Organizing Your Own March on the Boss
A march on the boss doesn’t need to be huge or planned out long in advance in order to be successful. Sometimes, the strongest action is getting a group of affected workers together when they’re the most upset about an issue, and taking it to management right away. Read how members used this tactic to enforce the contract and stand up to management. Read more in Essential Voice.
Kevin, Nick, and Samaya in UFCW Local 8-GS, Redding, Calif. hold up fours for “Four Hours!”
SMALL ACTION, BIG POWER
My coworkers and I got to experience the big power that comes from small actions when our coworker, Samaya, realized she had been scheduled for a shift below a contractual minimum of four hours. These types of contract violations happen constantly across our workplaces. That’s money taken directly from workers’ pockets through lost wages.
Samaya told our shop steward, Kevin, about the shift, and Kevin notified our union rep. Our rep told Samaya and Kevin to let him know if the shift was not extended, and he would file a grievance. This process takes time, and gives the company additional opportunity to defend their action against the worker. What if my coworkers took direct action instead?
On the day of the scheduled shift, Samaya spoke with management about working the additional hour. She was told she could either work her scheduled shift or go home. Her coworker, Nick, overheard. He quickly grabbed a copy of the contract and confirmed Samaya was owed the hour. With the contract in hand, Nick told Samaya and Kevin that they were going back to the office together. A march on the boss was on!
Nick showed management the contract and explained that Samaya was willing to work the owed hour, but management refused to budge. Samaya worked as directed and left for the day. Kevin reached back out to our union rep — but this time, he had the power of our coworkers behind him.
Our union rep called store management, emphasized the contract violation, and told management they were going to pay for the unworked hour now, or waste even more money in the grievance process. The manager chose to pay Samaya for her unworked, but contractually guaranteed hour.
This might seem like a small action: just one hour of work, one contract violation, and one phone call from our union rep. But it builds real worker power. My coworkers shared this story with pride. They fought and won. This kind of solidarity will help us take larger actions like negotiating our next contract.
Eric Marcuz, UFCW Local 8-GS
Redding, Calif.
‘IT WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS DAY’
When you and your coworkers don't have the tools to do your job, it can be frustrating.
For months, our store had old, broken pallet jacks. It got to the point where three of them had to be trashed. A few of us workers decided we needed new jacks.
Management heard us complaining, but it never really went anywhere. Members talked with management explaining why we need the proper equipment to do our jobs. Management put in a request, but they didn't sound very hopeful it would get approved.
We gave it a little time, but after hearing nothing back, we decided it was time once again to talk with management. This time, four of us went to management together to take up the same issue. We asked for a follow up meeting, too. In the meantime, we also contacted our union rep to follow up with management.
It wasn’t too scary. At the time, we didn’t even realize we were marching on the boss. A week later, three new pallet jacks showed up. It was like Christmas Day!
Everyone was elated. But the real difference was the fact that we took action together. If we went to management alone, or forgot to follow up, the problem might not have been fixed. But getting workers involved and united is what delivers results.
Andrea Reynolds, UFCW Local 700
Kokomo, Ind.