Machinists Union Organizing Local Membership Drive

Machinists Union Organizing Local Membership Drive MNCTDA to Hold Special Workshop, Wednesday, April 24

As reported in a Special Bulletin, faxed to all WANADA dealer members on April 11, the International Association of Machinists (IAM) is actively trying to recruit new members from the ranks of auto technicians throughout Maryland and DC. Pairs of IAM reps have been particularly active in Montgomery and Prince Georgeês Counties recently, speaking with dealership technicians and leaving invitations to a union meeting held at the Holiday Inn in Laurel, MD last Sunday, April 14.

In response to this recent IAM recruitment drive, MNCTDA will be conducting a special Union Activity Seminar at the BWI Airport Marriott, Wednesday, April 24, 10:00 a.m 12:00 noon. The seminar, reported in a follow-up notice faxed to members last week, will be conducted, free of charge, by Shawe & Rosenthal, a Baltimore law firm which specializes in labor law. All area dealers are invited and encouraged to attend.

Mark Swerdlin of Shawe & Rosenthal updated the WANADA Board of Directors last week on the recent union activities, which have been reported across the country in places as far away as Las Vegas, NV.

As recently as May 2000, IAM organizers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for an election to be held at dealerships in Prince Georgeês County and Baltimore. Those petitions were withdrawn in January 2001 for an apparent lack of support among technicians for union memberships. However, with headquarters in Prince Georgeês County but no union representation in the countyês auto dealerships the IAM has renewed its efforts to recruit auto technicians.

The union is pitching techs on how they can gain higher wages and better benefits, job security, fairness on the job and good pensions through IAM membership. Employers, therefore, need to know what to do and not do to counter the union and not violate the labor law. Here are some pointers:

àEmployees have a right to organize in a union under federal law and this right canêt be limited by “unfair labor practices” by the employer. An example here would be an employer “spying” on or trying to sneak into a duly organized labor union meeting such as the one that occurred last weekend.

àIf (when) organizers come onto the dealership property to hand out or drop leaflets, donêt over react simply ask them to leave. If they persist, particularly if theyêre in “employee only” areas or disturbing the peace, call the police. Make sure no literature is lying around on the floor or other public areas.

àIf the organizers offer you paper or enrollment cards to examine, donêt accept or touch them. To do otherwise has been interpreted by the courts to have commenced union negotiations.

àMake sure employees know the door is open for any workplace matters. Donêt hesitate to have supervisors remind employees about why the dealership is a good place to work and why a union isnêt necessary.

àKeep WANADA informed as to any union activity or further developments.

While dealers donêt want to over react to the union organizer, you can’t under react either. Labor union activity is best handled by specialists like Shawe & Rosenthal, (410)752-1040. Additional tips on What To Do When the Union Knocks, are enclosed with this WANADA Bulletin.