Paper Example on ACTWU Organizing Effort: SGA Industries Crisis

Impetus for The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU) Organizing Effort at SGA Industries

There were increasing imports as well as weak sales for the organization. The outcomes were such that the company had no other option than to lay off at least 1500 of its employees as a way to mitigate the situation (Union Organizing). Additionally, there was a need to reduce the pay scale for the remaining workers at the organization. The management also had to revoke the various perks by the Anderson family adopted by the organization to its employees. Nonetheless, there was an increased workload on the remaining employees, who still received pay cuts. There were more negative implications felt by the organization. The changes affected almost every stakeholder at the organization, prompting protests and the raising of grievances regarding the situation. Both the workers and the management were at persuasion with each other. During the union campaign, employers are expected to disregard statements that make employees feel threatened during union organizing.

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The Union raised the matter to do with increased workloads and low wages for the employees. Additionally, it was the Union that employed the greediness by Philips in an attempt to criticize him for the success of the Union's campaign. Efforts by ACTWU aimed at organizing the employees at SGA were evident a long time before the election (Union Organizing). They were responsible for the Union organizing efforts for the organization. Therefore, the outcomes resulting from the actions of the Union would be directly associated with ACTWU. The efforts of the Union were attractive to many people around and outside the organization as various media channels were used in advertising, including radio and television. SGA management had the responsibility to ensure that they communicated the company's desire to maintain and connect directly with them.

SGA's Strategy in Managing the Representation Campaign

SGA's strategy was primarily founded on teaming up with various members of the community. The main goal was to defeat the union organizing effort. The organization could primarily work through the various implications caused by the Union's campaign. Additionally, the industries were focused on disputing the assertions being brought up. The strategy was implemented by making face-to-face meetings with the various icons in the community, such as various entrepreneurs and religious administrators. The talks were all aimed at making every worker change their perception concerning the Union. For instance, workers could view various anti-union films during their performance of duties. The strategy also aimed for a collaborative effort by sending letters to the worker's homes (Union Organizing). It was the mandate of President White and Phillips to strengthen the Union and as well mitigate external threats such as hosiery imports. The increased foreign competition, as well as trade, was a threat to the domestic hosiery manufacturers. The management's strategy was unique as it disregarded the common intensive investment in technology.

The competition led to the falling of sales for the organization. Even though the organization wanted to maintain the Union, the efforts were too extensive. The actions taken, including involving meeting religious leaders and encouraging the president and Phillips to send letters, created further challenges for the organization. The strategy could have been made simple by denying the employees a union to maintain them in their jobs through word of mouth. The strategy disregarded fair treatment at the workplace as there were various threats, especially on their job security. Employees could have been forced to consider various other alternatives. Even so, the strategy led the employees into garnering more interest for the Union.

Unfair Labor Practice Charges for The SGA Management

Unfair labor practice is exacerbated when a union or employer violates Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act. Unfair labor practice is a matter of the US labor law and is investigated by the National Labor Relations Board. The most evident unfair labor practice is interfering, restraining, and coercing the workers in their rights (Roomkin, 1981). The charge upon the SGA management is listed under Section 7 - Rights of employees. SGA management campaign strategy implemented various actions that were a violation of employee rights. For instance, the action taken to show anti-union films during working hours was a violation of employee rights. Employers are not expected to interfere with the workers' rights to associate with, organize, or prove a help to a union. Employees are expected to join various protected activities.

Additionally, the letters sent by President White and Phillips and enclosed in the employee newsletters in an attempt to strengthen the Union was an unfair labor practice. The action was illegal assistance or a way of domination in support of the Union. Furthermore, the management would be charged because of making statements concerning shutting down the organization regardless of the actions of the Union if the company did not perform as desired. Employees would view it as a potential loss of jobs if the Union was voted in and took over the management. It could as well be perceived as a way of discrimination against them in a way that discouraged their membership in the organization (Christensen & Svanoe,1968). Besides, involving religion matters in the case is among the bad ideas that the management practiced. They would be charged for involving themselves in the act of consulting religious leaders as they surpassed their limits.2

References

Union Organizing at SGA Industries. (n.d.). Labor Relations.

Christensen, T., G., & Svanoe, A. H. (1968). Motive and intent in the commission of unfair labor practices: The Supreme Court and the fictive formality. The Yale Law Journal, 77(7), 1269. doi: 10.2307/795086

Roomkin, M. (1981). A quantitative study of unfair labor practice cases. ILR Review, 34(2), 245-256. doi: 10.1177/001979398103400206