I don’t know yet.
The guys came in this morning, packed their trucks, got their calls and left. No one has said a word, but I am sure they have been informed.
My wife is livid at this point. She didn’t even come in to the shop this morning.
We have paid for guys cars repairs when they broke down, go-signed for homes, even donated a good sum to one of our guys years ago (he’s no longer with us) when his wife got cancer and needed wigs.
We have gone times without pay checks, cancelled vacations and bit the bullet all in a manner to pay our guys and keep them busy.
I’ve been looking up a ton of stuff, and am curious as to if they can even vote because of the number of employees we have. I am not sure, I have a ton of questions these past couple of days, but finally I’ll get some face time with my attorney today.
I feel so betrayed, I feel like our family has been betrayed. I spent hours last night looking at our security cameras to see who was talking to who, that is how paranoid I am, it is driving me nuts, and I want to strangle someone.
Even if it blows over, even if we win the vote, my relationship with my employees will never be the same. I will not be able to fire who brought the vote (and I think I know who) or I will get sued, and I will always have not only a union vote hanging over our business, but now a feeling of distrust. The family feel of our business is now gone forever I fear.
My wife is just ready to hang it up. I think I could have had an affair and she wouldn’t have been this pissed off. I have never seen her this way in 27 years. She’s been talking about how long they’ve been in business, and now she’s thinking about her dad and grandfather, and all the people she grew up with from the shop (she was a little girl hanging around here, keep in mind).
Anyways, I have to get some stuff done, and then get ready to head over to lawyers.
And to answer your question: Apparently, I CAN’T make a case against unionization, from what I’ve been reading. But, I’ll know more in a few hours.
Well, as an employee, I know who signs my paycheck and I know how many more (unpaid) hours managers and owners work than I do, and I know who has to take their problems home, while I leave ‘em at the office.
And I’m grateful to them and to you. Best wishes in your battle. I think they’re about to learn the hard way that they need you - but you can replace them...
“We have paid for guys cars repairs when they broke down, go-signed for homes, even donated a good sum to one of our guys years ago (he’s no longer with us) when his wife got cancer and needed wigs.
We have gone times without pay checks, cancelled vacations and bit the bullet all in a manner to pay our guys and keep them busy.”
Been there...done that!
Over many years to treating my employees as family, I’ve come to realize that they are actually a piece of leased equipment. They don’t give a “rat’s ass” about you or what you have done for them. They are only there for a pay check...nothing else.