Hey Everyone, we have put together a master list of your questions and raised concerns surrounding the JJ Bean Organizing Drive. This is a way for everyone to quickly access the concerns brought forward by JJ Bean workers, as they are getting lost in the threads. If you have any questions, let's bring these back to life in discussion form. This myth list has been created primarily to help JJ bean employees answer questions, but can be used at any service worker site. We, of course think it is very important to consider all your options in terms of practicing direct unionism in your worksite, before you talk to bigger Unions.
MASTER MYTH LIST
1.Myth: We would make less money if we join a Union, because of union dues.
Reality: There will be no dues until the Union negotiates a contract that is acceptable to you and your co-workers, and you have voted on it by secret ballot. It will take one year for the dues to kick in! Any dues you pay are 100% tax deductible!!!!!!
2. Myth: Joining a union will force JJ Bean out of business.
Reality: Common sense says that no union is going to negotiate collective agreements that will cost its members their jobs. We would bargain in good faith and avoid making demands that cannot be met.
3. Myth: Unions will make it hard to get off time to go on tour with my band.
Reality: Just look at many places like the Portland Hotel Society or RainCity housing! They have lists of on-call workers and casuals who can pick up and swap shifts any time you need to!! Same with the liquor distribution branch and stores! Union jobs can be as/more flexible than non-union ones that make you fear you might be fired if you ask for too much time off.
4. Myth: That signing a Union Card impacts you negatively if JJ Bean Employees vote to join a Union
Reality: Signing a Union card is completely confidential! Once employees vote to join a Union, management is never told who signed a union card nor who voted YES for the Union. Once you join a Union, the members vote on bargaining committee members and shop Stewards, whether you signed a card or not.
5. Myth: Unions are fucked
Reality: Unions helped abolish child labour, fight for equality for women, establish a 40 hour work week, establish safe working conditions, benefits, higher wages, forged middle class, etc...
Today unions in Egypt helped overthrow a 30 year dictatorship, Unions in Wisconsin and other states are fighting against legislation that would limit their democratic rights to represent workers through collective bargaining, unions in Canada are fighting for a higher minimum wage, for the rights of migrant workers, and for improved CPP benefits for all Canadians when we retire. These are just a few examples.
6. Myth: The unionizing workers at JJ Bean are "ganging up" on a family business.
Reality: Firstly, there is no "ganging up" intended. That language is what people use to discredit solidarity amongst unionizing workers. The organizing employees wish to continue their good relationship with the Employers of JJ Bean. And it seems to me that if the management really IS as wonderful as their employees and customers think, than I'm not sure why they would be offended at workers saying they'd like a union to make their workplace a bit better and more stable than it already is. Secondly, just because something is run by members of the same family, doesn't mean that it isn't a large company with larger company problems. When a company is expansionist, one really has to think about the rights and stability of the workers! The workers are giving their all for the company too -- doesn't that mean they should have some say in how their workplaces are organized?
7. Myth: Coffee shops shouldn't be unionized (but places like hotels and hospitals should be).
Reality: Just because coffee shops aren't normally Unionized (there is a unionized coffee shop at UBC), that doesn't mean that it wouldn't be beneficial for the workers. Workers at JJ Bean are asking for a Union to protect the wages they have and ensure that increases are fair and uniform (not JUST based on passing the JJ bean "levels", which is currently how raises are awarded). They want job protection and guaranteed leave of absences.
8.
Myth: Once we are unionized, we will always have to go through a
third party instead of management.
Reality: Only you and your co-workers ever get to decide whether to go on strike. The majority of the members in your workplace must vote by secret ballot in favour of a strike before a strike can be called and then decide what kind of action to take. Whether or not an employee has signed a card to vote to unionize, makes absolutely no difference in this situation.
9. Myth: Union dues will make a huge impact on your income
Reality: Union dues are a small percentage of one's paycheque, plus they are TAX DEDUCTIBLE, so you would get them back. Plus, in the first year after organizing, nobody pays dues (but you still get the services of the union, like representation.
10. Myth: Unionizing would take away the supervisor system at JJ Bean
Reality: Almost every unionized workplace that I can think of has supervisors who are part of the bargaining unit, yet fulfill some management duties. It's not always Us versus Them!
11. Myth: Unions create division between workers and management
Reality: Any workplace is as healthy as its workers and management WANT it to be! It's always important to work with bosses to create the most positive workplace imaginable. The Union can act as a third party to help workers with workplace problems - but just because there is a Union doesn't mean that there must be division.
12. Myth: Unions are not good for the service industry.
Reality: There are so many unionized service jobs! Not only are many of vancouver's hotel's unionized, but so are the service workers at BC Place, Royal Canadian Legions, bc liquor stores, many grocery stores across canadian and many vancouver casino food and beverage servers!
MORE ON CARD SIGNING
If your work site decides you want to work with a Union, they will ask
that you sign cards and become members.
Remember to contact a couple different Unions and make sure
you talk to members who can vouch for the effectiveness of their union.
In order for you to vote on unionizing, 45% of you, must sign union cards.
If you sign a card, you are only signing up to vote on unionizing.
Card signers can be for or against, or undecided. Many people
have signed cards because they either know they support the union,
or they would like more information. Regardless, they believe that
unionizing should be a democratic decision.
and remember, IT IS COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS.
That means that after you sign the card, no one will know you have signed it.
To clear up a common misconception going around our company, there are
absolutely no repercussions after a union vote one way or another.
The card signing remains anonymous.
For JJ Bean Workers: If you would like to meet up to sign a card, you can contact us at wedecide@ymail.com or ask a co-worker you know is pro-card signing. (they are all around you)
If you do have questions or concerns about card signing, or you have heard something
that makes you uncomfortable, please let us know.
We have the right to work in spaces without fear and intimidation.
We will collectively confront specific grievances or problems that arise in our workplaces in Vancouver. Jobs like ours (gendered/low income/service industry labour) are the ones that allow these empires to exist and expand. We are currently running an industry wide call out to all sympathetic coffee shop workers. We work with "direct unionism" principles and IWW tactics.
