New York Nurses United
- a rank & file caucus of nurses working together to build a stronger, democratic, professional organization & union.
*This is not an official State Association or Union site*
"Workers gain no voice in the decisions of their working life if they have no voice in the decisions of the union which represents them."
Professor Clyde Summers of the University of Pennsylvania Law School
Why is Union Democracy Important?
The strength of the union depends on the active participation of its members. Democracy makes unions stronger and better able to fight for the rights and interests of working people. The union will not be able to win improvements in contracts, enforce its collective bargaining agreements, organize new members or effectively represent its current members, without solidarity among its rank and file.
*The purpose of union democracy is to organize the collective power of members in the union, in a way that ensures accountability and member control. The kind of participation we are taking about here differs from mere mobilization of members in what are essentially top-down actions, and it goes beyond "consultation" or "input," to include participation in setting goals, assessing risks and opportunities -- all the elements of strategic planning. The distinguishing feature of democratic participation is the power to make informed decisions.
For more information on union democracy see:
Comments, ideas? Continue the discussion by clicking on the "Contact Us" or "Message Board" links in the navigation menu on the left side of this page.
*From the website of the Association for Union Democracy. www.uniondemocracy.org. Email: info@uniondemocracy.org.
104 Montgomery Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11225; USA; 718-564-1114
What is "Rank-and-File" unionism?
The term "rank-and-file" is defined as "those who form the major portion of any group or organization, excluding the leaders and officers". In unions that practice rank and file unionism, it is the members who run the union in a collective and democratic manner.
The members set the policies of the union and make all of the decisions of importance. The members elect the union's officers (local, district/state and national) who, in turn, are required to report on their stewardship of the union concerning its policies, programs, expenditures and contract negotiations. Officers obtain prior consent of the members and approval on all of the actions taken on their behalf. The essence of rank-and-file unionism is not democratic rhetoric, but democratic practice.
In a rank-and-file union, the staff provides assistance, servicing and advice on programs and policies, but, ultimately, the running of the union is left to the members.
"In my view, no one who legitimately claims to support and promote the practices and procedures of collective bargaining can be opposed to the principle of union democracy. However, if the importance of maintaining democratic procedures is one on which we can all agree, the issue of how best to promote democracy, whether in a union or in a Nation, does not lend itself as readily to easy answers." Congressman Donald Payne
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