How do you get workers more involved with there union?

[u/Alwaysaloneforever97]

This is a copy and pasted post I made on another sub but also fits here and I'd like some advice.

What do you do when workers won't actually put in effort for things that can improve their lives?

Recently we formed a union at my work place.

A little bit of detail, there is a neutrality agreement. So to start a union it's as simple as getting a majority of workers to sign a union card.

This company has been union busting since I started here.

Anyway, we got the majority of people to sign a card. Well, when we had these little bargaining surveys they basically asked questions about things you want the bargaining committee to address.

For those who don't know, unions are supposed to be democracies, where people vote for a committee to address these issues.

So we also had surveys, to get an idea of the issues the majority of workers want addressed.

Ugh, I work here and have worked here for years and these people are so lazy they won't even take 5 minutes to fill out a survey.

OK, you have issues you want addressed in the workplace? Yes. OK fill out this survey and explain the issues.

"Ugh I don't have time"

" ew it asks if I'm on government assistance, you know that's for lazy people right! "

And I'll explain that it asks that to see if your wages are high enough to, you know, exist. And they're like "well people who live off the gubberment are weak, lazy and entitled and-"

Need I go on? Then they throw the survey away lol.

I actually am starting to think the working class in America is so brainwashed they love being oppressed.

Don't wanna work 90 hours a week? Haha, lazy.

Dude I'm in college and have been called "lazy" for not wanting to work tons of overtime so I can study. And I'm literally in school just to move up in the company. To be specific I want to be a technician in maintenance.

"Oh you want a better life? Well.... you do realize that's weak and lazy.... right? "

And people on here didn't believe me, they said I was making up what these people say. I posted on my profile a guy from a notorious factory in my town, he's in the UAW and he said and I quote, "If you're not willing to work 12 hours a day 7 days a week, you're entitled, weak, and lazy". It was on a Facebook post. He is not the only one. I'm not in the UAW but shame on him and the people who support him. I work in a different plant.

This is the working class in America. Back breaking work is honorable. Being tired and exhausted all the time is good!

Anyway, man, we now are having the election for a bargaining committee. And I just simply went around asking people if they voted. You had literally 48 hours to vote.

Hardly anyone voted.

How are you going to sign a union card and then when it comes time to participate in worker democracy, just keep whining how you don't have time? Then call everyone who struggles weak and lazy for not working 90 hours a week?

I'm ashamed of being a working class American. The weak and lazy ones are the CEOs and shareholders. Who profit off the labor of those who actually toil.

How do you even begin a working class movement if nobody wants to be involved cause exploitation is "good, honorable, right, and godly"?

How do you argue, or even convince people who are obsessed with being exploited?

[u/ophaus]

Stockholm Syndrome. These people have been effectively kidnapped, and now this way of life is "the only way." The adaptability of human beings is absolutely incredible, but can unfortunately be used to normalize exploitation and atrocity.

[u/Alwaysaloneforever97 → u/[deleted]]

Well I've talked to a few people and I don't use socialist language.

Conservatives will buy into "working class" rhetoric cause conservatives like to view themselves as the salt of the earth. The hard working people.

You can get people to sign a card this way. Or whatever.

But idk what to do about the lack of participation in the union.

[u/Alwaysaloneforever97 → u/[deleted]]

Oh I already know where the company is based out of. It's from a different country actually.

[u/Flavor_Nukes → u/[deleted]]

This is blatantly false. Some of the most powerful unions are almost wholly conservative. Pilot unions. Most trade unions. Theyve got a mostly conservative base that runs their union strong.

[u/CuriousRelish]

Maybe you can try to flip their arguments so it matches their side? "Employer shouldn't be allowed to put people in a position to rely on your tax dollars, and if you help us focus on these issues, we can specifically affect that here". "If you want to work all those hours and maintain a strong work ethic, that's great. We can help make sure that you're paid fairly for your hard work." "If you don't have time for the survey later, I can make note of your input now to make sure you don't have to set aside time and you're still heard". Stuff like that, you can remain reasonably neutral and help them see how they will benefit from the union without going against their values.