I happen to be a supporter of unions in most cases, in fact every worker should have a union it is only when the union uses greenmail (blackmail) or creates walls between functions employees can do that they are abominable. Unions help to eliminate descrimination, enforce laws, promote worker safety and benefit regulations and help members in time of crisis. However this bill is not about freedom to unionise, almost everyone has that right now and the new law will not expand any rights to form a union. What it will do is create "closed shops," which means that everyone who works for the business will have to pay full union dues and fees whether or not they want to be in the union. The current practice is that only certain businesses with certain aspects of closed shops can force all employees to contribute to the union based upon what the union claims it spent to negociate wages and benefits. Those who choose not to be members do not have to pay initiation or other benefit fees nor do they get any benefit other then the negociated wage and benifits paid by the employer. This bill is nothing more then a way for unions to get additional revenues.

Reader Cal missed another option that unions have offered those who do not wish to join: the employee can donate the amount of the union dues to a favorite charity. Whether an open shop or closed shop, all employees benefit from the benefits which the union's representatives have negotiated for the membership. When the Registered Nurses organized and ratified their first contract a couple of decades ago, working conditions improved for all departments, not just the RNs. Unions in the early part of the 20th century brought job security and safer working conditions to those who built our current workplace equality; I find it shameful that employees still need protection from their employers in this "enlightened" 21st century.

All departments in businesses with union did not improve. EMMC has many things limited to the other staff departments than the Nurse's have granted by the union.

Well certainly the spokesperson just clearly took a few sentences and echoed it from the wall of hannaford policies. I work for Delhaize(Hannafords) and this is what the piece of garbage pretty much states. "We believe third parties aren't neccesary and thatc unions will force upon dues to workers. That management and the part time peasants we have become thanks to a shaky economy and unemployment line waiting for any type of work is the best method to voicing concerns.
Here's the myth and problem with that: It's a lie. You can voice your frusterations but it gets you nowhere.
In face we don't have any employee meetings. We don't have an open relationship with our managers concerning issues regarding our pay or hours being slashed. Hannaford has turned into the Wal Mart of grocery. I was given an 18 cent raise by some corporate snob who has never seen my work. It was standard. Here's where a union would be helpful. I worked my tail off my first six month in hopes of working my way up the full time ladder. Denied,
If Hannaford practiced respect and treated their employees with a fraction of care that they do for customers than this company would be a whole lot better to work for. Again, we need unions today because these companies manipulate labor and at the end of the year (2011) all department will be under a computer scheduler that allots hour to full time (3 in produce) their 40(which it doesn't effect full timers) than disperse it to the rest of us part timers(6 in produce) which for some it can be anywhere from 4 to 27.88 hours per week. Most weeks I see a dip in my check . Now you can guarantee it everyweek. No consistency lousy checks lousy pay and these jobs that open up do nothing for our communities or our economy but strain the communities because our workers have to recieve some form of state assistance because Hannafords like most big conglomerates aren't living up to their ends of community service.