print this page

WILL ALCOA CLOSE OUR PLANT IF WE JOIN THE UNION?

NO. At a time when Alcoa has been closing or selling unprofitable businesses, newly organized facilities in Hawesville, Kentucky, Auburn, Indiana, Texarkana, Texas, Danville, Illinois, Lebanon, Virginia, and Chandler, Arizona are not only still operating, but they have grown.

WHY WOULD ALCOA GIVE US BETTER WAGES AND BENEFITS THAN WE HAVE NOW?

The power of a Union is strength in numbers. Over the past 60 years, USW members at Alcoa have consistently won better wages, better benefits, and better benefits. How? Collective bargaining. With Alcoa making BILLIONS in profits, are you sure you are getting your fair share?

DO NEGOTIATIONS START FROM ZERO?

NO. After you win recognition as a Union, your wages, benefits, and working conditions are frozen as they are, until you negotiate with the company and agree to change them. However, during this time the company must continue to pay for raises and bonuses as they normally would do.

COULD END UP WITH LESS THAN WE HAVE NOW?

Why would you agree to accept less? You and your coworkers must have a majority vote to approve any tentative agreement your elected negotiating committee brings back.

WILL WE HAVE TO STRIKE?

Alcoa's policy is to respect the rights of employees to choose to join a Union and will negotiate for a fair and equitable contract if you do so.

Thousands of Alcoans who recently joined the USW in Hawesville, Kentucky, Auburn, Indiana, Texarkana, Texas, Danville, Illinois, Lebanon, Virginia, and Chandler, Arizona were all able to negotiate good first contracts without a strike.

WHO DECIDES IF WE GO ON STRIKE?

Only you and your coworkers can make that decision, not Union staff. You and your coworkers must have a majority vote before you can strike, although strikes are more effective when almost everyone agrees to participate.

Strikes are the weapon of last resort. Sometimes the boss has so little respect for the employees that they refuse to bargain fairly. Faced with that situation and no alternatives, people may choose to take that step. It's a decision made only by you and your co-workers - through a majority vote.

HOW OFTEN DO STIKES HAPPEN?

There are 6,000 collective bargaining agreements with the USW. On average 98% of these contracts are bargained and settled without any work stoppage.

In the rare occurrence that the company tries to break its employees and their union, the USW leadership has proved that they will do whatever it takes to support the membership. Although a few of these have become long struggles, some are as short as one day.

In the past 30 years, there has only been one strike by USW members at Alcoa. That strike was in 1986 and lasted about 4 weeks, depending on the local issues at each plant. It is in the best interests of Alcoa to negotiate fairly.

CAN MANAGEMENT TAKE AWAY THE BENEFITS YOU HAVE IF YOU VOTE FOR A UNION?

NO. It is against the law for management to threaten any changes in your wages, benefits, or working conditions because of Union activity or support. It is also against the law for management to promise any improvements in your wages, benefits, or working conditions in exchange for not supporting a Union.

Once a Union Organizing campaign begins, your wages, benefits and working conditions are frozen as they are until the election. If a majority of people then votes for a Union, everything remains frozen until you negotiate with your employer and agree to change them. However, during this whole process management must continue to pay for raises and bonuses as they normally would do.

WILL A UNION ORGANIZER PUT ALL PROMISES IN WRITING AND GIVE ME A WRITTEN GUARANTEE?

The only promise a Union organizer can make is that by organizing as a Union, you and your coworkers will be able to collectively bargain with your employer over wages, hours and working conditions. Only a Union contract can provide GUARANTEES - it is a legally binding document.

Without a union, you have absolutely no guarantees. Your "employee handbook" specifically states that management reserves the right to change anything, at any time.

• Will management GUARANTEE you raises?
• Will management GUARANTEE that your health care premiums won't go up?
• The only GUARANTEES are in a Union contract!
  

DO UNIONS HURT PRODUCTIVITY?

Union workers raise productivity and performance in many ways, including the ability to address problems without fear of retribution.

Over the past 60 years, Union members have helped make Alcoa the number one aluminum company in the world.