ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 24, 1996 TAG: 9611260070
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
Q: Does signing a card legally bind you to a union?
A: You should always read what you're signing and understand it. Some cards authorize a union to represent you and some say something else. Even if you sign an authorization card, union dues cannot be deducted from your paycheck unless you sign a "checkoff" card. No one has to sign that card. Just because you signed the first card doesn't mean you have to do anything beyond it. You can withdraw support from a union at any time.
Q: Can a union charge you dues just because you have signed a card?
A: If the union doesn't have a contract with an employer, it can't ask you to sign a "checkoff" card to have dues taken out of your paycheck.
Q: How does a union get established in a company?
A: Through election or voluntary recognition. If 30 percent of the employees sign cards asking for an election, a petition can be filed with the National Labor Relations Board calling for a vote. If 50 percent of the employees sign cards for union representation, a union can ask the company to give it voluntary recognition. The company does not have to do that, and it's rarely done.
Q: If a vote is taken, what happens?
A: If a majority of the eligible voters vote for a union, then the union is accepted and contract negotiations can begin. It does not mean that a company will grant a contract, but a company does have to bargain "in good faith," not as an obstructionist.
Q: What happens if two unions are competing for the same people?
A: One can file a petition for a vote and the other can intervene and get on the ballot. If two unions are on the ballot, voters in the same voting unit can either cast a ballot for one of the unions or vote for "no union."
Based on an interview with a National Labor Relations Board spokesman.
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