The Union Member's Complete Guide: Everything You Want -- And Need -- To Know About Working Union [Paperback]

Michael Mauer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2001

The Union Member's Complete Guide: Everything you want -- and need -- to know about working union

An easy-to-read, comprehensive guide to how you can get the most out of your job in a unionized workplace -- from understanding what a union is and how it operates to how you can get the most value out of your union card and what you can do to make your union more successful.

* Understanding how unions operate
* Getting your say in contract demands
* The full story on union dues
* A union's responsibility to its members
* Getting help with workplace problems
* Your union card's bonus benefits
* A member's rights and responsibilities
* Labor laws that affect you
* How to file a grievance
* Your union steward's role
* Contact info for every union

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A practical, well written primer on unions and collective bargaining for union members and potential union members." -- Ray Marshall, former U.S. Secretary of Labor

"This book is a valuable tool for anyone who belongs to a union or is considering joining one." -- David E. Bonior, Democratic Whip, U.S. House of Representatives, 10th District, Michigan

"This book presents a comprehensive and readable account of the basic rights of unions and their members." -- Fred Feinstein, former general counsel, National Labor Relations Board

Everything you need to know about how a union works, and how you can help make your union more successful." -- Jim Hightower, author and commentator

From the Publisher

If you're reading this book, odds are you're working in a unionized workplace–not because you participated in an organizing drive, but rather because your new workplace had unionized long ago. While organizing drives take place every day of the year, all over the country, the overwhelming majority of Americans who are represented by a union – probably well over 95 percent - did not personally participate in the effort. That job was done by the workers who preceded them. Since you may have "inherited" a union, you're not entirely clear about what that means. You want a better understanding of how your union works, your rights as a member, and your duties as one. You might not be convinced that you're stronger because of your union, or that as just one person you can do things that will build the union's strength or have an impact on the way the union operates.

On the other hand, maybe you're reading this book because you're employed in a non-union workplace, and you're curious about what life would be like if you and your co-workers had union representation. Although this book speaks directly to unionized workers, it paints a pretty good picture of what to expect if you and your co-workers "go union."

Or maybe you're one of those people who has just gone through a successful union organizing drive. Your entire workplace is on the verge of making the change to a union environment. You'd like a roadmap of what's next.

No matter. For all readers, this book steps back a pace and talks about the basics of unionism. We'll examine the basic elements of what a union does, how it does it, and your role in it all, so that you'll better understand how working life is improved when you have union representation. And you'll learn what you can–and should–do to make your voice heard when your union makes decisions that will affect you.

Why learn about unions? Because unions change nearly every aspect of workplace life:

Starting on a very practical level, everyone in a unionized workplace gets to make a decision as to whether to be a full, dues-paying member. You'll want to understand what unions do and how you fit into the picture, to make the smart decision: to become a full, active and involved member.

You can't know where you're going if you don't understand where you've been. Things are the way they are in your workplace and others because millions of workers won the fight to be represented by unions. The modern American labor movement has transformed tens of thousands of workplaces, and tens of millions of lives. Unionized workers earn more money, enjoy more benefits, and have greater job security than their non-union counterparts. (And, as you'll see later on, even non-union workers' jobs are improved because so many other workers have unionized.)

If you're like every other person who's ever lived, it's probably fair to say that there are some aspects of your working life that you don't like. Because unions are the most powerful tool workers have to gain control over what goes on in the workplace, to improve your situation you need to understand the possibilities and limitations of what a union can do.

The labor movement has been a major force in shaping American society. When you're a union member, and when you become actively involved in all the things the union does, you become part of something bigger than your individual life, and bigger than your workplace: you become part of one of the largest social movements in America today, a movement of close to 17 million men and women.

Finally, the fate of unionized American workers more and more is linked to the fortune of our fellow workers the world over. So American unions are speaking up more and more on international trade and environmental issues, human rights standards, and just about every other global issue. If your employer can get away with having a Mexican worker produce what you produce, at a fraction of your pay and no benefits, you better believe he'll do it. And he won't much care if a few rivers end up flowing with cancer-causing toxins in the process, either.

A Note About the Scope of This Book

People come in all shapes and sizes, and so do labor unions. There are public sector unions, representing employees of governments at all levels, and private sector unions, representing workers at privately owned companies. There are unionized workplaces in states, cities and towns with labor friendly laws, and there are unions in workplaces and locations where employees don't even have a legally protected right to bargain a contract. Different unions have dramatically different ways of structuring themselves and making decisions.

But no matter what setting you're in, there are basic concepts of labor-management relations, and the role of unions, that apply. So this book can give you a working knowledge of the nuts and bolts of union representation. As you read, though, keep in mind that the way things operate where you work will vary depending on what union you are represented by, what type of work you do, and a lot more. For specific answers to many questions that come up in your workplace, you'll need to consult with your union, with a knowledgeable lawyer, with an appropriate government agency, or with a worker advocacy group.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Union Communication Services Inc (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965948617
• ISBN-13: 978-0965948616
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explaining the Union, February 19, 2002

By 

saul schniderman (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Union Member's Complete Guide: Everything You Want -- And Need -- To Know About Working Union (Paperback)

Finally, someone has written a book in plain English that explains just exactly what a union is and how a union operates. The Union Member's Complete Guide by Michael Maurer was written for the average American Joe or Josephine to explain the union experience from the point of view of the member or potential member -- in other words, from the bottom-up.

This is a guide book that describes the basic elements of the union in concise terms. What is the difference between the union and non-union workplace? What are dues and how are they determined? What are the rights and responsibilities of being a union member? What is a union contract? What is a grievance procedure?

Because the union experience is so rarely expressed or defined in this country, there needed to be a book like this that spells it all out. Whether you are already in a union or are thinking of joining one, I heartily recommend this practical guide, complete with glossary, "helpful contacts" and index.

Saul Schniderman
President, Library of Congress Professional Guild
AFSCME 2910

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book to use, April 8, 2002

By 

Virginia Ryan (Worcester, MA (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Union Member's Complete Guide: Everything You Want -- And Need -- To Know About Working Union (Paperback)

I purchased this book and gave it to a friend to read who had problems at work with a recent contract in which she and others were neglected in the pay increases. Michael Mauer's book is written in such an easy and practical style that it gave her the confidence to initiate an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board which was signed by the others in her department. The ULP was denied because it was not filed within the 6 months time frame but my friend is confident that the union will not forget them in the next contract. Kudos to Mr. Mauer for writing such a practical and useful book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reminded me of some things I've forgotten & even taught me some new stuff!, November 22, 2006

By 

Blaine Greenfield "eclectic reader" (Belle Meade, NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Union Member's Complete Guide: Everything You Want -- And Need -- To Know About Working Union (Paperback)

I've been active in my teacher's union for over 20 years, but even
with that background, I found THE UNION MEMBER'S COMPLETE
GUIDE by Michael Mauer to be a most worthwhile book to read . . . it
reminded me of some things that I had forgotten and even taught me some
new stuff as well.

Mauer, director of organizing and services for the American Association
of University Professors, really knows his stuff . . . you can tell he has
an extensive union background from reading virtually any page, and
you'll appreciate how he takes almost anything a union member needs
to know (e.g., how to file a grievance) and breaks it down into steps
to follow that are easily understood.

I particularly liked his breakdown on an employee's right to have
a union representative, a situation we too often have to deal with
at my college . . . as he notes, under "Weingarten rights," an employee
has the legal right to have a union representative--but not a
lawyer--present during a meeting with management if all
of the following conditions are met:

1. The meeting is an investigatory interview. This means that
you are expected to answer questions in connection with an inquiry
into possible wrongdoing or unacceptable behavior. Weingarten rights
do not cover meetings where the communication is one-way; that is,
when the purpose is merely to convey information to you or to notify
you of a decision already made regarding discipline.

2. Disciplinary action may result from the meeting. The law requires
only that disciplinary action--of any severity--is one possible result
of the meeting.

3. You "reasonably believe" that disciplinary action may result. If there
is a legal dispute over whether your concern about possible disciplinary
action is "reasonable," the determination will be made based on all the
circumstances surrounding the meeting: Has your supervisor previously
raised the possibility of discipline? Have other employees already been
disciplined for what you're accused of? Are you already working under
the threat of a performance warning letter?

4. You make a request for representation. This is another way Weingarten
rights differ from Miranda rights: your employer generally is under no
obligation to inform you of your right to be represented. It's up to you
to know your rights, and to assert them.

The above is so good that I'm going to copy it and share with
several of our union officers . . . in fact, there's a lot more that is
worth sharing . . . do yourself a favor and get Mauer's book for
any prospective or future member who really wants to understand
what it means to belong to a union.