UTA Drama: A Two Act Play with Monologue

The Role of a Union Buster

A Drama

Starring the illustrious Madam Rebecca Smith, and her inglorious Teamster career.

Act I: The Hero and Villian 

Scene I:  The Honorable Withdrawal Card - In addition to offering her Tax Filings, Madam Smith presents, for your inspection, her Honorable Withdrawal Card from Teamsters Local 631.  Madam Smith’s opening presentation is an attempt to win your trust, after all, she’s Honorable.  But she was escorted out of Local 631, without honor, in 2007.  We call it getting fired. 

Scene 2:  The Evil World of Unions - Powerful Unions (remember earlier in these meetings unions were shrinking and desperate) and their fake Democracy (one member, one vote), are deaf and indifferent to the needs of their members.  Before negotiations, Teamsters take a strike vote, it gives the Union leverage.  But then in negotiations, there is no leverage, it is all horse trading.  

Madam Smith needs to choose a line of lies and stick with it.  Union Officials only have power through the Solidarity of their members.  When every worker in a group stands together there is real power, but it is their power.  

The Teamsters consider the Union to be a Democracy because it IS a Democracy: One Member, One Vote, and we vote on everything.  At Local 222 we are also proud of our transparency.  We have hosted multiple meetings for interested Supervisors and at each meeting we have made available our Finances and our By-Laws.  We have nothing to hide, we do not need to conduct our business behind closed doors.

In the last three organizing campaigns and their contract negotiations, there has only been one conversation on striking, and those members chose this informational picket instead.  A solid show of unity and common cause throughout the work force is a much stronger form of leverage.  It is a leverage that allows negotiators to win better contracts without horse trading.  Leave it to Madam Smith of Nye County Nevada to mistake good faith bargaining for horse trading.  

Act II:  The Feint

Scene 1: Assessments - The Great Hidden Fees Lie! There are no hidden fees.  Local 222 charges members who cannot strike monthly dues of 2.25X hourly rate, plus $1.  $50 Initiation fees are waived for newly organized units.  There are $55 re-initiation fees if your membership lapses.  Local 222 has not levied assessments for arbitration costs, organizing costs, legal costs, or negotiation costs.  

Scene 2: Retirement - The Great Failing Union Pension Lie!! For Madam Smith to talk to potential Utah Teamsters about the Central States Pension fund is beyond the pale.  Madam Smith explains a pension fund for a different region.  If she spoke honestly about the pension fund covering Utah (and Nevada) she would tell you about the Western Conference of Teamsters, and how it is the best funded Union pension in this country.  There is no possible way for any UTA Supervisor to participate in the Central States Pension and Madam Smith knows this.  

Scene 3: Politics - Your Dues Will Go To Politicians!!!  No dues money ever goes to politics in Local 222! We have a political action committee (PAC) that is a VOLUNTARY contribution.  None of your dues money goes to politics, and Madam Smith knows this.

Scene 4: Strike Fund - Your Dues Will Pay For A Strike Fund You Can Never Use!!!!  This is a complete lie.  UTA Supervisors will be assessed 2.25X hourly rate, + $1.  Those who can strike are assessed 2.5X hourly rate, + $1.  That 0.25 hour difference is the strike fund; if you cannot strike, you do not contribute to the fund.  Madam Smith just cannot control herself when there are lies to tell.

The Soliloquy

{Madam Smith, alone on stage, delivers her Most Profound Monologue of Manure}

Thou Art A Supervisor! 

She declares you have the authority to Hire and Fire.  

She declares you would never be considered for her Local.

Reading from the actual By-Laws of Local 222, Madam Smith declares you will be barred from participating in Local 222.

 {The Stage goes dark}

“They don’t even really want you” she whispers. 

The Curtain Falls

Bravo!!

What drama!

What presentation!

What a performance!

What a load of crap.

Why don’t you just tell the truth, Madam?

At Local 222, we respect the truth, and it galls us to watch Madam Smith prostitute it out for her personal gain.

Local 222 values every worker’s right to receive Respect and Dignity at their place of work, which is why we fight for you and your right to join a union.

And for 2 1/2 years, UTA has fought you every step of the way.

Common Concerns for UTA Meetings

Common Concerns raised in the First Few Weeks

As a standard strategy there will be a lot of misinformation generated by any employer during the organizing campaign.  The less familiar you are with Unions in general, the easier it is to keep people fearful.  Here are the five most asked questions of this campaign:  

1. Retirement - The pension that UTA Supervisors pay into now, if you meet the vesting requirements, is your pension.  The only threat to that pension is the Utah State Legislature.  Those funds exist independently of this organizing campaign.  When it comes time to discuss retirement and the contract, the goal moving forward will be set completely by the UTA Supervisors.  If the group wants to remain in, and contribute to, the current pension, then that is what will be proposed in negotiations.  If the group wants to try a different direction, or multiple directions, then that will form the base of our proposals.  Local 222 is not raiding the existing pension’s funds, and if you are vested, then those funds paid to date are yours.
2. Relations with Management - Several comments have been made about how the relationship will change between the Supervisors and those in charge.  Doors may remain open, you are told, but you will not be able to settle any issues without the union.  Or worse, it is against the law for those in charge to deal with Supervisors directly.  Or that all communication between workers and managers must go through shop stewards.  At best, this is a misunderstanding of Direct Dealing laws.  More likely it is an intentional misrepresentation of Direct Dealing.  If a union worker has an issue that needs to be “dealt” with, and they take it “directly” to their boss, this is NOT Direct Dealing.  It is, in fact, what virtually all Teamster contracts require as the first step in resolving any disagreement or issue.  If you have to speak to your employer, you go and speak to them. The Direct Dealing that is outlawed in collective bargaining is an employer trying to make changes to the labor agreement by circumventing the union and negotiating contractual issues with the employees, directly.
3. Do we have direct control over how Local 222 spends the dues money? The fact is you have total control over whether or not you even pay dues.  In Utah, through Right-to-Work laws, you are legally entitled to enjoy all the contractual benefits and protections without ever paying a single penny in dues.  Even if you require active representation, you do not have to pay dues, nor any fees, to the Local.  You get it all for free.  For those who chose to pay dues, any purchase or sale of the Local’s assets over $5,000, needs to be approved by the Executive Board, the elected officers of the Local.  Any purchase or sale of assets over $10,000 needs to be approved directly by the membership.  Every monthly financial report must be reviewed and approved by both the Executive Board and the members in the General Membership meetings.  
4. First contracts can take over a year to negotiate - Yes, this is true.  First contracts require starting from nothing more than the current practices and moving forward.  Two of the last three units to organize saw their first contract ratified between 12 and a18 months.  The third is still in negotiation and has just passed the 12 month mark with negotiations scheduled through October, 2016.  It is important to get contracts done right, not done right now.
5. Dues, Fees, and Assessments - For this group, since strikes are outlawed, the dues rate is 2.25X Hourly Rate per month.  Assessments in Local 222 are $1/month.  Fees, namely initiation fees, are $50 for a full time employee, $25 for part time employees.  For newly organized units, the initiation fees are waived.  Lapsed membership can generate fees.

If you have other questions, anonymously post them below.

Britt Miller

Business Agent and Organizer

801.972.1898 ext 17

Britt@TeamstersLocal222.org

Local 222 Responds

We’ve been kind of quiet during the first half of the anti-union meetings conducted at UTA; we wanted to give UTA a chance to present its position clearly.  

And they have.  Clearly, they have no interest in seeing the UTA Supervisor Ranks join the Teamsters.  Clearly, they are willing to bend the truth and spend the money to stop this campaign.  Clearly they realize the stakes are high, even while nonchalantly dismissing this campaign as a trifle, a waste of effort, or of little consequence.

On the surface you are being presented a kind and understanding face, sympathetic to the frustrations you may be experiencing at UTA.  A friendly leader, urging you to seek out the truth, and be thoughtful and prudent in your conclusions.  Whether you feel you have a positive relationship with your employer or a negative one, UTA is not being truthful with you.  

UTA is bombarding you with lies, half-truths, and intentionally misleading statements to encourage you to choose against the strong representation possible through a Teamsters contract.  If there were truly no benefits in joining a Union, there would be no need to have extended conversations.  UTA is spending a lot of money to prevent this campaign from being successful, and they have fought your rights to organize every step of the way.  That is a lot of effort to put into something silly.

Why?

What is UTA afraid might happen?

Why is UTA hiring dishonest “consultants” who openly and freely tell lies?

What does this strategy say about respect at UTA?  

What does this strategy say about the value placed on you as en employee?

We wanted to give UTA the opportunity to take the high road and appeal to your concerns and address your issues.  But they have not.  Supervisors have been asking questions, only to be told people with answers will be around next week, but first listen to how awful unions are.  Simple issues continue to go unaddressed. 

Local 222 will now directly address issues.  For the next two weeks, Local 222 will provide links to specific issues that have been raised by not only the Supervisors, but also UTA Brass and the anti-union presenters.  Links are great because you only read what you choose.  If you do not wish to be contacted by us, just tell us so and you’re off the hook.

If you would like to contact us directly, feel free:

Britt Miller

Business Agent and Organizer

801.972.1898 ext 17