An Open Letter to All Technical Employees in Ogden Utah
by David Bernesser @Home Installer II
Corporate America would have you believe that the days when unions were needed have long past. Yet, in the last 30 years, taking into account the buying power of the dollar, the average executive compensation package has increased 400 percent, while the average workers compensation has actually decreased. We would also be led to believe that the only time a union is necessary is when workers are being grossly mistreated. This is definitely not the case. I would say that most of the technical workers in our system are happy with the generous benefits that AT&T has been gracious enough to provide us with. Notice that I did not say guaranteed benefits though. Yet we have gained a majority of these same workers that have expressed that we would like to have a voice in determining what those benefits are, and what the cost of our time should be.
A union is a simple concept. A group of workers coming together to bring the power of many into one voice, and to use that voice to seek a common goal. It is not some mysterious third party, it is us.
We are told that our company cares about us and has our best interests at heart, and to an extent I believe that those in human resource/labor review relations' positions within AT&T really want to help us and keep us happy, and I also believe that they think they are accomplishing that goal. Then we are told that under union representation, we would lose benefits?
But, now think about this. The union does not have the power to take away or deny us benefits. Only the employer has that right. The truth is; your time, talents, and skills are a commodity to a company, to be bought at a price. We simply want a voice in what that price will be.
Don't get me wrong. I like this company and respect that it puts business first. The last thing I want is to run AT&T into the ground (as if I could). I expect to work here for years to come, with a possibility of a retirement that can support me. So, I expect a good employer to be ruthless in their corporate endeavors. Buy, sell, destroy the competition, do whatever it takes to be the top dog. That is the name of the corporate game. If the company were to consider me first, I would consider it weak in its priorities.
In that same vein, I expect the company to buy any time for as little as I allow them to. If I allow them to buy me cheap, then they will. Imagine a company paying someone $20 an hour who is willing to be worked to death for $10 . It just doesn't happen (at least often).
If organizing ourselves into a single voice is so bad for us, then why would a company fight so hard to silence us? Denying us our benefits would cost a company less. They should be for the union! The truth is, that the average union worker is compensated 30% more than the average non-union worker, and corporate America knows that. They know that unions decrease the power of management to control how they buy their employees. And do not get me wrong, they understand this more than they are willing to let you know.
WE are the union. We are simply affiliating ourselves under the umbrella that brings with it years of experience and expertise and the power of many voices.
What is in it for the CWA? Why do they care so much if we organize or not? Our numbers increase the larger unions bargaining power so that their contracts with their companies do not suffer. But, when it comes to Riverdale:
WE decide what we need.
WE decide what we want.
WE decide what is important to us.
WE decide what needs to be in a contract that affects us.
It is the job of those that help us represent ourselves at the bargaining table to bring an expertise that will help us achieve our goals.
Who decides what those goals are? We do. Not an organizing committee, not two or three members, but the entire union (remember, that is all of us, together) decides what those things that we are willing to fight for are. I don't care if you have been here for twenty years or twenty minutes, we will all have a voice, and I know that I will fight so that nobody's voice is silenced either by intimidation or through ridicule.
Since we gained a majority, the organizing committee has filed with the American Arbitration Association (the Third Party Neutral agreed to by CWA and the AT&T) to hold a secret ballot election to determine whether we wish to collectively bargain for our compensatory futures with our employer. In the coming days you will be asked to cast a secret vote that neither the company, nor the union will ever see. Do not take this lightly, it is something that determines our immediate future. I encourage each and every one for us to determine what is best for our families and vote the way we feel will best accomplish our individual goals.
I have been asked more than once what some of the things are that we can gain by forming a union. I have maintained my position throughout this entire campaign; we can make no promises except that we will endeavor to gain the most we reasonably can. I liken this entire process to the following analogy. There is a job that you seek. You want it bad, but you are not allowed to know all that the job offers until you actually apply for it. Well, we can never know the answer to the question, "what can the union do for us", unless we actually get a chance to sit down in the collective bargaining process and hash out a contract that guarantees us our pay, benefits, working conditions, grievance procedures, stock options, bonus', etc. Yes, all of these things exist in the current union contract with the rest of our AT&T brothers and sisters, and in the newly ratified contract in the California Bay Area. Can WE get them into a contract? Without a yes vote, we will never know.
In closing, I can only hope that in the rest of the process that follows in the near future, that in the heart of the moment that we will continue to respect each others opinions and can only hope that people do not have to worry about their opinions being publicly ridiculed or singled out. Furthermore, in all of the literature that we, the organizing committee, has sent out, we have identified ourselves proudly for what we believe. And believe me, if anyone ha to have a fear of retribution, it is those of us who are pro-union. I would ask that any opposition to our view would do the same. Anonymity, in my opinion, is the vestige of a weak character. If you believe it, have the fortitude to proclaim it, and attach your name to it.
I can only reiterate what we, and in fairness the company, has been telling us from the beginning. It's our choice, make sure you know the facts and VOTE.
