One expert says an employer's main goal shouldn’t be to win representation elections, but to avoid them altogether. He says doing so means taking fast action when the first signs of union activity appear. His advice in a nutshell: Don’t just ignore the union’s efforts while it spreads pre-union rumors, such as “If we had a union, we wouldn’t have to work so much overtime.” Retain an attorney and react at once.
Labor relations consultants are increasingly influencing the unionization process, with both management and unions using outside advisors. The use by management of consultants (who are often referred to disparagingly by unions as union busters) has apparently grown tremendously. A study by the AFL-CLO’s Department of Organization and Field Services concluded, for example, that management consultants were involved in 85% of the elections they surveyed.