It  is truly amazing at what lengths companies will go to tell you how to  spend your hard earned money. What if companies told you where to buy  your car, what kind of car to buy, what kind of cell phone to purchase, what computer to buy, where to get your groceries, what food to buy, where to go on trips for vacations, where to buy your gas, what to eat  for lunch, what house to buy, where to get your car serviced, etc.? So  why do companies use every tool in their arsenal to tell you not to  purchase the rights for dignity and respect on the job? If they don't  want you to purchase this service, why don't they tell you not to  purchase other services you use everyday? Because they know that if you  have a union, you are no longer under the thumb and control of the  company. On the contrary, they know by forming a union, you have the  control over your own life making your own choices that are fair and  equitable for you and your family. If they don't tell  you how to spend  your money outside of work, tell them not to tell you  how to spend your  money at work.

Typical Company Anti-Union Tools - Companies have access to a wide variety of anti-union material from   many sources. The typical anti-union campaign has a timeline of   activities where you can expect confusion, coercion and intimidation to keep you from becoming a union. Lies are usually out front. Companies  will tell flat-out lies and put out misinformation and statements about  the IAM every step of the way to try and convince you that forming a  union is a bad deal for you. Or have you heard this one? "We'll have to close down and move elsewhere if the union gets in here" or "We will  no  longer afford to be in business". The list goes on with what  companies  tell their employees. All this rhetoric, while they rake in  millions of  dollars in profits. Companies go to extraordinary lengths to make sure  you stay "union free". When was the last time your employer cared so much about your well-being except when you decided to look into forming a union? In some campaigns, companies will go to the  edge or break the law just to prevent you from forming a union. Know your rights and keep  good notes and copies of company propaganda and threats. Good  documentation is very helpful should the IAM need to file Unfair Labor  Practices (ULP) against the employer for unlawful  activity. The IAM will not respond to all anti-union rhetoric. The IAM  believes in staying  positive and on-task while assisting you in forming  your union.  
 

Typical Company Tactics:

Week 1 - Get Supervisors involved - Companies will usually start introducing the company's position on unions. Keeping companies "union free" is big business in America. Books, videos, seminars and consultants all aid employers in their attempts to convince you that staying "union free" is in your best   interest. "Union Busters" The "Union Avoidance" industry, a term heavily used by employers, employs more than 10,000 lawyers and  consultants. They are usually called in the moment a company hears that employees are interested in unionizing.

Week 1 - Job Security - For the first week of the campaign, management has prepared its front line troops, the supervisors. Preparation is over and the ground  work is laid. Management is ready to begin its all-out assault. By this  time you have probably received at least one handbill/love letter from  the company. Focus on the second week shifts to the first of several issues that you will be hammered with over the coming weeks. Job security is usually one of the first issues given, playing on the  potential fear created through the idea of economic insecurity.  

 Week 2 - Collective Bargaining - The general goal this week is to convince you that you will receive   less under a union contract than you already have. You may begin to  hear things like "you start from zero when negotiating a contract and  you  may end up with less than you have already". Or they may say you'll start from a "clean sheet of paper". Its unlawful for your employer to  say any of these statements. Department of labor statistics show that unionized workers have better wages, benefits and working conditions than non-union workers.
 

Week 2 - Direct Assault on the IAM - What is more intimidating than direct assaults to your personal   security? During the campaign management will try to create an atmosphere under which you and your co-workers become fearful of the union. Attempts will be made to make you believe that vandalism and   intimidation are what the union is about. These attempts are usually  carried out using two themes: Vandalism of personal property and threats  and intimidation of your co-workers.

Week 3 - Strikes - One of the most effective tools in a union buster's arsenal is strikes. The reason they advise managers and supervisors to hammer this  issue as often as possible is because not only does it conjure up images of personal security but economic security as well. Let's unravel the myth of strikes. Although the company would love for you to believe that you "can be called out on strike" the Machinists Union requires that  2/3 majority "vote" to strike. During the past 10 years, IAM negotiators won fair agreement without loss of a minutes work in over 99% of our  contracts. In fact, more people in the U.S. miss work due to  the common cold than because of strikes!

 Week 3 - The "Final Push" and the "Sympathy Plea" -  Now it is the last week of the campaign. This is the employer's  last  chance to convince you that a union would not be in your best  interest. Time is running out and for the employer, and desperate times require desperate measures. During the week your employer will review  each of  the topics already discussed. Letters home or meetings will occur almost  every day of the week of the election. They  will also  plea for a second chance to address your issues, however, those issues  will never be addressed, nor will they be binding without a Union  contract. 

It  is unlawful for Supervisors or Managers at your workplace to interfere  with, restrain or coerce employees seeking to organize or join a Union. Any of the following acts constitute a violation of the federal law.
 

1. Attend any union meetings, park across the street from the union hall  to see which employees enter the hall or engage in any undercover activity which would indicate that the employees are being kept under surveillance to determine who is and who is not participating in the  union program.

2. Tell employees that the Company will fire or punish them if they engage in union activity.

3. Lay off or discharge any employee for union activity.

4. Grant employees wage increases or special concessions in order to keep the union out.

5. Bar employee union representatives from soliciting employee memberships during non-working 

hours.

6. Ask employees about confidential union matters, meetings, etc. (Some employees may, of their own accord, walk up and tell of such matters. It is not unfair for the boss to listen, but he must not ask questions  to obtain additional information.)

7. Ask employees what they think about the union or a union representative.

8. Ask employees how they intend to vote.

9. Threaten employees with economic reprisal for participating in union activities. For example, threaten to move the plant or close the business, curtail operations, reduce employee benefits.

10.  Promise benefits to employees if they reject the union.

11. Give financial support or other assistance to a union or to  employees, regardless of whether or not they are supporting or opposing  the union.

12. Announce that they will not deal with a union.

13. Tell employees that the Company will fire or punish them if they engage in union activities.

14. Ask employees whether or not they belong to a union or have signed up for a union

15. Ask an employee, during the interview when they are hiring him, about his affiliation with a labor organization.

16. Make anti-union statements or actions that might show their preference for a non-union man.

17. Discriminate between union and non-union employees when assigning overtime work or desirable work.

18. Purposely team up non-union men and keep them apart from those they think may belong to the union.

19. Transfer workers on the basis of union affiliation or activity.

20. Choose men to be laid off on the basis of weakening the union's strength or discouraging membership in it.

21. Discriminate against union people when disciplining employees.

22. By the nature of the work assignment, indicate that they would like to get rid of an employee because of his union activity.

23. Discipline union employees for a particular action and permit non-union employees to go unpunished for the same action.

24. Deviate from Company policy for the purpose of getting rid of a union supporter

25. Take actions that adversely affect an employee's job or any pay rate because of union activity.

26. Become involved in arguments that may lead to physical encounter with an employee over the union questions.

27. Threaten a union member through a third party.

28. Threaten workers or coerce them in an attempt to influence their vote.

29. Promise employees a reward or a future benefit if they decide "no union".

30. Tell employees overtime work (and premium pay) will be discontinued if plant is  unionized.

31. Say unionization will force company to lay off employees.

32.Say unionization will take away vacations, or other benefits and privileges enjoyed

33. Promise employees promotions, raises or other benefits if they get out of the union or refrain from joining it.

34. Start a petition or circular against the union or encourage or take  part in circulating one, if it was started by employees. to induce  others to oppose the union or keep out of it

36. Visit the homes of employees to urge them to reject the union