The staff is currently unionizing “unaffiliated,” meaning that we are not becoming part of an existing union. Earlier this year, we reached out to several large existing internationals. These discussions helped to clarify why we have decided to remain independent.
First, we were concerned that staff concerns could be significantly undermined if we joined with a larger union that had other business with the Council. Second, the unions we spoke with were hesitant to organize us because of the Council’s political reach. Indeed, the union that expressed the most interest in us was reluctant to fully commit and provide resources, despite the fact that we would be supplying them with extensive dues. NOTE: Unaffiliated unionization efforts have the same legal protections as affiliated efforts. However, being unaffiliated means that all organizing responsibilities fall on our shoulders.
Unionizing unaffiliated gives our staff union the option to join a larger international at a later time as a potential local.
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