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Frequently Asked Questions
A union is simply an employee organization—protected by law—where a group of workers joins together to improve and guarantee their wages, benefits and working conditions. A union also gives employees a way to achieve respect and fairness on the job and a stronger voice to impact employer decisions. Without a union, employers have 100% control.
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When employees join together to form a union, they can pull together their various ideas and concerns in a unified voice with far more power than speaking alone. By joining with OPEIU, you will enjoy the protection of a legally binding contract, negotiated and voted on by you and your co-workers. As a union member you gain the right to negotiate with your employer as an equal and bargain over your pay, benefits, retirement, employer policies, schedules, hours of work, health and safety, job security and many other important workplace issues. There’s no doubt union workers fare better in the work world. Click here to see how Unions Make a Difference.
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If a large majority of co-workers show support by signing cards (or a petition), a request can be made to the National Labor Relations Board to conduct a secret ballot election. The public sector uses a similar process. The election will officially determine whether or not a majority (50% plus one of those who vote) wants to have a union. Once the election is won, the law requires your employer to recognize your union and negotiate in good faith. There are other creative ways to put pressure on your employer to recognize your union. A government-supervised election is just one alternative. Click here to contact OPEIU Local 8.
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It is against the law for your employer to ask you about your union activity or to threaten, harass, fire, discipline or discriminate against you because of union activity. The National Labor Relations Act protects workers trying to form a union. When workers organize with OPEIU they can depend on support and back up if needed. Click here to learn more about Your Legal Rights.
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The law gives you the right to talk about the union at work when other non-work related talk is allowed or during non-work times such as breaks, meal times or before or after work.
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Employers love to scare workers thinking of forming a union with strike talk. In reality, strikes are rare. OPEIU settles over 98% of its contracts without ever going on strike. Besides, there could only be a strike where you work if the vast majority voted to do so. OPEIU union leaders can’t “call a strike” nor can union members from other workplaces. Only the employees where you work could make that decision.
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Most employers, even good ones, feel threatened when they find out employees want to share some power and control. Most will try to convince you not to form a union by using a variety of tactics designed to create doubt. However, workers successfully form unions all the time. The key is to stay united and focus on the reasons you wanted a union in the first place. Click here for What My Employer Will Say.
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Local 8 is a nonprofit employee organization that operates solely from dues.
- No one pays dues until after the first contract is negotiated, voted on and approved by you. You get to see the results before paying any dues. Dues are 1.5% of gross monthly salary—an easy way to figure this is $7.50 for every $500.
- There is no initiation fee or any other fee for newly organized groups coming into the union.
- The members of the union decide the dues structure and how dues are spent. Members review and approve an annual budget every year. Members elect trustees who review the union's financial records to ensure dues are spent according to the membership’s wishes. No dues are spent on political campaigns or initiatives. The Department of Labor requires unions to keep a strict record of expenditures. Virtually all dues go toward membership representation.
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OPEIU is a non-profit employee organization that operates almost solely from member dues. Dues are used to: Negotiate strong contracts, defend members and enforce contract rights, organize new members to improve bargaining strength in existing workplaces and to improve standards in a particular industry, train and support Shop Stewards and other union activists, push for laws to protect and expand workers’ rights on the job, keep members informed through newsletters, union publications and the website, and provide educational opportunities for union members.
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The members of the union make the decisions. Once you become a member you and your fellow workers will run your union. You elect your own negotiating committee and decide on contract priorities. You elect officers and leaders at the local and national levels.
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OPEIU Local 8 is a progressive, democratically run union working for social and economic justice since 1945. Local 8 represents more than 5,000 members all over Washington state working in many settings including offices, health and home care, housing, social services, the insurance industry, legal services and the public sector.
Local 8 members join together for health benefits and wages we can count on, for respect and dignity on the job, and for protections of our workplace rights. Local 8 also organizes non-union employees to raise standards for all working families, and to protect the hard-won rights and benefits of our current members.
Local 8 belongs to the 100,000 member strong Office and Professional Employees International Union, which is one of the larger AFL-CIO unions. However, members from Local 8 vote on our local leaders from the membership, vote on important union decisions at monthly membership meetings that are always voluntary and govern the union based on the desires of our local membership.
Local 8’s over 5,000 members work at Group Health Cooperative, Providence Everett Medical Center, Washington Dental Service, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, City of Ellensburg, Union and Law Offices, Willapa Harbor Hospital, King County, Seattle and King County Housing Authorities, Valley Medical Center, Solid Ground, La Clinica Community Health Center, Visiting Nurse Services, Coastal Community Action Program, Waterfront Credit Union, Low Income Housing Institute, Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP) and many other workplaces all over Washington.
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