Right now, the United Autoworkers is trying to convince HMMA Team Members to sign or e-sign union authorization cards.
Unions are always looking for new, dues-paying members and you and your fellow HMMA Team Members could be prime targets
A union card, whether paper or electronic, is a legal and binding document that when signed gives the union the right to speak and bargain for you regarding your wages, hours, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment.
These cards can be physical or virtual. A union “card” could be a sign up sheet at a meeting or accessed through a Facebook Page, a website, a phone app or even a text message. These cards are typically valid for one year.
You have the right to refuse to sign a card. Be careful what you sign and know what you are signing.
Signing a card can carry potential consequences that you were not aware of or you do not agree with:
- A union cannot guarantee you anything. To convince you to sign, unions can make promises that the law says they are not obligated to keep.
- If a majority of Team Members sign a card in any department, the UAW could demand recognition plant-wide or in those departments.
- Once a demand of recognition is made, new rules from the National Labor Relations Board mean HMMA may be required to unionize without a secret ballot election showing majority support. This means a Team Member may not have the option to later vote “NO” if they change their mind after signing a card.
- Once you sign a card (whatever form it may be in), it may be difficult to “undo” your signature.
So, before you sign any form of union card, make sure you have all the facts.