Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining
HRM Incident 2: Break down the Barrier:
Yesterday Bill Brown was offered a job as an operator
trainee with GEM Manufacturing. He had recently graduated from Milford High
School in a small town in the Midwest. Bill had no college aspirations, so on
graduation he moved to Chicago to look for a job.
Bill’s immediate supervisor spent only a short time with him
before turning over Bill to Gaylord Rader, an experienced operator, for
training. After they had talked for a short time, Gaylord asked, “Have you
given any thought to joining our union? You’ll like all of our members.”
Bill had not considered this. Moreover, he had never
associated with union members, and his parents had never been members either.
At Milford High, his teachers had never really talked about unions. The fact
that this union operated as an open shop meant nothing to him. Bill replied,
“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not.”
The day progressed much the same way, with several people
asking Bill the same question. They were all friendly, but there seemed to be a
barrier that separated Bill from the other workers. One worker looked Bill
right in the eyes and said, “You’re going to join, aren’t you?” Bill
still did not know, but he was beginning to lean in that direction.
After the buzzer rang to end the shift, Bill went to the
washroom. Just as he entered, David Clements, the union steward, also walked
in. After they exchanged greetings, David said, “I hear that you’re not
sure about wanting to join our union. You and everyone else reap the benefits
of the work we’ve done in the past. It doesn’t seem fair for you to be rewarded
for what others have done. Tell you what, why don’t you join us down at the
union hall tonight for our beer bust? We’ll discuss it more then.”
Bill nodded yes and finished cleaning up. “That might
be fun,” he thought.
QUESTIONS
1. Why does Bill have the option of joining or not joining
the union?
2. How are the other workers likely to react toward Bill if
he chooses not to join? Discuss.
