BARCS Workers Union FAQ
Why are we forming our union at BARCS?
We are forming our union to be able to negotiate with BARCS management over our wages, hours, and working conditions. We want to be able to have a say in how things are done here at BARCS and in how staff are treated. We want to fight for better pay to attract and keep our colleagues here. We want to fight for better safety protections on the job. We want to fight for respect in how we are spoken to and treated. We want to fight for anything that is important to the workers here that impacts our working conditions, and we want to do it together.
What is a union? Who is a union?
We are the union. We made the decision to form our union. We will decide which priorities we will negotiate in our contract and we will elect our own leadership to uphold and enforce the contract. A union is a group of workers coming together to make real change in their workplace regarding their wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Who is AFSCME?
AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, is a union of 1.4 million members. AFSCME Maryland Council 3 represents nearly 55,000 public services workers in local, city, county, and state government here in Maryland, as well as in higher education and the private sector, who provide the valuable public services that our communities rely on. AFSCME represents workers at other institutions in Maryland including the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Walters Art Museum. AFSCME also represents the workers of Baltimore City, some of whom work right here in our building.
What is the process?
We have already filed our union petition with the National Labor Relations Board for our election. Our election date is September 2nd, from 10am-1pm in the conference room here at BARCS! The election will be overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. It is critical that everyone show up and vote for AFSCME on their secret ballot. Once the votes are tallied, we will have successfully won our union, and we can begin the process of bargaining our first contract!
How might management react?
We have seen how they might react already. Management can discourage us from unionizing in a variety of ways. This is because once we are at the bargaining table, we have real power to change things in a real way. Managers may try to make us feel like we are making a mistake by standing together. They may try to make us feel guilty for standing up for ourselves and our coworkers. BARCS management may even make
concessions to us before bargaining starts, or they could simply tell us all the reasons they think unionizing is a bad idea. At the end of the day, it does not matter what they say. We are the union. We have the power. We know that a seat at the table is better than an open door.
When do we start paying dues? How much are they?
Dues at AFSCME are the same across the board. They are 1.75% of base pay, with a current monthly cap of $65/month. That means no one pays more than that, anywhere. These dues do not start until we win our election, bargain our first contract, and ratify that contract as acceptable to a majority of our membership. We are the ones bargaining, so we get to decide what needs to be in that contract to make it worth our dues. Our dues give us independence, resources, and power. No one is offering us pro bono legal services, and we don’t have a multi-million dollar fund, so we have to combine our resources to fight together, instead of standing alone.