Every union contract has one—it’s called a wage schedule. This is usually found near the back of the contract and shows a list of job titles, the hourly wage paid to each job title, and the dates of wage increases.
The following example shows some of the job titles and wage increases from a typical ILWU hotel contract.
This simple wage schedule contains four important rights that many union members take for granted.
1. Each job title has a defined hourly rate. A Sushi Cook, a Bartender, and Cashier earn the hourly wage shown on the schedule. Management cannot change the hourly rate for a job unless the union and members agree.
2. The date and amount of each wage increase are set in writing and are legally enforceable. Management cannot change the date and amount of these increases unless the union and members agree.
3. Members are involved. ILWU members are involved in negotiations with management over these wage increases and members must vote to approve any settlement with management.
4. Changes are negotiated. If management changes the content of a job, the union can negotiate new wage rates. For example, if the company wants bartenders to prepare sushi and pour drinks, the union would negotiate a higher hourly wage for those bartenders.
Without a union, workers have no guarantees
In workplaces with no union, management can change the hourly rate of a job at any time. Management can cancel scheduled wage increases. Management can make these changes at any time, for any reason, and can make these changes without telling the workers.
Company handbooks are carefully worded to avoid any legal obligation to their employees. Their handbooks always say something like: “This handbook is intended to inform employees of the company’s personnel policies. It is not an employment contract express or implied, or a guarantee of employment with the company. In order to retain necessary flexibility in the administration of policies and procedures, the company reserves the right to change, revise, or eliminate any of the policies and/or benefits described in this handbook.”
This means management can change wages and benefits at any time without notice. Workers have no legal rights and can do nothing to stop management from making these changes.
It is very different when workers have a union. With a union, workers have a legally binding employment contract with the company. Management can not change wages and benefits unless the workers and union agree to these changes.
Secretary-Treasurer Guy Fujimura and sacked Pacific Beach Hotel worker Virginia Recaido talk about their goal of achieving normal and mutually beneficial labor relations with the management of HTH Corporation.
No scheduled increases
Many non-union companies do not have scheduled wage increases. Instead, management reviews the performance of each employee and management decides whether that employee should get a wage increase based on “merit.” Some employees may get higher increases then others. Because workers doing the same job may have different wages, management will usually have rules that prohibit employees from talking about their wages to other workers. Wages are to be kept confidential.
Even if the company does have scheduled increases, management may reduce or cancel these increases at any time. The company may decide to buy new office furniture, and reduce or cancel a scheduled increase. Without a union, workers have no rights and must accept the lower wages or quit and find another job.
Without the protection of a union, management may change the wage rate for a particular job or add work with no increase in pay. Management may require their bartenders to make sushi with no change in pay.
When workers are organized in a union, workers have the power to negotiate with management for higher wages when major changes are made in a job.
Lucky you have a union
So, the next time you cash your pay check, take a moment to look at your hourly pay rate. Thanks to your union contract, you know your hourly rate will be the same or maybe higher because of a scheduled wage increase.
In a non-union company, workers can never be sure their hourly pay will be the same or a wage increase will be paid.
Better wages, benefits and working conditions
This article focused on wages, but the union contract goes far beyond wages and provides for a long list of benefits such as vacation and sick leave, job rights such as seniority, and better working conditions.
Know your rights and benefits as a union member. Take the time to read and understand your union contract. Talk to your union stewards, unit officers and business agent if you want more information or have questions.
Representatives from 100 Japanese unions stand up to show their solidarity with the ILWU and the workers of the Pacific Beach Hotel at a rally on July 7 in Tokyo. Individual unions plan to inform their members about the boycott
Support from Japan amazing and uplifting
Continued from page 1
Over the next few days, Fujimura and Recaido met with union leaders of Service-Rengo and the top management of the major Japanese travel agencies—Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), Kinki Nippon Tourist Company (Kintetsu International), Nippon Travel Agency (NTA). Service-Rengo represents the workers of the three travel companies.
On Tuesday, July 8, they met with the local union leaders of the Japan Travel Bureau Group of Service-Rengo. Together, they then met with the top management of the international division of JTB. Later that day, they met with the National Council of Dockworker’s Union and Zenkowan.
On Wednesday, July 9, they met with the local union leaders and top management of the international divisions of Kinki Nippon Tourist Company and the Nippon Travel Agency. The meetings followed the same pattern where they met first with the local union leaders and together they would talk with management. In these meetings, Fujimura stressed that the union’s goal is to achieve normal and mutually beneficial labor relations with the owners of the Pacific Beach Hotel, and the boycott was a last resort when management sacked union supporters, and refused to recognize the union.
In all three meetings, the Japanese management were well informed about the dispute between the ILWU and the Pacific Beach Hotel and had seen the video produced by Labour Now. Fujimura asked the managers to inform their customers about the dispute at the Pacific Beach Hotel and to talk to HTH owners.
The managers agreed to consult with their Hawaii offices.
In the meeting with Kinki management, Recaido’s story of the injustice being done to the workers moved the translator and one of the managers to tears. The NTA manager had worked in Hawaii from 1999 to 2006 and had met Corine Hayashi, the CEO of HTH Corporation.
On Thursday, July 10, Fujimura and Recaido met with officers of the Japan Association of Travel Agents and with officers of Rengo before departing to Honolulu in the afternoon.
