Here are some true facts about what organizing is like in my area.
New hires in union positions START at $12 a hour for directly comparable jobs to our $15 a hour. New TL positions are very few and very far between. We have about 2 to 3 a store at Target yearly while comparable stores have less than one a year. Union healthcare premiums are lower but the deductibles and OOP max are significantly higher; if you are healthy union gets the win but if you have chronic conditions, your costs are significantly higher.
Unions create an extremely adversarial relationship between the employer and the hourly employee. They are excessively toxic. Managers are seen as an enemy no matter the situation, and teams are OFTEN extremely resistant to any change. There is no leeway for managers, if you discipline one person you must discipline everyone no matter the cost. Do you know what it's like to be forced to fire an abused mom of 5 because the child's father will not watch him if he's sick and she's called out too much but doesn't qualify for FMLA? Because if you don't, you can't fire Johnny the 21 year old who calls in hungover twice a week and his five buddies?
Unions have a place but it's not in retail. Retail is not a skilled trade. If you don't like capitalism stop buying from businesses on the stock market.
Hi there, I appreciate that you’ve continued dialogue with me.
I understand about unions not always being a good option for workers. And I also agree that unions can take advantage of folks, like you’re explaining here.
I’m not advocating for starting a union, but rather organizing in general. Workers can organize themselves without joining a union. Historically, any type of organizing against corporate or capitalist interests is reprimanded and suppressed, so I know and agree that is very real.
What I’m imagining is something big, something that builds slowly, but gains momentum...I really wish there could be a movement among working class and working poor, that looks like sharing information, resources, stories, support, etc. that eventually leads to a larger change of culture socially or economically. It may take direct actions, protests, boycotts, strikes to leverage any type of changes. And there will definitely be casualties, obstacles, consequences ...
I know it’s hard to imagine bc working folks don’t have lots of extra time, energy resources outside of their jobs and lives. But I have to imagine the future changing somehow even though it feels impossible, because things are super bleak, folks are struggling, dying, suffering; people are working tirelessly and staying stuck financially, income inequality is further increasing, job environments are toxic and dehumanizing, folks are being oppressed due to racism, sexism, queerphobia, ableism. There’s so much harm that our current culture creates...to me, being open about it and seeking solutions, throwing ideas around, facing it, is an important step to breaking free in the future...