Sharp management is telling us a lot about what it means to go union. Here’s the truth about uniting in SEIU-UHW:
How much are SEIU-UHW dues?
Dues are 2% of base pay with no dues on overtime pay, shift differentials, bonuses, or on-call pay. We will not pay any dues until we ratify our contract — so we’ll lock in our guaranteed raises before we pay any dues. Dues cannot be raised without a vote by all union members.
Why is Sharp management talking so much about us paying dues?
Stoking fear about union dues is a standard ploy bosses use to try to scare workers about unions. The reality is that management is scared that we’ll go union and have the power to win the pay, benefits, and working conditions we deserve.
Sharp management is saying that the union can fire us if we don’t pay our union dues. Is that true?
No. The union is not your employer. When we vote to unionize, WE are the union. The day-to-day operations at Sharp Coronado, including hiring and firing staff, remain at Sharp’s purview as your employer. Being in a union means you actually have more job security because you are no longer an at-will employee.
My manager said that if we don’t unionize, Sharp will give us everything that SEIU-UHW members at Sharp won in their union contract anyway. Is that true?
When workers try to unionize, employers often offer those workers better raises and benefits — and then revoke those raises and benefits after the unionization effort fails. The only way to win the guaranteed raises, benefits, and working conditions that over 5,000 SEIU-UHW members across Sharp won is by voting yes to join SEIU-UHW and being included in the one unified contract that they bargained. Sharp is afraid of the power we’ll have when we do that, so they’re making all sorts of promises to try to stop us from going union.
Will I lose flexibility after going union?
No. One of Sharp’s anti-union scare tactics has been to say that we’ll lose flexibility — but that’s not true. When we unite in SEIU-UHW, we’ll still have the right to speak directly to our employer about workplace issues like scheduling, staffing, and workloads. The difference is that when we join SEIU-UHW, we’ll have the rights and power that come with being in a union and collectively fighting for the changes we want. We’ll also have the strength and resources of a 110,000-member healthcare workers’ organization behind us to make sure our voices and concerns are heard and addressed.
Management is saying that if we unionize, I won’t be able to talk to my manager about my schedule anymore. Is that true?
No. A union contract protects you from unwanted changes to your schedule. Your relationship with your manager doesn’t change, and they are still responsible for working with you on your schedule.
Will we be forced to go on strike if we unionize?
Employers like Sharp often try to scare workers about strikes. The fact is that strikes are very rare — and they can be an incredibly powerful tool to winning a strong contract. Just look at the recent strike of SEIU-UHW members at Kaiser. That strike led to a contract with 21% raises over four years, the protection of fully employer-paid family healthcare coverage and pensions, major improvements to staffing, strong job security protections, and more. At Sharp, over 90% of your 5,000 union co-workers voted to strike — and that show of power led to their historic first contract without them having to go on strike. And remember, strikes only happen if a majority of union members in the bargaining unit vote for one.
