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TAG Partner Tom Zigray Talks about the Impact of Unionization on Business Execution

Click here to listen to Business Execution Radio Episode 69

EXCERPT / INTRO: Hi, this is Steve Hunt with Business Execution Radio. This week we spoke with Tom Zigray, who's a Labor Relations Strategist with The Alignment Group. Tom talked about the role of unionization and the impact it has on execution.

Basically, he said that one of the challenges is that, when companies are trying to execute, if they don't do a good job communicating why they're doing what they're doing, and really letting people know in advance why the organization makes decisions the way it wants and why it's beneficial to be a non-union organization. [This then puts] the companies at threat to become unionized because employees don't understand how decisions are made, they don't feel like they've been treated with respect or [that they have] been involved in the decision-making process. [Tom points out that] the big thing that comes out of unionization is it slows an organization down, making it less nimble because you have a lot more formal contracts and things as far as implementing changes.

Another thing he pointed out is that [unionization] is becoming a very major issue, because there's legislation that is pending, that if it goes through (and it probably will)- unions are going to be much more nimble in their ability to execute on unionization. He said it's going to take the average union election (and I'm not sure if I've got the terms exactly right here, but that's why you should listen to Tom), I think he said 45 days down to less than two weeks. So suddenly union elections are going to happen much, much faster. If companies have not planned in advance for this they could suddenly find themselves hampered, [and the union has the potential to] slow them down in general, if the unionization does occur. So let's listen to Tom Zigray, a Labor Relations Strategist with The Alignment Group.

Keeping up with Facebook
Popular, "private" social media tools create fertile ground for unions

Over the past 15 years e-mail and the Internet have become more entrenched in our lives and workplaces, especially as younger employees (who have grown up with computers) take their places in the workforce.

While electronic organizing using the Internet is nothing new for labor unions, the growing popularity of relationship-building social media tools, such as Facebook, is changing the way unions and employees communicate with one another. 

Unlike email, which can now be fairly easily monitored by a corporate IT department, social media allow unhappy employees to connect privately with kindred spirits because one’s profile can be kept from public access. 

Adding "Friends" to their inner circle on Facebook, these employees bond and recruit others who have confronted the same or similar issues.  Employees discover that tools such as Facebook are a particularly efficient way to mobilize their fellow employees against wage cuts, changes in benefits, and other employer actions.

Unfortunately, in these forums issues rankle and often grow unmitigated.  Whether or not organizers are the impetus for the interaction, this collective dissention creates fertile ground for unions.

And as a result, union organizing efforts that once took years of labor-intensive cultivation can now be successfully accomplished in significantly less time.

Thus, employers must be aware of the online communications resources at employees' disposal (beyond email), and position themselves to proactively engage employees in dialogue both in person and online.   For tips on how your Human Resources department can successfully implement an engaging corporate social media outreach initiative, let’s talk: info@tagstrategists.com.