Organizing

A WORKER HAS A RIGHT!!

"You cannot be fired or disciplined for joining a Union"

CALL TO ORGANIZE 1-800-387-0538 EXT 1 CALL TO ASK QUESTIONS OR

***CLICK TO FILL OUT FORM TO <CONTACT UAW ORGANIZING>

ALL INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL!

Do you want to know more about joining the UAW?

If so, we need some basic information so we can provide the best possible support and assistance to you and your co-workers.

Click this link to Contact UAW Organizing Fill out the form and we'll be in touch

Or Call 519-628-4257 Ext. 1 or Toll Free 1-800-387-0538 Ext. 1

You’ll be connected to (or get a call back from) a UAW organizer who can answer questions and tell you what it takes to organize a union at your workplace.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO:

Join a union.
Talk to your co-workers about joining a union.
Pass out literature about joining a union (in non-work areas during non-work times).
Sign up your coworkers on petitions in non-work areas and during non-work times.
Join with your coworkers for the purpose of forming a union.
Join with your coworkers for the purpose of improving working conditions in your place of employment.

The basics of the Ontario Labour Relations Act

Under Ontario’s Labour relations Act, you have the right to join a trade union and participate in legal union activities.

It’s against the law for an employer to fire you or discriminate against you for:

joining a union
your past association with a bargaining agent, and
exercising any other rights under the LRA.

It’s also against the law for a union or employer to intimidate or coerce you to join or not join a union.

YOUR EMPLOYER DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO:

Interfere with, restrain or coerce you in such a way as to prevent you from exercising the rights listed above.
Form a union that is financed or controlled by an employer, instead of by you and your coworkers.
Discriminate against you or your coworkers in hiring and firing simply because you have chosen to join (or not to join) a union.
Fire you because you have exercised any of your rights under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, including your right to file complaints and testify against your employer if you believe he or she has violated your rights.
Refuse to bargain collectively with you and your coworkers, if you choose to form a union.

NO UNION = NO RIGHTS

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN:

IF YOUR WORKPLACE IS NON-UNION…

You are an “employee at will.” Your employer can discipline or fire you at any time for any reason; you have no recourse.

“Open door” policy means the employer will listen to you… and then do whatever he or she wants.

Employer determines wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of work. If you’re not satisfied, your only option is to get another job.

Wages, benefits and other terms and conditions can be changed by the employer at any time.

Hiring and promotion is up to the discretion of the employer.

IF YOU JOIN A UNION AND HAVE A CONTRACT…

Discipline, up to and including discharge, is subject to a grievance procedure and binding arbitration, depending on the terms of your contract.
Contract negotiations require both sides — labour and management — to listen, and reach reasonable compromises acceptable to both sides.
Wages, benefits and working conditions are negotiated. If you are not satisfied, you can work for changes during contract negotiations.
Neither labour nor management can make unilateral changes to a signed contract. If modifications are necessary during the life of a contract, both sides must agree.

Hiring and promotion is covered by contract. Seniority and other factors can be written into the agreement.

SURPRISED?

Unless workers have a union contract, they are at the mercy of company policies. Most employment handbooks clearly state that policies are “guidelines only and … not a contract of employment” or that the terms of the handbook are subject to change without notice.

Even under a company’s “open-door” policy, there is nothing to really make anyone believe that the policy is meaningful. To the contrary, there is often a powerful conflict of interest in these “open door” policies because workers are complaining about management’s decisions to a board or body that has been handpicked by management.

It’s not surprising then that workers without a union are often subject to arbitrariness and unfairness on the job.

Workers without a contract are considered “employees at will.” That means they can be fired at any time and without reason, the only exceptions are termination for discrimination, whistle-blowing or union organizing.

In fact, when looking at laws affecting workers, it’s good to think of this: laws like the minimum wage, worker’s comp, overtime, provide the bare minimum that applies to everyone. For non-union workers, however, the bare minimum becomes a ceiling – no one promises rights any higher. For union workers, on the other hand, the bare minimum is just the floor – they always bargain for rights and benefits above the bare minimum set by the law.