Taking action together at work
By acting together we have much more strength to protect our rights at work than when one worker talks to the boss on their own. If you have a problem at work always try to get the other workers involved in solving it.
Your employer may be even happy to deal with all the workers at once, rather than individuals in dribs and drabs. For example, you might be saving your boss time and effort if you get all the workers together to agree on a change you all want before suggesting it to your employer.
When you have a problem at work, you often find that others on the site have the same or similar problems. These could be rosters, bullying, health and safety, or incorrect pay.
Process for solving problems in your job
Click here for an easy step-by-step process that you can use to help solve problems in your job:
Ideas for action
When thinking about actions consider the following:
- What is most likely to be successful?
- How realistic is it that we can take this option?
- What will most involve the workers affected?
Start with small, low-risk actions and build up to bigger activities. Actions you can organise are limited only by your imagination and can include:
Acting together around a disciplinary meeting:
Often when a worker is called to a disciplinary meeting their co-workers think they are being treated unfairly and want to show solidarity by taking action. Here are some ideas, but the most creative actions always come from the other workers so ask around.
Petitions
A petition is a really good way to show collective support for a worker who is being treated unfairly. Petitions work well when a worker is punished for doing something that everybody else does, like leaving five minutes early on a Friday. If it's generally accepted, and others do it, then leaving early on Fridays is part of the culture of the job, and it's unfair for a worker to be singled out.
Sticker days
This is a great Together action. If a member is picked on or harassed by the employer, co-workers can wear stickers for the day saying "Not on our site!", or if a worker is sacked wear stickers supporting them. Make up your own stickers. There are lots of free on-line design-your-own sites like http://www.freshbadge.com
Staff noticeboard
Use the staff noticeboard to keep the employer in check. If your boss doesn't follow fair process, make sure all the workers know their rights. Download information from this website and put it on your notice board. Or email it to all staff. Get a co-worker to translate information into the main languages spoken by the staff so that everyone can understand.
Leaflets
Use leaflets to help people understand their rights in disciplinary meetings. Get a co-worker to translate the leaflets. You could use leaflets to "advertise" that an unfair disciplinary is taking place. Your boss will feel the pressure if all the staff know what is happening and want to know the outcome!
Letters of support
This is a really positive action. Co-workers can support a worker in a disciplinary by collectively signing a letter that talks about what a good, reliable, punctual worker he or she is. It will make that worker feel great to have such support behind them. This will also show the boss how strong that support is and that the staff are organising around this issue.
