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I consider myself a leftist. I wanted some insight on my labor union's internal disagreement. So, I thought asklemmygrad might be a good spot (bad idea).
After mentioning I'm an engineer, this guy explains that shooting highly educated people in the head is actually a good idea. I think its safe to say I'm not welcomed there.
What was your labor union's internal disagreement?
The union is a mix of office and field workers. The workplace is forcing "return to work" and "work from home" is no longer an option. The union is split on whether or not to push back.
That split is because some union workers don't want a work from home option? Work from home as an option is kind of an across the board benefit for workers, so it sounds like management either has got people by the balls and/or there isn't much solidarity in your workplace. Is that a safe assessment?
Basically. The field workers do not want work from home. While they are union members, most are right leaning. They believe in "bootstraps economics". Hard work deserves good pay and if you don't get paid enough its because you aren't working hard enough. People who WFH are lazy and don't deserve the same benefits. Go into the office and work hard like the rest of us.
I disagree with that mentality, but its what I'm dealing with.
The framing of "work from home" plays into that mentality. It is remote work. It's a capability for people to work outside of the office. Let them know remote work means workers can work from the field. Or their hospital bed. Remote work means 24/7 work capability, no matter the circumstances and it is only supervisory limitations that would endanger the quality and integrity of that. Or something to that effect that appeals to their bootstraps and show how it is management's fault if teleworkers are somehow lazy. But more to the point, it sounds like there is an overall anti-labor anti-union sentiment within your union based on your description, which is a whole order of magnitude different from just a disagreement on how to address management. Going further: that kind of jealousy and suspicion is a destroyer of any workplace culture. They're likely doing more harm to the organization's ability to operate overall. Harmful to the union and the organization alike.
It just feels like an uphill battle. One of the louder members was saying "this is what the bosses decided and we can't change that. If they told us we have to work 4/10s from now on, we would have to do that too."
Or "you know the only reason you can work from home was because of covid. And covid is over".
Absolutely no desire to pushback. Just boot licking. And yes I get this is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things but what the fuck.
The bosses drove a wedge in place by saying some employees who WFH wouldn't answer their phones while on-call. I believe that was blown out of proportion but its clearly worked to get people back in the office. I fully believe this decision will lose employees and productivity, but I'm fairly powerless in changing anything with the union acting like this.
It feels like an uphill battle because it always is. Individuals are fairly powerless in changing anything on their own.
And it will lose employees and productivity. Depending on your sector it may be worth exploring new possible workplaces. If you're limited to this workplace all you can do is get involved with your coworkers in building a sense of solidarity as a union of workers.
Also FWIW historically the field workers in my office were considered the lazy ones because they could account for hours each day purely in transit time. If your workplace is anything like mine, and your description of some of there people being right leaning, then I'm going to play a lazy card myself: these guys just may be projecting a bit.
I'm definitely not exploring new workplaces over this. Its the utility company that gives power to my house. On top of that, its a non-profit, public owned utility competing against neighboring investor owned utilities. I have good reason to want this workplace to succeed.
And while I may disagree with my coworkers in the field, they sort of earn their asshole mentality. They are hard workers. They work a very dangerous job. Our community would not function without their work. So yeah, nothing but respect for the work they do.
Be that as it may, I'm not sure it entitles an asshole mentality.
Regardless, a strong union is likely the only way these people can secure themselves the pay and benefits they deserve. A strong union knows the demands of its members at least. I wonder if you'd get realistic or honest answers ro what it would take for them to support their coworkers remote work capabilities.