Is it just me or is there something strange about reading about this in the NYT itself?
New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
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Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#12Since people talk about this being the start of a wave of tech unionization, how will success or failure be determined for this union? It would be cool if we could see some OKRs for the union and check in a year if this actually did anything.
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
Feels like right now in the labor market is when they would have the most leverage.
I bet that also means that they have leverage forming a union too. If the employer can't afford to lose em, that's a great time to cement power.
That's what I meant, actually. This is the time when workers have the most leverage to preserve that leverage for the long-term. Doing so through institutions like unions is one method.
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#14For a publication that always pushes for unions it seems a bit strange they are late adopters. Dont like your own food?
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#15So will NYT be a union shop / the union will have a monopoly, have multiple unions, or have a mix of union and non-union work?
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#16Quoted post unavailable.
Yeah places that need unions usually have bad management. The #1 reason to form a Union is that you work for shitty unreasonable managers
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#17I'm surprised they weren't already in one. I worked at a competitor (the Wall St. Journal) years ago and all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Unions in the news industry are extremely common and powerful. My subjective experience with it was that union membership was mostly inconsequential for developers. The market for programmers is so strong that people would just leave if they weren't treated…
> all software engineers there had to be part of the union.
Is that legal? Can unions or companies force you to join the union as a condition of employment?
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#18I'm surprised they weren't already in one. I worked at a competitor (the Wall St. Journal) years ago and all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Unions in the news industry are extremely common and powerful. My subjective experience with it was that union membership was mostly inconsequential for developers. The market for programmers is so strong that people would just leave if they weren't treated…
> all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Is that legal? Can unions or companies force you to join the union as a condition of employment?
It depends on the state. This is what “right to work” laws are about.
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#19I'm surprised they weren't already in one. I worked at a competitor (the Wall St. Journal) years ago and all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Unions in the news industry are extremely common and powerful. My subjective experience with it was that union membership was mostly inconsequential for developers. The market for programmers is so strong that people would just leave if they weren't treated…
That's exactly the time to unionize! The employer has limited leverage to bust any union efforts.
When the employment market is weak and you are scrounging for a job it's a lot easier to threaten/scare everyone into submission.
Re: New York Times tech workers vote to certify union
#20I'm surprised they weren't already in one. I worked at a competitor (the Wall St. Journal) years ago and all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Unions in the news industry are extremely common and powerful. My subjective experience with it was that union membership was mostly inconsequential for developers. The market for programmers is so strong that people would just leave if they weren't treated…
> all software engineers there had to be part of the union. Is that legal? Can unions or companies force you to join the union as a condition of employment?
A business can be a “closed shop” and require payment of a fee. Though you don’t, technically have to be a member. The fees are not “dues” they’re essentially “agency fees” or “fair share fee” that make up for the benefits you’re getting due to the union.
The fees are usually very close to Union dues so most people just join to get all the rights.
Exceptions are “Right to Work” states which explicitly outlaw closed shops.