If you've ever tried to organize a union before or haven't but know anyone else who has, you have heard the following myths all before. If this is your first attempt to organize a union, get ready to be hit with these whoppers. Feel free to copy this information and redistribute at will.
Myth #1 - Unions Interfere With Profit Making.
The only "profit making" that unions interfere with is the "profit" the boss makes at the expense of the workers who do the actual work that earns the profit. If "interference" means that workers have a say in where profits are going --instead of submitting themselves to the unilateral decisions of management--then you could say unions interfere. Unions redistribute the wealth or profits of the company so that more goes into the pockets of workers and less into the pockets of bosses. As a result, management often benefits from workers input in the efficient operation of the workplace. In addition, satisfied employees are more productive, less likely to quit, and have higher morale.
Myth #2 - Unionized Companies are Inefficient and Have Lower Productivity.
This is a scare tactic that management uses against workers who are organizing a union. Companies do not go out of business because they pay their workers a decent wage and provide benefits; companies go out of business because of poor market conditions or poor management. More non-union companies close each year than unionized ones.
Myth #3 - Unions are Corrupt.
The employing class would like us to believe that all unions are corrupt. The truth is that (most) unions are democratic organizations (relative to the companies that employ the workers' these unions represent) formed to improve the lives of working people. Members elect officials who hire staff to run the day-to-day operation of the union.
It is true that most AFL-CIO unions are corrupt in the sense that they give in to capitalism and that they spend hundreds-of-thousands of their members' dues money on corrupt machine politicians. However most unions, even the AFL-CIO unions are not controlled by the mafia. Furthermore, the IWW is free of all of these problems. The IWW is the most democratic union in the world.
Myth #4 - Unions Protect Lazy Workers.
Unions protect their members from unfair disciplinary actions and firings. Fairness is one of the most important aspects of a union contract, or a shop where union conditions predominate. Under a union contract or in a shop with majority union representation, supervisors or managers no longer have the final say. They are no longer judge and jury. Workers are people from all walks of life who deserve a democratic workplace.
Myth #5 - Unions Represent the Interests of Big Labor Bosses, Not Workers
Unions are democratic institutions made up of workers who elect officers. By voting to form a union at a particular workplace, the workers become members of a local. A local is part of a national union in a representative governing structure that is like our city-state-federal system. Corporations consolidate their power by organizing--through trade associations, the Chamber of Commerce, and mergers--to increase their profit margins. Unless workers consolidate their power into local, industry-wide, and international organizations, they have little, if any, freedom in or out of the workplace.
Myth #6 - Unions Force Workers into Strikes & Unions are Violent
The fact is that less than 2% of contract disputes involve strikes. The vast majority of unions require a vote (often by a supermajority of 2/3 or more) to authorize a strike. Unions and workers view strikes as a last resort. Generally, they only strike when the boss is extremely unreasonable--after all, workers give up their paychecks when they go on strike! And the strike is one of the original tools of non-violent resistance. Strike violence is rare--and rarely unprovoked. It is also important to realize that workers in the United States lack an effective right to strike, because in the U.S., employers can "permanently replace" striking workers. The IWW is a democratic union. Only workers can vote to strike.
We greatly acknowledge the efforts of the AFL-CIO's Organizing Institute who inspired this list.
