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<blockquote data-quote="Ricochet1a" data-source="post: 1104932" data-attributes="member: 22880"><p></p><p>Right now, keeping as much solidarity as possible is VITAL if any attempt is to be made at organizing. Anti-union tactics involve the employer DELIBERATELY attempting to pit one 'faction' of a group against another, to prevent the building of commonality of purpose among ALL members of the group. Why do you think the last pay action of Express had differing percentages going to different time in service groups??? It wasn't Fred being generous to those past half progression.... When Fred spends money, it is for a purpose.</p><p></p><p>As to categorizing demographics (this is to all readers), do your own 'study'.</p><p></p><p>Get out cards using some of the methods I suggested. Talk to your coworkers. KEEP TRACK of the sentiments of your coworkers and create a 'demographic' that you can use to describe the population. Finding people that are pissed off about their compensation is easy - very few are happy with how they are being paid or the working conditions. In all honesty, for purposes of organizing, that isn't what is really important. </p><p></p><p>What is important is gauging the sentiment towards actually signing those representation cards. Someone can be pissed off as hell, but if at the mention of signing a union card they step back in horror - then they aren't going to sign and will not vote 'Yes' if a certification vote is ever to be held. The important thing towards building organization is the WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT TO SIGNING A REPRESENTATION CARD. <u>That is all that matters.</u> Employees can be pissed off and spitting fire, if they hem and haw about signing a union card - then they haven't reached the point where they are willing to trust in what the IBT CAN do for them - rather than hope that Fred won't do even more to them. Given that the IBT is M.I.A., trying to get someone to make that decision is even more difficult - but if they cannot or will not get out of Express, it is the ONLY DECISION they have to make, to sign or not. Everything else is just a distraction. </p><p></p><p>Pissed off employees ISN'T the 'measure'; employees willing to sign those union cards IS. That is what I illustrated with my simplified 'demographic profile' and I think it holds true across most of the nation. If someone who <u>actually hands out representation cards</u> finds differently, let me know (do it quick, since I'm probably going to take another long break from posting starting the end of this week). <em>I can hear a certain perpetually confused Courier cheering as he reads this....</em>. </p><p></p><p>.........................</p><p></p><p>As to some wanting to 'debate' what a union can do for them... It is akin to attempting to decide whether a woman is partially pregnant. There is no partial support, it is one way or another, Yes or No. If someone wants to debate what a union can do BEFORE a union is even certified, then they are in the 'No' column and of no use to those who want to place their trust in union. </p><p></p><p>In organizing, there are no guarantees, no 'partially for' a union and no 'I'll sign if I get what I want'. It is one way or another, place your belief in what organizing can do FOR YOU, or your belief in that Fred won't do too much more TO YOU. Simple as that. </p><p></p><p>.........................</p><p></p><p>As far as 'dragging down productivity' - have at it. However, if building a grassroots network of organizers is difficult, how difficult would it be to get a group of employees in different locations to act in concert to have a noticeable impact on operations? It won't happen. You are asking employees to 'take that bullet', for what would be a futile purpose. No one needs to take a bullet. It would actually be counter productive, since the remainder would see what Express management did to the 'hot head', and make a firm decision to not stick their head up and refuse to sign a rep card should one ever be put in front of them. </p><p></p><p>By attempting to engage in coordinated work stoppages, the logic is essentially - 'pay us what we want or we will destroy your company'. </p><p></p><p>If I'm wrong here, let me know...</p><p></p><p>Now.... in a roundabout manner, this is what unions do, they make a very real, LEGALLY protected, 'threat' against an employer, that if they don't bargain with their employees, that the company will be faced with "destruction" (strike). </p><p></p><p>However... outside that legally protected process (union negotiating), threats such as this are seen and treated as extortion by the employer - and dealt with accordingly. I've advocated that employees follow the 'letter of procedure' of Express, and that alone will slow things down noticeably - without anyone needing to take a proverbial bullet. </p><p></p><p>..................</p><p></p><p>As far as things 'changing fast'.... It has been almost two weeks since the announcement of no pay raises was made. What has changed? A number of pissed off posters here have indeed made an attempt to contact the IBT and have been given the cold shoulder (<em>my hat is off to you who have done so)</em>. That confirms where the IBT is right now. </p><p></p><p>How many have come back and stated that they are starting to distribute rep cards in their stations??? A few have stated that they intend on doing so, but just how many cards have been distributed in the past 10 days?</p><p></p><p>People may be asking questions..... So why not get representation cards into their hands and see who they want to 'vote for' (Fred or Hoffa). That is what the issue really is when all is boiled down to its simplest elements - who are they going to vote for??? </p><p></p><p>If they are spitting hellfire but unwilling to petition for union representation, then nothing will change. </p><p></p><p>I've been in the hellhole of AGFS - I know what happens there. The employees there turnover so quick that the Ramp Agents and Team Leaders barely have a chance to get to know someone before they get fed up and quit. Express' worst enemy in AGFS is their own productivity demands and low staffing goals. They push the employees to accomplish the task at hand and then have to deal with the mess (late departures, massive missorts) that result out of trying to gain productivity out of people making $12-13/hr being pushed to the limit. The handlers and material handlers don't care, and since they aren't given incentive enough to care, there are late departures and massive missorts - which I heard with the current push for 'service', is causing a rather large increase in Courier on road time to try to keep RDLs from turning into WDLs. <em>That is eating into profits....</em> Thank the handlers in AGFS for that...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ricochet1a, post: 1104932, member: 22880"] [U][U][/U][/U] Right now, keeping as much solidarity as possible is VITAL if any attempt is to be made at organizing. Anti-union tactics involve the employer DELIBERATELY attempting to pit one 'faction' of a group against another, to prevent the building of commonality of purpose among ALL members of the group. Why do you think the last pay action of Express had differing percentages going to different time in service groups??? It wasn't Fred being generous to those past half progression.... When Fred spends money, it is for a purpose. As to categorizing demographics (this is to all readers), do your own 'study'. Get out cards using some of the methods I suggested. Talk to your coworkers. KEEP TRACK of the sentiments of your coworkers and create a 'demographic' that you can use to describe the population. Finding people that are pissed off about their compensation is easy - very few are happy with how they are being paid or the working conditions. In all honesty, for purposes of organizing, that isn't what is really important. What is important is gauging the sentiment towards actually signing those representation cards. Someone can be pissed off as hell, but if at the mention of signing a union card they step back in horror - then they aren't going to sign and will not vote 'Yes' if a certification vote is ever to be held. The important thing towards building organization is the WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT TO SIGNING A REPRESENTATION CARD. [U]That is all that matters.[/U] Employees can be pissed off and spitting fire, if they hem and haw about signing a union card - then they haven't reached the point where they are willing to trust in what the IBT CAN do for them - rather than hope that Fred won't do even more to them. Given that the IBT is M.I.A., trying to get someone to make that decision is even more difficult - but if they cannot or will not get out of Express, it is the ONLY DECISION they have to make, to sign or not. Everything else is just a distraction. Pissed off employees ISN'T the 'measure'; employees willing to sign those union cards IS. That is what I illustrated with my simplified 'demographic profile' and I think it holds true across most of the nation. If someone who [U]actually hands out representation cards[/U] finds differently, let me know (do it quick, since I'm probably going to take another long break from posting starting the end of this week). [I]I can hear a certain perpetually confused Courier cheering as he reads this....[/I]. ......................... As to some wanting to 'debate' what a union can do for them... It is akin to attempting to decide whether a woman is partially pregnant. There is no partial support, it is one way or another, Yes or No. If someone wants to debate what a union can do BEFORE a union is even certified, then they are in the 'No' column and of no use to those who want to place their trust in union. In organizing, there are no guarantees, no 'partially for' a union and no 'I'll sign if I get what I want'. It is one way or another, place your belief in what organizing can do FOR YOU, or your belief in that Fred won't do too much more TO YOU. Simple as that. ......................... As far as 'dragging down productivity' - have at it. However, if building a grassroots network of organizers is difficult, how difficult would it be to get a group of employees in different locations to act in concert to have a noticeable impact on operations? It won't happen. You are asking employees to 'take that bullet', for what would be a futile purpose. No one needs to take a bullet. It would actually be counter productive, since the remainder would see what Express management did to the 'hot head', and make a firm decision to not stick their head up and refuse to sign a rep card should one ever be put in front of them. By attempting to engage in coordinated work stoppages, the logic is essentially - 'pay us what we want or we will destroy your company'. If I'm wrong here, let me know... Now.... in a roundabout manner, this is what unions do, they make a very real, LEGALLY protected, 'threat' against an employer, that if they don't bargain with their employees, that the company will be faced with "destruction" (strike). However... outside that legally protected process (union negotiating), threats such as this are seen and treated as extortion by the employer - and dealt with accordingly. I've advocated that employees follow the 'letter of procedure' of Express, and that alone will slow things down noticeably - without anyone needing to take a proverbial bullet. .................. As far as things 'changing fast'.... It has been almost two weeks since the announcement of no pay raises was made. What has changed? A number of pissed off posters here have indeed made an attempt to contact the IBT and have been given the cold shoulder ([I]my hat is off to you who have done so)[/I]. That confirms where the IBT is right now. How many have come back and stated that they are starting to distribute rep cards in their stations??? A few have stated that they intend on doing so, but just how many cards have been distributed in the past 10 days? People may be asking questions..... So why not get representation cards into their hands and see who they want to 'vote for' (Fred or Hoffa). That is what the issue really is when all is boiled down to its simplest elements - who are they going to vote for??? If they are spitting hellfire but unwilling to petition for union representation, then nothing will change. I've been in the hellhole of AGFS - I know what happens there. The employees there turnover so quick that the Ramp Agents and Team Leaders barely have a chance to get to know someone before they get fed up and quit. Express' worst enemy in AGFS is their own productivity demands and low staffing goals. They push the employees to accomplish the task at hand and then have to deal with the mess (late departures, massive missorts) that result out of trying to gain productivity out of people making $12-13/hr being pushed to the limit. The handlers and material handlers don't care, and since they aren't given incentive enough to care, there are late departures and massive missorts - which I heard with the current push for 'service', is causing a rather large increase in Courier on road time to try to keep RDLs from turning into WDLs. [I]That is eating into profits....[/I] Thank the handlers in AGFS for that... [/QUOTE]
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