Instructors - NFA & AWN-UAW

The Nevada Faculty Alliance and Academic Workers of Nevada - UAW

It's time to talk about the unions.

How do I feel about the unions?

They're fine? They're not good nor are they evil.

In an idealized world, everyone's employer would treat them fairly, and there wouldn't be a need for unions.

That's not the world we live in. If you feel your employer is taking advantage of you and/or not treating you fairly, then by all means, try to unionize. I will not be the one to stop you.

If there's a pre-existing union that you want to join, and you're eligible, then you should be able to.

Every union has it's pluses and minuses.

This is general advice for any union, but before you decide to join (or help start one), I would strongly suggest you do the following:

Read the collective bargaining agreement. (It's basically the current version of the contract your union has with the participating employers.)

For better or worse, there is a bunch of legal-ese, that might be difficult to understand. (Like I said, it's a contract.) Try tackling one section a day. There are legal glossaries online you can reference.

Flag any sections you don't understand. You should be able to ask leadership questions or get clarification. If you are going to be paying into the service, you should understand exactly what it's providing. (I'm not saying ambush someone while they're grocery shopping. Give them a reasonable amount of time to respond.)

If you're good with the agreement, then talk to leadership. Find out when the next election is, so you know how long they will be representing you. Ask when the next bargaining session is, and what issues will be on the table. Ask how their last negotiation went. Ask if there are any plans for mergers with other unions.

You want reasonable people who are willing to represent the group's best interest and are willing to answer questions.

If you're starting from scratch, hire outside council to help represent and redline your agreement.

Even if you already have a lawyer, it's a different animal. Things can be missed or unaddressed in negotiations that turn out to be a problem later.

Should XYZ be able to join the 123 union?

If they qualify and they can afford the fees, then it's fine. No one should feel forced or bullied into the union, however. Everyone should be allowed the freedom of choice.

I do understand how that can be frustrating to people who are in the union and paying dues (non member still benefit, etc.) Just like I support your choice to join, I also support those who abstain. I'd be a total hypocrite if I didn't.

The pros and cons (in my opinion of unions in general):

Pros:

Higher pay and benefits - When I was working with the entertainment unions, the one thing they all talked about was insurance. Yeah, better pay was always on the table, but the insurance plan was the one thing they wouldn't let the reps compromise on.

Job protections - Nevada is an "at will" state. That means that an employer can terminate anyone for any reason.

If you're part of a union, you have different rules. You have a grievance system in place and union support. (This doesn't apply to layoffs, since they're not a personal dismissal and done for financial reasons.)

Safety - Labor unions usually fight for stricter safety measures for their members. This is important if you are in a position with a high risk of injury or danger.

Cons:

Dues / Fees - Union costs can be pretty daunting if you're just starting out. They may be totally worth it to you, but you know what exactly they cover.

Seniority - While this is great if you're close to retirement, if you're on the newer side, you'll be at higher risk of being let go during layoffs, regardless of your performance.

It also discourages members from finding employment with higher pay and benefits that isn't a member of the union, depending on how seniority rules are structured. If you leave the state and come back at a later date, some agreements make you restart the clock.

Animosity - Ideally, everyone can come to the table and discuss things like adults, coming to a mutual agreement in a timely manner.

However, everyone involved is human. It's part of why I suggest you meet your leadership.

Negotiations are always way more productive when both sides are civil and egos/personal distaste are left at the door. When I worked at WB, one of our lawyers always said, "If both sides aren't happy (or don't feel like they've won), then the resulting agreement is probably the fairest.

It's about getting the best deal for everyone, not sticking it to that one guy and drawing everything out forever.

Majority Rule - You will be asked to vote, most commonly to ratify a negotiated agreement (i.e. if the membership approves the contract resulting from the negotiation.)

While you may not agree with it, if you are part of the minority, you still have to work under that contract.

There are other pros and cons out there to consider, and some of them are industry specific, as well as unforeseen circumstance.

I'm posting a video to the left, that was uploaded a little over a week ago (as of posting the website.) It's podcast hosted by Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner, with their guest Michelle Hurd.

They talk about how SAG merged with ACTRA, and they lost their health insurance.

(Again, this isn't me trying to dissuade anyone from joining a union.

It's just showing there are sometimes things you can't take into account or unintended consequences depending on leadership decisions and group votes.

Make sure decisions are made looking at the "Big Picture".)

I'm Lori Lane, and I approve this message. My campaign is entirely funded and run by me.

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