Simply put, unionizing means that the workplace polices become a compromise. In FFPIR’s case, they can no longer dictate, according to three sheets of paper, the “rules” you live by if you want to work here. Instead, the union now serves as a bargaining representative through which employees negotiate with employers, until arriving at workplace policies each party deems satisfactory.

In a world where all employers truly respected their employees’ right to unionize, the process for unionizing would be unbelievably simple and straightforward. In reality, employers typically do everything they can to stop the process, and FFPIR is no exception. In fact, they are an extreme example of the insane tactics employers sometimes resort to in their efforts to stop workers from unionizing, but by doing everything you need to do to protect yourselves, and doing it in the right order, your office can get at least as far as the LA door office has, and, standing together, we’ll all get much further.

Before you file your petition, or before you even select your union, the first and most important thing to do is make certain your entire core staff has already seen through FFPIR’s lies, know that FFPIR cannot be reasoned with, and is of unanimous, or near unanimous agreement that this needs to be done, not just for themselves, but for unsuspecting young idealists everywhere. Make sure that no one will back out when FFPIR digs up dirt on your union, tries to tell you how bad unions are, or even more laughable, makes promises of improved working conditions that they have no intentions of actually fulfilling.

Once you are absolutely positive that your entire office has unionizing deep in their soul, and is in it for the long haul, you must keep it quiet. No matter how much you love your director (and there are some great ones out there), no one must know, besides the canvassers. FFPIR has, after all, been known to close offices that were in clear danger of unionizing. Only after you have selected your union and filed your petition are you essentially protected from being fired for no reason.

You must now select your union. The LA offices recommend the Teamsters. For contact information on theirs and other unions, contact the National Labor Relations Board through their website at http://www.nlrb.gov.

Variations of the following procedure exist, but after you have selected your union, what essentially happens is that you will meet with the union representative, who will give you all petition cards to sign. These cards say that you, the employees of______, want to hold an election where they will choose to be represented by the union you have selected. You need 30% of your office (including field managers, but not directors) to sign these cards. The union rep takes these cards to the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board), and once the NLRB recognizes your petition, FFPIR has to agree to a vote within 42 days of when the petition was filed. Thus, the less time FFPIR wastes contesting your petition, the more time they will have to dissuade everyone from voting union. (They found this out after they wasted almost a month contesting our petition, so be prepared.)

To win, you need a 50% plus 1 “yes” vote. Eligible to vote will be everyone who was on staff when the NLRB recognized the petition. Again, variations of this rule exist, so talk to your union rep, and figure out when the best time to file your petition will be.