So, Your Staff Is Forming a Union?

Senior leaders are often surprised and caught off guard when staff members of nonprofit, social justice organizations begin to organize a union and seek recognition as a bargaining unit.

We may cycle through a variety of responses: disbelief; worry about the demands our staff members may have; genuine concerns that staff desires and contract negotiations will strain already challenging budgets and fiscal outlooks; and worries about capacity and how to find time for this process in addition to all of our other work.

Adversarial and scarcity mindsets are baked into our cultural constructs of unions. Despite the fact that we believe in and fight for the right to organize and democratic workplaces, most nonprofit managers and senior leaders initially experience staff unionization as a blow, a judgment, or another huge hurdle to overcome.

However, what if deeply imprinted cultural constructs – the clashing of unions and bosses, the adversarial nature of the process, the idea that each “side” wants to win as much as possible at any cost – what if none of that is true?

• What would be possible if we had enough (resources, time, innovation) to define our shared interests and build plans to meet those interests and needs over time?

• What would be possible if this process were about imagining together, learning what our work and workplace feels like from other seats and shoes?

• What is scary about having to share power with a bargaining unit, and what can we learn from those fears? Who are the hopeful sisters of those fears?

Drawing upon my experience from both viewpoints of the collective bargaining process, I can help you get out of "React" mode so that you can engage in the unionization of your staff in ways that are strategic and healthy. While it will always be tense and sometimes messy, we can work together to put you and your management staff on a path to successfully adapt to a staff union and participate in collective bargaining grounded in your values.

I can help you understand each phase of management work in embracing a staff union —beginning with recognition, through bargaining, and all the way to the implementation of your first contract. I will also help you identify and access the information and training resources you need to learn, plan and successfully prepare for the collective bargaining process.

My offerings include tailored strategies for engaging your management staff and aligning your management team around an approach to bargaining that works for your organization.

You can come out of this change process stronger, more aligned, and more effective than ever before!