To expand on this - I’m interested in thinking about times that a cause we support won, not only because maybe it feels good to see positive stories instead of all negative, but also because specific examples might help illustrate why it won, and reveal strategies we can use in the future.
We won a 6 dollar per hour kicker towards our healthcare, which if you declined the company healthcare that money ended up in your pocket so you can buy healthcare elsewhere.
Left that job for other reasons but we raised everyone salaries by about 30% in that time too. Huge wins for the workforce.
That’s awesome. What do you think was the deciding factor in getting those concessions?
First and foremost: unionization.
Second: picking the right people for your negotiation committee. We spent nearly 8 months preparing to sit down with the company, and the first meeting was a complete wash. Second meeting we talked them into it with a rational appeal regarding the reality of insurance costs plus the fact that a sick workforce cannot work.
As far as wages: make them fight you for everything they want. Itemize every part of your job. Make lanes and stay in them. When your union goes to negotiate, the union has the upper hand. You inform them what you will do, not what you desire.