The truth is, there’s no magic wand when it comes to remaining

union-free. It’s an ongoing process that requires constant

communication and vigilance. Sadly, many companies choose

not to make this effort, and that leaves them vulnerable to union

organizing efforts. Without a strategic plan in place, companies

can find themselves in the midst of a full-blown union

campaign that occupies time, money and other

vital resources. This excerpt from “Union Proof:

Creating Your Union-Free Strategy” identifies

the most vital areas to address when creating an

environment in which unions are unnecessary.

UNION PROOF CERTIFICATION

Get the best in knowledge and resources for keeping your company union-free by providing all corpo-rate-level human resources and labor relations per-sonnel with the opportunity to earn Union Proof Certification. This 24-week course not only provides the best and most-current information on organized labor, but includes activities and interactive exercises that mean they’ll get the “tribal knowledge” they need to address the specific needs of your company. Get started today at UnionProof.com.

A N E X C E R P T F R O M “ U N I O N P R O O F : C R E A T I N G Y O U R U N I O N - F R E E S T R A T E G Y ”

11 Positive Employee Relations Best Practices

“ It makes no difference what industry you’re in or what you bring to the marketplace. Treating employees well and creating a union-proof environment should be the goal of each and every employer.”

Hiring/Selection Process Use extreme caution & do background

checks. Be sure to always have more than one person

interview each prospective hire if at all possible and be

sure you know the legal “do’s & don’ts” of interviewing.

Make sure all participants are not only trained on what

they cannot ask, but also about what they should ask.

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First Line Supervision Always maintain supervisory involvement

on all shifts – your first-line team makes or breaks

a union-free facility. First line supervision “is” the

organiziation to most employees; front line super-

vision must “sell” the organization’s party line at all

times. Establish a “core team” of specially trained

union-avoidance supervisors on all shifts, and use

this team as a sounding board for policy changes, as

communication conduits, to train weaker or new super-

visors, and to communicate about unions in the event

of card signing.

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877.448.9741 telwww.UnionProof.com

ABOUT ‘UNION PROOF:

CREATING YOUR UNION-

FREE STRATEGY” Today, organized labor is fighting for its very existence. They’re using every weapon at their disposal - including every channel of communication, running corporate campaigns, and influencing politics and legislation with large donations. Their foot soldiers are waging an all-out war against corporate America, and the spoils of victory are your employees.

In Union Proof: Creating Your Successful Union Free Strategy, Peter Bergeron, a 33-year veteran of labor relations and human resources, shares his experiences, offers advice and gives you the “best practices” that truly make a difference in remaining union-free. Far from a legal text, this book provides the practical tools and advice that can help you make union representation irrelevant within your organization.

Whether you’re a Human Resources executive, thrown into the midst of a cardsigning campaign or a seasoned Labor Relations expert, Union Proof cuts right to the essentials with 11 areas to implement best practices, the 5 steps that prevent organizing drives, plus tips and sample communication plans that will help you craft your successful union free strategy.

Union Avoidance Training Union avoidance training should be ongo-

ing or at least bi-annual for all supervisors. Upper

management should be involved. Get as sophisticated

as possible with this training – the better armed super-

visors are, the better they will be able to defend the

facility. Use a combination of live training, video and

eLearning to reach every supervisor on a regular basis

and to keep them engaged.

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Organizing Detection Ensure that there is a network to report any

and all unusual or suspected third party activities. The

LaborLook.com website is an excellent tool for keeping

an eye on union activity if you have multiple locations,

allowing reporting of any activity in the local area as

well. The core team of supervisors can be the conduit

for such reporting and they should develop their own

networks within their work areas to keep apprised of

and report any activity. The reporting party should

be thanked and not chastised for reporting seemingly

insignificant items.

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Employee Relations Team The representatives must walk the fine line

of employee advocate and management defender.

They should be very well versed in union avoidance/

detection skills. They should have a presence on all

shifts and “press the flesh” as much as possible. The

absence of this presence will steer employees towards

outside assistance, such as a labor union or govern-

ment agency.

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7Wage & Benefit StructureA true union-free culture should differentiate

itself from unionized workers and product competitors

by providing competitive wage and benefit structures.

These items should be reviewed and adjusted on an

annual basis, or more, if needed. Don’t let the compe-

tition get ahead, especially if they are a union shop..

Policies & ProceduresPolicies and procedures should always be tailored with keeping the third party at bay. Items like skip-level meetings, sponta-neous and general employee recognition, employ-ee involvement, company sponsored community involvement, etc. should be developed, encour-aged and fostered to the fullest extent possible.

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Employee InvolvementPolicies and procedures should always betailored with keeping the third party at bay. Items like skip-level meetings, spontaneous employ-ee recognition, general employee recognition, employee involvement, company sponsored com-munity involvement, etc. should be developed, encouraged and fostered to the fullest extent possible.

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Management Visibility & AccessiblityManagement visibility is essential in every union-free environment. Upper management’s visibil-ity and accessibility is also a needed ingredient. Employees welcome the attention and sense that it is all part of management’s commitment to the company’s culture. The interactions must be gen-uine and sustained and cannot be perceived as the “car salesman.” approach or the “glad-handing politician.”

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8RetentionRetention begins with hiring - consider a

Pre-Hire Orientation video that honestly describes

the company, the job and the expectations for the

position. Crucial to any business is the retention of

its workers. Care must be given to provide the proper

wage, benefit, and career growth opportunities to

all employees. Your onboarding of new hires should

include an orientation video with the company’s

union-free philosophy as a part of that consistent

message.

Communication Communicate early, often, aggressively

and as consistently as practical on all matters affecting

the business, human resource matters or community

related items. Never let the rumor mill be a suit-

able substitute for communications & never assume

employees understand company policy, procedure,

culture or benefits. As much as possible, involve the

employees’ families.

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