Why You Should NOT Decertify Your Union

Many union members can be unhappy with their union representation — and often, rightfully so. Some unions can be undemocratic, overrun by the union bureaucracy that drowns out the voices of the rank and file membership. Members may have negative experiences with feeling left out in the cold by their unions.

Grocery workers from across the country attend a meetup at the 2024 Labor Notes Conference.

Does any of this sound familiar?

• Information brownouts during opaque contract bargaining

• Concessionary contracts paying barely above minimum wage

• Absentee union reps

• Failure to support or train shop stewards

• Infrequent and inconvenient general membership meetings, where only union officials speak

• The feeling that union leadership is closer to your employer than you and your coworkers

We’ve heard it all before. You might be wondering if you should decertify your union, or try to “move” to a better union. Here are a few things to consider before doing that, and what you can do instead. 

FOUR REASONS TO NOT DECERTIFY YOUR UNION

1. No matter where you go, you are the union.

   It sounds cliche, but it’s true: You are the Union. The fundamental truth about unionizing is that your employer only responds to worker power. Your employer doesn’t care what the name of the union is, how fancy the building is, or even how much money the union has. 

   The source of your power is your coworkers and you. 

   It’s certainly easier to take on the boss if your union officers and staff have a fighting spirit, nurture workplace leaders, train workers to be stronger leaders, have a plan to fight big employers, and organize more workers in your industry.

   But keep in mind that union leadership is elected by you and your coworkers. Your union leadership will respond to groups of organized workers demanding more from their union. And, they can be replaced by new leadership (that could be you!).
    
   

2. The grass is browner on the other side.
   

   Going nonunion is ALWAYS worse. By decertifying your union, the message you send to your employer is that you no longer believe in workers’ collective power.  

   You might think that you can decertify your union and choose to go a different way, or even to form your own independent labor union. But every step along the way, management will be waiting to pounce on the same old union-busting tactics they’ve always used, no matter what the circumstances. 

   Even if you got a promised raise for now, you are throwing away all your collective power going forward. And it teaches all your coworkers that they too don’t have power, which just is not the truth.
   
   

3. You’ll have to start from scratch.

   In the chance that you are successful in decertifying your union, you’ll have to negotiate a new first contract. This is never an easy task, and you can’t count on employer promises to start from where you are. Employers can be opportunists, and they will take advantage of any opportunity to lower your standards.
   
   

4. Think you can “switch” unions? Think again.
   You might be thinking, “I don’t want to go nonunion. I just want to move to a better union.” But even if you could decertify, switching isn’t so easy. AFL-CIO unions have “no raid” pacts, so no AFL-CIO union will agree to be on the ballot in a decertification election. That makes things harder than you may realize. 

FOUR ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE INSTEAD

If things are bad in your current union or your workplace, how do you take back your power? 

1. Reach out for help.
   Talk to others, especially those whom others look up to, workplace leaders. Educate yourself. Reach out to EW4D for help. 

   Commit to holding on to your collective power, but be real with others that it will require work. This is your first step: taking back your individual and collective power by organizing around issues on the shop floor, even if your local union isn’t willing to help you. 

   There are several organizations available to help you make your union better. Labor Notes is deeply experienced in this very task: making your union yours again. The Association for Union Democracy (AUD) offers general guidance and legal advice to those looking to transform their unions. 

   Rank and file reform caucuses like Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) and Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) organize to take power back for the members in the Teamsters and the United Auto Workers, respectively. Essential Workers for Democracy (EW4D), though newer than TDU and UAWD, helps essential workers organize for member democracy.  
   
   

2. Hold a meeting.
   Are there issues that have remained unresolved in your workplace for years, or a hot button issue that everyone is riled up about? Have you held meetings with your coworkers to talk about these issues?

   Find a place to meet outside of work and away from management to talk about these issues. Pick a nearby coffee shop, diner, or pub that workers can get to easily before or after a shift. If people have irregular shift times, consider holding more than one meeting session.
   
   

3. Educate yourself and your coworkers.
   Do you know what’s in your union contract? Do your coworkers? Do you know when your local union holds general membership meetings, and do you and your coworkers attend?

   Education is one of the most important tools in an organizer’s toolkit. Keeping members informed on how they can stand up for themselves at work, as well as what’s going on in your local, makes a big difference.

   Don’t know where to start? Hand out Weingarten Rights cards at work. You can order a bundle from TDU here.
   
   

4.  Don’t decertify, organize! 
   Decertification campaigns can result in dividing your coworkers even more than they were before the campaign. Instead, consider what you can do to bring workers together.

   Can you hold a monthly social gathering outside of work? Can you put together a group chat with your coworkers to talk about workplace issues? Can you start a weekly union button or t-shirt day, where everyone wears their union swag?

   Remember, we’re aiming our fire at the boss. Decertification campaigns can weaken that fire. What can you do to build it up? 

   The most powerful organizing is alongside others, especially with those who have been doing it for years. Here are some resources:

• Labor Notes is deeply experienced in this very task: making your union yours again. 

• The Association for Union Democracy (AUD) offers general guidance and legal advice to those looking to transform their unions. 

• Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) organizes Teamsters Union members.

• Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD) organizes to take power back for the Auto Workers. 

• And our organization, Essential Workers for Democracy (EW4D), though newer than TDU and UAWD, helps essential workers organize for member democracy. Right now, our major project is organizing members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) to win back their union.