Union basics

What is a trade union?

A trade union is an organization that unites workers in the same branch of the economy, for example, the restaurant industry, or construction. The task of a trade union for restaurant workers is to fight collectively for the interests of workers’ belonging to this industry.

Restaurant workers suffer from low wages, understaffing, overwork, and much more. RWU fights for higher wages, adequate staffing, control over how much work we do and how fast we do it, and other improvements. Compared to their non-unionized counterparts, unionized workers enjoy higher and better pay, benefits (including health insurance), better job conditions, and job security.

What is collective bargaining?

Collective bargaining allows legally-recognized unions to negotiate with capitalists in order to reach agreements for a certain period of time. Such agreements regulate working hours, wages, working conditions, benefits, safety protocols, grievance procedures, and other aspects of our life as workers. Collective bargaining power not only means that we do not have to fight battles alone, but that our victories must be recognized and followed by the bosses.

What is a strike?

In collective bargaining, the collective of workers united in their trade union has leverage in the form of the strike. A strike is a collective refusal of the workers in one or more capitalist enterprises to work in order to force the capitalist to agree to a set of demands. A strike is the fundamental weapon that allows unions to win better wages, benefits, and conditions for their workers.

What is a contract?

All workers are contracted with their employers.

Non-unionized workers are subject to individual employment contracts based on the “at will” principle, according to which a boss can fire the workers for any reason, at any time. Moreover, as isolated individuals, non-unionized workers have no leverage over their pay, benefits, or conditions of employment.

On the other hand, unionized workers, backed by the united force of the collective, negotiate collective contracts based on the “just cause” principle, according to which the bosses need a good reason to fire workers. If the boss offers a contract that the workers reject, the workers can strike (or threaten to strike) in order to negotiate better terms of employment.

How can we unionize?

Workers begin to form a union by convincing coworkers that a union is necessary. When a good number of workers sign union cards, they can ask for the government labor board to hold an election. If >50% of the workers vote in favor, the union is established. Then the new union will negotiate with the boss for a contract guaranteeing its demands (higher wages, healthcare, consistent scheduling, job security, etc).

Once you’re unionized, workers have protection. Workers can’t be fired at any moment.

How does a union work?

A union is the fighting organization of the workers themselves. To organize ourselves, we can only rely on ourselves as workers. Members are expected to participate in the vital activities of the union: recruitment, formulation of demands, research, and campaigns.

Unions are funded by dues paid by workers. This is a fundamental aspect of worker democracy: an organization that is funded by its members will be responsible to its members. The question of dues essentially tied to longer strikes and to building fighting organization. Without dues, strikes are not possible.

Although we don’t have the funds at this point, we can undertake lightning strikes, targeting the owner(s) on big-money days like New Years Eve and other holidays.

Can undocumented workers join unions?

Undocumented workers are guaranteed the right to unionize. Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which guarantees the right to self-organization, and Section 8, which enumerates various ways in which the employer is forbidden to interfere in that organization, have both been interpreted to include and thus protect the rights of undocumented workers. Regarding the terms and conditions of employment, undocumented workers are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and numerous other laws at various levels of government.