FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A union is a group of workers who come together to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions through a contract with their employer. Without a union, the employer holds all the power; with one, workers negotiate as equals and vote on workplace rights. Each union reflects its members’ collective needs, and in Workers United, local unions have significant autonomy to make their own decisions.

At Uncommon, we know that there are a lot of great things about our jobs, but we also know that there is a lot we can improve too. Our union gives us the power to bargain for better health and safety policies, job security, higher wages, improved benefits, workplace respect, and more. With our union, we gain a democratic voice in our workplace.

Workers United, Upstate New York and Vermont, is a union which is generally recognized as one of the most successful organizing unions today given their efforts with the highly publicized Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s campaigns. They are committed to organizing all workers in order to raise conditions across an industry and empower workers to achieve workplace democracy. Workers United is a division of SEIU, AFL-CIO

Our union! We, the workers, will run our union and elect our own representatives. Some anti-union employers call the union an “outside third party.” This is a common anti-union talking point and is not true. A union is a democratic organization built by workers for workers.

Both front of house and back of house staff are eligible to be in our union! Shift leads are also eligible. The only people not eligible are those within management, which includes district, store, and assistant managers.

A union contract, also known as a collective bargaining agreement, is a document negotiated between workers and management that is binding upon the union and the company. This contract sets forth the pay, policies, rights on the job, benefits, and working conditions at the company. Before the contract goes into effect, it must be voted on (ratified) by a majority of workers. Only the workers will have the final democratic say in whether or not a contract is signed.

Each contract is different and depends upon the needs and interests of workers. There are no guarantees of what will be in a union contract. The only real guarantee is that with a union workers have a real voice and can sit across the table from management and negotiate with the employer as equals!

Typically, contracts include proposals on:

Wages

Staffing levels

Fair promotion procedures

Protection from unfair discipline

Joint labor/management committees

Grievance and Arbitration procedure

Health and Safety on the job

Leave of absence rights

Health Insurance

Benefits

Having won our union election on April 30th, we promptly elected a bargaining committee. This bargaining committee is a group of workers that will meet with representatives from the company to bargain over wages, benefits, working conditions, and other key issues. There will be bargaining surveys and meetings to make sure every worker gets input into what the union’s proposals for improvements are. Once a tentative agreement is reached in negotiations, the contract is submitted to the entire membership for a ratification vote. If a majority of workers vote “Yes” to ratify the contract, the conditions put forth in the contract and any improvements become effective immediately.

Some companies will say that “contract negotiations can take years,” to try to discourage workers from organizing. This is an anti-union talking point. Contract negotiations can be completed in weeks or a few months if a company works with the union. Uncommon has claimed contract talks can drag on for years. We are hoping management reverses course on that sentiment. We will rely on our community and the broader labor movement to put pressure on management if they attempt to stall bargaining or negotiate in bad faith.

Unions do sometimes go on strike, but only after a strike vote is taken and an overwhelming majority of workers vote “yes” to go on strike. Strikes are not fun for anyone; therefore, they are the last measure for only the direst circumstances. Again, a strike is ONLY decided by the workers in an overwhelming majority.

Union dues are $10.84 per week for full-time workers, $5.47 for those working under 20 hours, and $2 for those working one day a week. They are subtracted out of your paystub. No dues are paid until AFTER a union contract is negotiated and voted on by workers. No one would vote for a union contract where they are losing money because of union dues. Dues fund organizing efforts, legal and staff support, education, communications, and compensation for union stewards and bargaining committee members. For example, organizing Uncommon Grounds would not have been possible without funding from dues in other union shops.

Forming a union gives workers due process. We will elect co-workers to become “shop stewards” to help enforce our contract, or investigate violations of any co-workers’ rights on the job. With our union, if there is a problem on the job, you can always still go to management and try to resolve it on your own. But if you aren’t able to resolve it, then you have the right to get our union involved to file a grievance and, if necessary, have a neutral judge (called an arbitrator) force the company to correct an unfair action or violation. Without a union, management has the final say and is essentially the judge and jury of their own case.

No, that would be illegal. Employers cannot take away benefits for voting to unionize—that’s unlawful retaliation under the National Labor Relations Act. What we have now serves as the starting point for negotiations, with the goal of securing additional workplace improvements. Negotiations do not start from nothing. You start at the status quo of benefits, policies, and privileges that already exist.

It depends. Some employers resist their employees' right to unionize and hire anti-union consultants to run predictable, manipulative campaigns of misinformation. A common tactic is a sudden show of concern—managers and owners may start asking, “How can we improve things?” They might even offer raises or better benefits to delay the process and sway workers against the union. Supervisors often hold one-on-one meetings to spread misleading claims. But by staying informed, united, and supporting each other, we can build a strong organization and make sure a company’s anti-union campaign isn't successful.

Mike Hoover, the owner of Uncommon Grounds, hired a law firm called Bond, Schoeneck & King, a firm known for its union avoidance practices it advises employers to take. This law firm made several disinformation claims regarding unionizing, and Workers United. Despite a rigorous union busting campaign, a majority of workers voted to organize the Saratoga Springs Uncommon Grounds.

Employers cannot legally retaliate against workers for unionizing. It is unlawful for them to threaten job loss, business closure, or benefit cuts. If a company violates the law, the union can file a charge with the Labor Board, which may take legal action against the employer.

This is a common anti-union misconception. In reality, a union allows workers to express themselves without fear of retaliation, even if their views differ from management.

Workers can still speak with their supervisors to resolve issues. The union isn't a replacement for standing up for yourself—it strengthens your voice. With a union, your voice is amplified by the support of the collective.