Questions About Unions? Get the Facts (2.6 Will the union be able to prevent any more “take-aways” from happening? ‘A.6 Unions often promise better pay and benefits, but there is no guarantee that anything wil be better as 2 Fesult of having @ union. Unions will only get what management is able and wiling fo give. And even if you end up with the same or less than you have now, you may have to pay union dues just to keep your job. Q.7 Ifa union represents us, who will be my union spokesperson? 4.7 We don't know. Union representatives (often called “stewards” or ‘delegates") are determined by the union. It is possible that your union representative could be someone from another department that you don't even know or don't like. There are about 550 Norwalk Hospital employees who can voté on Thursday, Novembér 19. The needs and interests of the employees within this large group are very different and it will be diffu, it not impossible, for a union to represent all ofthese different interests. Ifthe union steward{s) are trom large departments, how well would those employees represent the needs of employees from other smaller departments they may not be familiar with? For example, the wishes of @ Sterile Processing Tech can be very different than those of an Environment Service Associate or someone in the Gift Shop or at an off-site blood drawing lab because each group may have different and conificting things that are important to them. The wishes of some employees may be sacrificed to meet the needs of others. Q.8 Can the union help us get rid of bad supervisors? .8 No. The union has no authority over who the hospital's supervisors are or how they ere managed, However, itis important to us that we do have good supervisors that treat all staff fairly and with respect. If you have any concems about your supervisors, we hope that you will contact Human Resources (or another manager you trust) to share concerns and help us address the problem. Q.9 What can I do if | have questions or want more information? .9 You can talk to your supervisor or manager, who can obtain answers for you. You can also schedule @ confidential meeting with Human Resources. Q.10 What can | do if! don’t want the union and want to keep it out? A.10 The laws states that you have the right to campaign for or against a union. You can talk to your 6o- workers, express your opinions, distribute literature, and any other information you want to share. The only restriction, whether you are campaigning for or against a union, is that you must campaign ‘on non-work time in non-work areas.Questions About Unions? Get the Facts ‘A-1 The election is scheduled for Thursday, November 19, in Nash Auditorium, The hours are 6am to am and noon to 6pm. You must be present to vote. (Q.2 If the union wins the election, can't we expect to get a contract soon? A2 No one knows how long it will take to negotiate a contract with the union. Often the first contract, between an employer and a union takes more than a year to complete. Some are never finalized, And there are no guarantees about what would be in @ contract. You could end up with the same, more, or less than you have now. And depending on what is negotiated, you could end up having to Pay union dues to keep your job, even if you end up getting less than you have now. Here are some real lfe examples of collective bargaining: * At Danbury Hospital, a group of employees joined a union on November 21, 2014. Four ‘months later (March 2016) the Hospital and the union began negotiations for an initial Collective bargaining agreement. Seven months after winning the election the union first made a wage proposal (July 2) which was the eighth bargaining session. The sessions have proceeded slowly, but methodically, due to the complexity of negotiating an initial collective bargaining agreement. * On August 12, CHCA won a close election at Norwalk Hospital seeking to represent enginearing and maintenance employees. Initial contract negotiations have riot Begum. NO dates have been scheduled by CHCh. Q.3 What does the union do with the dues money it collects? 4.3 Unions can spend their dues money in whatever way they went. They have to file annual reports with the Depariment of Labor showing how much income they receive and how they spend that money. This report is public information and we cart provide that information if you want it. Unions often ‘spend signiticant amounts of money on their own overhead and supporting political activity. There is ‘no guarantee end no requirement that the union will spend ANY of the dues money they collect from ‘employees on behalf of those who they represent. Q.4 Are union dues tax deductible? 4 They may or may not be, depending on how you file your tax return. You should consult the person Who prepares your tax retum to obtain expert tax advice. We cannot give tex advice. Q.5 Can the union protect me from being disciplined and losing my job? : | A.5 No. Even though the union may promise to provide job seeunity, management stl retalns the right to discipline employees and to determine if lay-offs are necessary. These are not union decisions. Norwalk Hospital ater