OUR UNION IS US COMING TOGETHER AS COWORKERS
TO MAKE THINGS BETTER ON AND OFF THE JOBSITE.
It’s all of us speaking with one voice. Our power to make change comes from our strength in numbers. We are the ones that make Hankook tires. Without us, there is no company.
So how do we become a union? Federal law guarantees us the right to start a union at Hankook Tire and vote in a secret-ballot election in favor of unionization. If more than half of us vote “yes” to unionize then Hankook will have to sit down with us and start bargaining over the changes we want to make. These changes will then be secured in a legally binding contract between us and Hankook. Hankook won’t be able to legally change or break our contract without us agreeing to it first. The first step in this process is to sign a union authorization card stating that you are standing with your coworkers and want to have a secret-ballot union election.
WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL HAVING A UNION AT HANKOOK MAKE?
| RIGHT NOW | WHEN WE ORGANIZE |
|---|---|
| Management can implement new policies with no notice to workers and punish them when they are not followed. | Policy changes related to wages, benefits, and working conditions will be decided collectively between the workers and management. Unless the workers agree, management can’t make changes. |
| The strict points system, frequent mandatory overtime, and lack of sick days makes it challenging to miss work without punishment. | Workers will have a say in improving overtime policies, sick days, and paid time off, so that work fits into daily life. |
| Workers face unclear and uneven expectations of machine knowledge for groups leads and line leads. | We can negotiate clear language in our union contract about the terms of training and promotions. |
| Working on broken machines risks our lives and limbs. Employees can face retaliation by management unless they put themselves at risk by operating dangerous machines. | We can bargain for health and safety policies and a worker-led safety committee, like other USW tire factory workers have done in their workplaces to protect us when we challenge unsafe practices. |
| Workers have to take on problems alone or with the help of a friendly coworker. | We can negotiate a clear, multi-step grievance procedure to address workplace issues. |
We are organizing with the United Steelworkers Union. The USW is North America’s largest industrial union, which represents 850,000 active and retired members across a wide variety of industries.
USW members are leaders in communities, in workplaces, in our governments and more. They also have relationships with unions in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Liberia, Australia and many other places around the world because USW members believe in a better life for everyone.
We will be joining the thousands of tire builders across the country who belong to the United Steelworkers, including right here in Tennessee at Bridgestone in LaVergne and Morrison. To learn more about the USW work in the tire industry click here.
Founding Principles of the USW
The work of Steelworkers Organizing Committee begin in 1942 with a set of founding principles - values that still guide us today:
1. To unite in one organization, regardless of creed, color or nationality, all workers eligible for membership.
2. To increase the wages, and improve the conditions of employment of our members by legislation, joint agreements or other legitimate means.
3. To endeavor to obtain by joint negotiation or legislative enactment a six-hour day and five-day week.
4. To strive for a minimum wage scale for all members of our organization.
5. To provide for the education of our children by lawfully prohibiting their employment until they have reached eighteen years of age
6. To secure equitable statutory old-age pension, workman’s compensation and unemployment insurance laws.
7. To enforce existing just laws and to secure the repeal of those which are unjust.
8. To secure by legislative enactment, laws protecting the limbs, lives and health of our members; (laws) establishing our right to organize; (laws) preventing the employment of privately armed guards during labor disputes and such other legislation as will be beneficial.