That’s nice, but this quote illustrates they still don’t get it.
The fact that a majority of Norfolk employees felt that they wanted or needed a union constitutes a failure on our part.
I’m willing to accept that their lack of understanding doesn’t constitute any malice; that they do want to do best by their employees. But they, along with most companies in the US and worldwide, do not fundamentally understand unions.
There are so many reasons employees should have a union, and many of them don’t have anything to do with the actions of current management. To give them a voice in the company’s public face; to protect them from future management actions; to protect them from the actions of the management that comes next, when the company is sold or the current board retires; to allow them to ask for things the company hasn’t even currently considered; to take a unified political stance; there’s many more.
I don’t want management rending their clothes and sobbing over their failures as managers. I just want them to get the hell out of the way.
The response they quote from Marianne Williamson is spot on. The response from Costco is pure PR. A really different and admirable response would be “we encourage unions so we can better understand our workers’ needs.”
The company wishes the workers were happy without ANY additional pro worker things.
Like, it’s not malice, it’s the nature of capitalism. The company wants to pay the absolute minimum for labor. And that goes for coverage, benefits, talking, thinking whatever.
Conversely the employee wants the very most they can get for their labor.
This is the only logical statement a company can make, wrapped in a nice package.
Generally I agree, but in this case Costco is usually pretty good with compensation. When I worked there 12+ years ago they were paying cashiers $20/hr+. Most places won’t even pay $20/hr now.
Well yeah, I totally agree, I’m just saying everyone is kinda surprised with the company’s response. Within the current system the options are either “no unions!” Or what Costco said
One thing I have always noticed about Costco employees is that they pretty much are always smiling. As best I can tell, it’s one of the best companies you can work for. It’s only going to get better now.
It’s kind of like drivers getting offended when you put on a seatbelt. It takes two people to get into an accident irrespective of how “well” you drive.
That’s nice, but this quote illustrates they still don’t get it.
I’m willing to accept that their lack of understanding doesn’t constitute any malice; that they do want to do best by their employees. But they, along with most companies in the US and worldwide, do not fundamentally understand unions.
There are so many reasons employees should have a union, and many of them don’t have anything to do with the actions of current management. To give them a voice in the company’s public face; to protect them from future management actions; to protect them from the actions of the management that comes next, when the company is sold or the current board retires; to allow them to ask for things the company hasn’t even currently considered; to take a unified political stance; there’s many more.
I don’t want management rending their clothes and sobbing over their failures as managers. I just want them to get the hell out of the way.
The response they quote from Marianne Williamson is spot on. The response from Costco is pure PR. A really different and admirable response would be “we encourage unions so we can better understand our workers’ needs.”
I mean…you said a bunch of pro WORKER things.
The company wishes the workers were happy without ANY additional pro worker things.
Like, it’s not malice, it’s the nature of capitalism. The company wants to pay the absolute minimum for labor. And that goes for coverage, benefits, talking, thinking whatever.
Conversely the employee wants the very most they can get for their labor.
This is the only logical statement a company can make, wrapped in a nice package.
Generally I agree, but in this case Costco is usually pretty good with compensation. When I worked there 12+ years ago they were paying cashiers $20/hr+. Most places won’t even pay $20/hr now.
If Costco thought they could get or retain staff of the quality they want OR maintain a public image they want AND pay less, they would.
Again not malice.
If I could get someone to pay me double for the exact same work, I’d jump in a heartbeat.
Costco minimize, employee maximize.
While i agree on a surface level, i think we should put an emphasis to continue the push to unionize if we are ever to move past this system.
Well yeah, I totally agree, I’m just saying everyone is kinda surprised with the company’s response. Within the current system the options are either “no unions!” Or what Costco said
Well said. Makes me wanna shake em and say “it’s not about you it’s not about you it’s not about you”.
One thing I have always noticed about Costco employees is that they pretty much are always smiling. As best I can tell, it’s one of the best companies you can work for. It’s only going to get better now.
It’s kind of like drivers getting offended when you put on a seatbelt. It takes two people to get into an accident irrespective of how “well” you drive.