It really sucks that it’s become so commonplace for union leadership to hold closed door negotiations. Union members should be present and reporting back to fellow members on just what is on the table for the union as a collective to be on board with or fired up against.
In many Unions the decision to accept a negotiated proposal is voted on by all union members. Of course the reps have the information advantage and recommend to accept the result, as otherwise it delegitimizes their position as negotiators.
When a union is at the bargaining table where does their power come from? Does their power come from who they send to negotiate?
Part of the decline in union power has been the idea that union leadership, who they are and their abilities to negotiate, is what wins good contracts. This idea justifies inflated salaries which then leads to union leadership living in a class above the rank amd file members they should represent. This entire concept is referred to as business unionism.
The truth is the power of the union at the negotiating table is their ability to withhold their labor. The rank and file members hold the power, the elected leader is just a representative. Closed door negotiating delegitimizes the true power of the union which is why business owners have sold you the concept that it delegitimizes the negotiations.
It really sucks that it’s become so commonplace for union leadership to hold closed door negotiations. Union members should be present and reporting back to fellow members on just what is on the table for the union as a collective to be on board with or fired up against.
You can’t have witnesses to a back room deal, sheesh
Business unionism needs to die in the current labor movement.
It’s hard to climb into bed with the management with people watching bro
In many Unions the decision to accept a negotiated proposal is voted on by all union members. Of course the reps have the information advantage and recommend to accept the result, as otherwise it delegitimizes their position as negotiators.
When a union is at the bargaining table where does their power come from? Does their power come from who they send to negotiate?
Part of the decline in union power has been the idea that union leadership, who they are and their abilities to negotiate, is what wins good contracts. This idea justifies inflated salaries which then leads to union leadership living in a class above the rank amd file members they should represent. This entire concept is referred to as business unionism.
The truth is the power of the union at the negotiating table is their ability to withhold their labor. The rank and file members hold the power, the elected leader is just a representative. Closed door negotiating delegitimizes the true power of the union which is why business owners have sold you the concept that it delegitimizes the negotiations.