Members-only unionism
Members-only unionism, also known as minority unionism, is a model for trade unions in which local unions represent and organize workers who voluntarily join (and pay dues) rather than the entire workforce of a place of employment. In such a model, a union election is not held by the entire workforce to determine whether a majority wishes for the workforce to be represented by a local branch of a national union, but a union can nonetheless exist to support members who pay dues.
While majority unions tend to possess and guard collective bargaining rights, minority-union members may be organized by the union to privately file group-presented grievances to management. The ability of such unions to meet on workplace grounds also relies upon the discretion of management.
Advantages and disadvantages
Members-only unionism allows members and organizers to operate under the radar of management, especially in regions rife with anti-union sentiment. It also allows for other activist and organizing models to be tried by a minority local union.
A disadvantage of this model is that businesses may not recognize a minority union as a collective bargaining agent for employees who are members. Strikes and pickets are likely not possible for minority unions, meaning that answers to grievances filed by members rely entirely upon the discretion and timing of management.
United States
Marvit and Schriever wrote about the history of members-only unions in the United States, and how the model fell into near-obscurity after the passage of the
A more recent example of a minority union is
References
- ^ Marvit, Moshe; Schriever, Leigh Anne (21 October 2015). "With Traditional Unions on the Decline, Can Members-Only Unions Breathe Life Back Into Labor?". Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ "Volkswagen's Sort-of Union in Tennessee". Bloomberg. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2018 – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ "VW welcomes UAW, other unions in Tenn". Detroit Free Press. 12 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ Lydia DePillis (19 November 2014). "The strange case of the anti-union union at Volkswagen's plant in Tennessee". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ "UAW certified to represent VW workers in Tennessee". Detroit Free Press. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.