I want to create a union at my work, but writing for a new job is so much easier. (lemmy.today)

submitted 11 months ago by whimsical_absence@lemmy.today to c/casualconversation@lemmy.world

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I work in tech. At my previous job, I started organizing a union and got maybe 20 people out of 70 involved in actively planning and being interested. But I left my old job for this one, because I could be paid more with less work. And now there's a new job on the horizon which promises another 10-20k a year, and again, the call of more money outweighs the urge to improve the current situation. Anyone else ever dealt with this issue?

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[-] ScreaminOctopus@sh.itjust.works 18 points 11 months ago

I don't know if I'd really call this an issue, workers at companies generally start unions because they're being pushed into untenable hours and subsistence living without an escape. When you can jump from a sinking ship and add 15-20% to your salary you're just in a very different situation. There are risks to getting serious about organizing a union, especially in tech where the vast majority shops aren't union. You could end up tied to whatever company you're at currently for the rest of your career, since I'd imagine many non union shops would blacklist you from hiring if they found out you attempted to organize at a previous job. It's also difficult to get enough people on board for unionization when almost everyone in your department likely has the option to leave for a similar pay bump. The benefits of unionization are much less tangible for tech workers, who generally lead pretty comfortable lives, than professions that are tipically unionized like tradespeople or factory workers.

[-] __@fedia.io 4 points 11 months ago

There are risks to getting out of bed in the morning, too.

Unions are not by definition in response to untenable conditions - those are certainly the most high profile instances.

Can't imagine that any worker for Big Three automakers is regretting having joined a union right now.

No reason a future employer would need to know you were involved in organizing, and hardly something HR is going to disclose on a ref check. Setting aside the fact that it's not legal to 'blacklist' that way, would you want to work for a company that did, even by informal word of mouth? It's just not a thing.

[-] TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 11 points 11 months ago

Unless the company is massive you’re better off planting the seed and leaving

[-] whimsical_absence@lemmy.today 2 points 11 months ago

Fair enough.

[+] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone -20 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

You. You are the problem.

You say you care about unions but the second something comes along that is better for just you, you are willing to bail on all the organizing you did to benefit everyone to instead benefit yourself.

If you don't think having a union organizer disappear for a better job that also doesn't have a union will disillusion the people who followed your lead, you are kidding yourself. You will ruin the idea of unions or trusting someone who promotes unions for your coworkers.

Nobody in this fucking shithole country is willing to take the personal hit to the pocketbook to make unions happen. The people who won our workplace rights for us died in the streets for unions and worker rights. They were made of sterner stuff and wouldn't just walk away because God Capital offered them a better deal for just themselves.

This is why there will never be a workers revolution in the US. All y'all are way too stuck up your own asses and still playing the "fuck you, I got mine" game.

[-] LastYearsPumpkin@feddit.ch 11 points 11 months ago

You're arguing for really odd behavior here. Should I quit a higher paying job to go work at home depot, just on the off chance I can get a union started there? Why would that make any sense?

The reason higher paying tech jobs don't typically have unions is because the workers are typically in more demand, and someone leaving the job is punishing for the company. If two or three key people do this, it's worse for a mid sized company than a strike.

If all the higher paid people at my job quit, it would improve conditions for the rest. Quitting and labor organizing are both ways to put pressure on a company.

[-] whimsical_absence@lemmy.today 6 points 11 months ago

I see where you're coming from. Having an organizer walk is an issue. I disagree with your notion that me organizing and walking is worse than not having tried at all.

But then, there's a reason I haven't tried at this job to organize, I know I might be leaving.

I do have one question for you. You say I'm making it worse and are the problem. Have you done anything to make a union happen?

I disagree with your idea that it is my personal responsibility to take a worse position, job wise, financially, when it doesn't just affect me, it affects my family. Especially when the potential for improvement is just that, potential. Not guaranteed. Not automatic. And it comes with the risk of retaliation by the business. Sure, people died back in the day, but that's not something that has to happen anymore. We have labor laws.

I suppose it does boil down to fuck you, I got mine in a sense, but not entirely. But maybe that's what I value more than a total worker revolution.