With 248 Organizers/Agents attending @LaborCombat so far, most Organizers have described a feeling of getting very close to getting a CBA signed – but falling just short of that very important goal. Many have used the analogy of being in a position of a 4th & goal. Because so many organizers from so many organizations & areas uniformly report just falling short of the goal – understanding that phenomenon would be critical in changing that reality.
If you would step off the playing field and critically look at the situation, you would see why. The “strategies” of top-down, bottom-up & pressure – all at their core have a “RECOGNITIONAL INTENT”! Think what that is….
Regardless of trying to “sell” to the owner (top-down & Breslin), to working to organize the workers (bottom-up), and any and all combinations of the 2 (pressure); each “strategy” at its core has a “RECOGNITIONAL INTENT “.
Stated simply – any & all types of recognitional activities are “always” under the purview of the NLRB!
Even when Organizers use activities which fall under 1st Amendment rights – those otherwise “protected” rights can be pierced because if there has been ANY recognitional activity at some earlier point during the organizing campaign to secure a CBA; the anti-union lawyer/consultant are very successful in getting the organizing activities (concerted activities) under NLRB jurisdiction!
Almost universally when our union lawyers tell us that we should cease an activity (we will lose or get sued), it is usually because we have; or can be construed to be seeking RECOGNITION! When we continue to play on a field that the other team owns – it is not that difficult then to understand why we so universally wind up in the 4th & goal situation without scoring.
The few victories we get are much more akin to settling for a field goal. So we as the Building Trades settle for changed, watered down, limited, etc… relationships & call them wins!
Just like in football, those teams that repeatedly fail in scoring a touchdown lose the game.
@LaborCombat , #TechCombat & #CombatConstruction strategies take organizers off the playing field we are now on and organize primarily along the non/anti-union contractor’s vulnerabilities with regard to their clients, social footprint & credit.
Simply stated – we quit playing the recognitional BS game & get off the NLRB field. We don’t have to play there!
It is NOT the Organizers/Agents that are the issue with regard to organizing – it is the strategies Brothers & Sisters. Change the strategies and we win!
“if you see a good fight – get in it”
In Solidarity –
Danny L Caliendo
www.laborcombat.com
