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First, by law, a union can only request a secret ballot vote on union representation if it has at least 30% of the targeted employee group signed up on union cards. Basically, the law requires the union to make sure there are enough employees who want a vote on union representation before filing a petition with the federal government. We don’t know what the union did here.
Second, a union can only be your “exclusive bargaining representative.” This means it can get paid to speak for you in negotiations over your pay, wages, and work terms. The union cannot “offer” you anything. Remember, a union does not provide a service (transportation) or a product (pizza supplies) to anyone. It’s only in the business of getting paid (your dues) to ask for things. A union can never guarantee anything it asks an employer to do will actually happen. Please base your decision in this union vote on facts not union promises.
Yes. You have the right to do your own research and get the facts on what a union can really do and what it cannot do. If you want to ask the union what it’s promising, you can do that. Remember, it’s legal for a union to try to get votes by promising things it knows will never happen. Unions are like politicians.
Generally, employees under a new contract don’t pay dues until there is a final contract. While this sounds fair and reasonable, this simply reflects the fact that a union doesn’t want to try and collect dues until it has a “Dues Check Off” in place. “Dues Check Off” is negotiated into a contract by the union. With “Dues Check Off,” dues are deducted straight from your paycheck. The union doesn’t have to trust that you’ll pay dues. It’s automatic.
Yes. Everyone still employed on the days of the vote (August 30, August 31, and September 1) will be eligible to vote. As long as a driver is still employed he or she can vote.
Yes. It’s legal for the union to show you a contract if it has one. You should make sure its really a first time contract. You should ask: How long it took to get the driver contract? Did drivers get more than they would have without a union? How much are dues? How do the benefits compare to what you have already without a union?
Yes. Despite having a number of union votes, the union is actually getting smaller.
If the union could really do everything it promises, why would it be losing members?
Yes. While the union will control dues, we’ve researched this. Here is what we found about District Lodge 160 dues:
This means dues could be $105/month or up to $320.25/month. Remember, paying union dues does not guarantee any improvements or job security.
Holiday Pay will be paid at your hourly rate, instead of Downtime Rate. Drivers get 8 hours of Holiday Pay, plus a Holiday Premium if they work the holiday. Those in the sleeper berth receive 50% of their usual hourly rate for holidays. The 8-hour holiday pay is standard across the system, and these extra hours do not count towards overtime.
Any hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek are eligible for overtime, which is 1.5x your regular rate.
Team Achievement Dividend, Safety Bonus, Borrowed Premium, Call-In Pay and New Driver Training premiums will remain.
No. If a union gets in, it will be the “exclusive” party to bargain over driver pay, benefits, terms of employment. That’s it. All union contracts recognize that there are “Management Rights” that are spelled out and protected. These management rights confirm that the company continues to run the business and has authority to make decisions on how to best run the business.
We found a common example of a “Management Rights” provision in a contract agreed to by the IAM that confirmed the company had the exclusive authority to set schedules, make assignments, put in safety rules and rules of conduct, subcontract out work, determine the number of employees needed, sale the business, eliminate jobs, etc. In deciding if a union is best for you, it’s important to understand what it can and cannot do.
No. In Washington state, there is no law that prevents a union from negotiating a “union security” clause into a contract. With a “union security” clause, all employees in the unit represented by the union must become full members and pay full dues or pay a portion of full dues to keep their job.
“Union Security” clauses protect the union and ensure it gets dues money. It’s one example of how a union can protect the union and not necessarily protect individual employees. Remember, unions must bargain in a “union security” clause into a contract. This means they could give up something employees like to get what they want.
If there is a union vote, it will be decided by a majority of drivers who actually vote, not who could vote. For example, if there is an election and only 30 drivers vote, 16 drivers voting for the union will bring the union in for everyone. Your vote and your voice are important. We hope you will exercise your legal right to vote and not let others decide this very important issue for you.
No. Remember, under the federal labor laws, it’s legal for the union to make promises and “guarantees” to get support and votes. The union can do this even when it knows its “guarantees” will never happen. The law allows this because everyone knows a union can only ask for things and it can’t make any changes on its own.
If the IAM is promising “pensions,” it may be important to know that the pensions at Boeing here in Seatle have been “frozen” since 2014. The IAM is the big union at Boeing. This means that people hired or rehired at Boeing since January 3, 2014, are excluded from participating in the “union pension.” Think about that. The IAM actually negotiated a contract where dues paying union members are treated differently.
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No. The legal process of getting a union out is complicated and employees have to do this on their own. First, once a union is voted in, it can’t be removed or voted out for at least a year. Even if 100% of the people realize getting a union was a mistake, it’s in for a year no matter what.
Second, if a contract is signed, a union can’t be removed for the term of that contract or three years, whichever is shorter. This is true even if people are unhappy with the contract. Even then, if employees fail to meet very narrow timelines to get the union out, they can still be stuck with the union.
Right now, we don’t know. We are working with the federal labor board to work out the election details. It takes time to make sure there is a fair and secure process so everyone has a chance to vote without undue influence. We’ll update you ASAP.
We’ve heard that the union says the vote “will be in 8 days.” We don’t know where this is coming from. The union filed for a vote on July 22. 8 days would be this Thursday. That’s not happening. We can tell you it looks like the union is trying to avoid an in-person secret-ballot vote. We believe the in-person secret-ballot vote is the best and most secure way to ensure everyone has a voice and we get a valid result. We’ll keep pushing to get the safest and most accurate process.
This is a good question. This sounds like a straight-forward question, but it’s harder than you think.
We’ve heard the union is saying the dues for drivers here will be $40 per month. We cannot verify that information, and it differs significantly from what the hard data says. Remember, in Washington state, you can be required to pay dues as a condition of keeping your job.
A union petition is a request filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) asking for an election so eligible employees can vote on whether they want union representation. Filing a petition does not mean the workplace is unionized and does not determine the outcome of the election.
The NLRB will review the petition, determine who is eligible to vote, and establish election details. Employees will be informed once those details are finalized.
The NLRB will determine voter eligibility based on applicable labor laws. We will share information regarding eligibility and election details as soon as they are available.
Federal law protects your right to:
• Support a union
• Oppose a union
• Refrain from supporting or opposing a union
These rights are protected equally.
No. Whether to support, oppose, or remain neutral regarding union representation is your personal decision. Federal law protects your right to make that choice.
No. A union election only determines whether the union becomes the employees' bargaining representative. If a union is elected, the union and company would negotiate.
Outcomes are not guaranteed and wages, benefits, and other terms are subject to negotiation.
Union dues are determined by the union. Whether dues may be required depends on applicable laws and any negotiated contract. Employees should seek information directly from the union regarding dues and fees.
No. Employees have the legal right to support, oppose, or refrain from supporting a union without retaliation.
We encourage employees to ask questions and seek factual information from approved company resources. We are committed to communicating openly, sharing facts, and helping employees understand the election process.
Employees have rights under the National Labor Relations Act to engage in protected discussions regarding workplace issues and union representation, subject to applicable workplace policies.
Our goal is to ensure employees have factual information so they can make an informed decision. We respect employees' legal rights and want team members to understand the process and implications of union representation.
Talk with your manager, HR representative, or the designated company contact for questions regarding the election process. We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.