Q If we had a union, what would it cost me?
I RESPOND:
A) It generally would cost you nothing until you get a contract, since most
unions do not charge dues until the members have ratified their first
contract. Would you vote to accept a contract that cost you in dues more
than it delivered in improvements? Most unions don't charge initiation fees
to newly organized workers. Those who come late may have to pay one in
recognition that they benefit from the efforts of those who went before
them. As a union member, you and the other members have rights under the
union constitution to vote for the policies and practices of the union,
including how much dues to pay. Majority rules. Is the company saying they
don't believe in democracy? They don't let you vote on your wages (or their
salary and bonuses), do they? You get to elect your union leaders. Do they
let you elect your managers? The union is a lot more democratic than any
corporation.
B) Why is McD worried about YOUR dues all of the sudden? If they were so
concerned for your welfare, they could have raised your wages any time. In
addition to better wages and benefits, however, the value of a union is in
something on which no price tag can be placed: dignity & justice -- the
right to appeal a supervisor or manager's arbitrary or unjust treatment
without fear of retaliation, the right to be free of harassment, the right
to be informed of your rights rather having the boss take advantage of your
ignorance of the law, and the right to even up a bit the power imbalance
that exists between a lone employee and a huge corporation by acting
collectively. Individuals can beg while union members can bargain.
C) What McD does not tell its employees it that they pay **their** "union"
dues quite willingly. They pay dues to the Chamber of Commerce, trade
associations, and other business groups that help advance and defend their
interests, just as a union would do for you. They don't complain about
those dues, because they know the value of being organized. They just don't
want you to know!
D) Depending on what country you are in and how you do your taxes, union
dues are also a tax deductible expense for many people, just as Chamber of
Commerce dues (and all the lawyers and consultants they hire to keep you
non-union) are a deductible business expense for McD.
E) The figure cited above of $20 "regardless of the hours you work" sounds
to me to be stretching the truth. Much depends on the policies of the union
you are joining. Each union has its own rules about how dues are
calculated. The rules are voted on by the members. It is common, for
example, for dues to be some multiple of the hourly wage (like twice one
hour's wage per month), which means that dues are pegged to your earnings
and go up when you get raises. If you do the math, however, you can see
that if you got a $.50/hour raise (for example) and worked 20 hours per week
and earned $6.00 per hour before the raise, your dues would be $6.50 X 2 =
$13.00/month. But your raise would be worth $.50 X 20 X 4.3 (average weeks
in a month) = $43.00 extra each month. You would be ahead $30/month in
wages, but also get all the other things that unions negotiate (paid days
off, vacations, insurance benefits, health & safety protection, seniority
rights, grievance procedure, etc.).
(Response to question 2. missing)
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