Gain a say in workplace decisions
Join us.
Organizing a union is all about winning more rights and power on the job by joining together with your coworkers. In a nonunion workplace, the employer has all the power and decides everything from employees’ pay, benefits, scheduling, and working conditions. A union is the only effective way to balance power in the workplace. More and more, workers are seeing the benefits of union membership and joining unions, including OPEIU. At OPEIU, we believe that organizing takes place from the bottom-up, which means that you, the workers, ARE the union. Leadership and direction from our members is essential to ensuring our union is strong and that we create strong contracts that improve conditions for all working people.
If you would like to speak with a union organizer and learn about how to make change at your job by forming a union, contact us to be connected with a union organizer.
OPEIU Local 32 members are raising workplace standards
Fair Compensation
Our members have the collective power to negotiate for higher wages and ensure that all employees are being paid fairly.
Secure Benefits
Our members have secured better health insurance plans, retirement benefits, and more in their collective bargaining agreements, also known as union contracts. Union contracts secure these benefits, which cannot be changed without members consent.
Work-Life Balance
By bargaining for benefits like paid parental leave and flexible hours, our members have secured policies that encourage work-life balance.
Career Development
Our members have crafted sensible pathways for promotions and secured funding for professional development.
A Voice at Work
Our members have a seat at the table and a voice in their pay, benefits, and working conditions.
Issues Important to You
Each workplace's priorities are different. Our members have bargained for mechanisms to strengthen diversity and inclusion, subsidized transportation, student debt repayment, and more.
FAQs
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A union is a group of workers who come together to bargain over important aspects of their employment like wages, benefits, and other working conditions. Unions allow workers to meet with management on a level playing field in order to make workplaces more fair and transparent. The right for unions to bargain is protected by US law, and employees who are in the process of forming a union are protected too.
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Through a union, employees have far more power to make a difference than they would alone. Union members have seen vast improvements in a number of workplace issues including wages, health insurance, retirement benefits, parental leave, hours of work, health and safety, job security, and more. Unions can also have a positive impact on the workplace by raising morale, lowering turnover, and improving efficiency by putting sensible, transparent policies in place.
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If a large majority of workers show support by signing cards (or a petition), a request can be made to the National Labor Relations Board to conduct a secret ballot election. The election will officially determine whether or not a majority (50% plus one of those who vote) wants to have a union. Once the election is won, the law requires the employer to recognize the union and negotiate in good faith.
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Workers in this country are guaranteed the legal right to join or form a union without interference, intimidation, retaliation, or coercion from their employer. When workers organize with OPEIU they are not alone, they have the power in due to the support of their coworkers, other OPEIU members, and OPEIU staff. Read more about your rights here.
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Bargaining unit members will work together with management to create a contract, or a collective bargaining agreement, that makes sense for their workplace. Alongside wages and benefits, our members have codified policies around diversity and inclusion, staff well-being, and professional development opportunities.
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You do—unions consist solely of the eligible employees in a workplace. Once a union is formed, workers will elect some of their coworkers to work with management to resolve issues, propose workplace changes, and collaborate on other workplace issues. Unions are truly democracy at work.