What is Organizing?

Organizing takes place when union ‘organizers’ educate unrepresented
workers to encourage them to join a union. The education phase can touch
on workplace rights, wages, benefits and various other benefits of being a
union member. A union organizer is willing to visit unrepresented workers at
their home or any other location outside the workplace to talk about the
problems they face at work. The goal of a union organizer is to obtain a
union contract between the employer and employee which ultimately
provides for better working conditions. We also recruit individual employees
to work for existing union contractors.
Why Join a Union?

There may be no better reason to join a union other than the fact that union
members’ wages are higher than non-union workers’ wages. It is not
uncommon for non-union workers to earn $12-$15 an hour, have no health
insurance, and no pension. Public assistance programs funded by taxpayers
make up for these below standard wages. Of course, corporations and
private businesses have the fundamental right to make a profit…it is part of
the American Dream. But there’s no reason some of that profit can’t be
shared with the men and women who perform the actual work to produce
that profit.

In 1935, the United States Government enacted the National Labor Relations
Act which grants employees in the private sector the right to form labor
organizations and bargain collectively without the interference of employers.
There is no denying that there is strength in numbers, and this strength
provides a balance in power to employees when it comes to setting the
terms and conditions of their employment.

Many non-union workers don’t realize their workplace rights and protections
were brought about and are maintained by virtue of labor’s struggles in the
past. The 8-hour work day and 5-day work week are key examples.
Additionally, in the ten states in which unions are the strongest, there is less
poverty, higher household income, and more education spending than in the
ten states in which unions are the weakest.

Organize Your Workplace:

As a worker, you have a right under federal law to form a union, select
representatives of your choice and bargain collectively (as a group) with
your employer. This helps balance the power that an employer has over his
individual employees. Belonging to a union gives you rights under law that
you do not have as an individual. Once you have formed a union, your
employer must bargain with you over your wages, hours and working
conditions.
Become a member

• Are you interested in earning a top wage?
• Are you interested in having a retirement plan?
• Are you interested in having full medical benefits for you and your family?
• Are you interested in advancing your career through Journeyman training like Medical Gas Certification, Rigging Certification, Welding Certifications, etc?

If you can answer yes to these questions call our Organizer to discuss
organizing your workplace.

If you have more than 5 years experience in the trade of plumbing,
pipefitting, welding, or refrigeration you can call our Organizer to discuss
individual recruitment too.