Collective Bargaining Versus the “Open-Door”
07/16/2018 - (This article first appeared in the July-August 2018 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine)
By President Mark Dimondstein
"Fired Up and Ready to Go" on Union Gear Day.
“My door is always open,” is a common refrain by managers at non-union companies. These bosses claim that any individual worker is welcome to just come in and talk about any problem or issue. Such “open door” policies, companies claim, prove workers don’t need unions. But once the talk becomes about raising wages, benefits and improving conditions of employment, the boss will show you the “open-door” exit -- to find work elsewhere!
Contrast that with unionized postal workers. We have a voice at work secured by our collective actions. Every few years we bargain with postal management for a new union contract addressing wages, step increases, job security, seniority, bidding, discipline procedures, career conversions, scheduling, overtime, leave, safety, and a host of other workplace issues. This process is called collective bargaining and provides the opportunity to achieve improvements in our working lives and the well-being of our families.
