This webinar will explore traditional and new methods used by union organizers to attempt to unionize businesses they deem vulnerable. Emphasis is placed on workplace issues that commonly lead to organizing activity and what employers can do to recognize early warning signs of union activity. In addition the rules of engagement describing what can and cannot be done when union activity is occurring will be presented in great detail. Since many younger employees (ages 40 and younger) know very little about how unions operate, a significant portion of the webinar focuses on a “Union as a Business” and the risks that employees face if they become unionized. A significant portion of the webinar will focus on stopping any union card signing so that no petition is filed or election held.

Unions are still out there organizing, but with a slightly different model. Union organizers are aligning themselves with social and religious activists and getting those activists to help them get a foot in the door.  Organizers coach these social activists to be in-house organizers at their places of employment. Common themes include “Workers Unite,” “Corporate Greed,” and “Corporate Unfairness.” In many cases the union organizers appear at social awareness rallies such as “Me Too” groups, GLBT groups, and religious groups demonstrating on behalf of poor people and the like. The activists and organizers have gone more and more to social media postings to get their messages out into the community. These postings appeal to customers and potential customers of the business under attack.  Union organizers set up shop in these communities, attend rallies and continue their door-to-door solicitation of employees to sign cards. In addition to creating a threat of unionizing a company these activities bring unwelcome adverse publicity. You need to refresh your recollections of how unions go about organizing and be prepared to be more pro-active or at least be ready to react should any of these signs occur.