Mark Gaffney

Union partnerships work

Companies can prosper by encouraging organized workplaces, fair pay and shared decision-making

While many companies today profess that they must do massive layoffs, slash benefits, employ temporary and cheap labor and hire union-busters to remain profitable, other businesses are proving there is another way.

Each year, the American Rights at Work Education Fund honors labor-management partnerships (eight this year) that buck the "race-to the-bottom" trend and define new standards for 21st-century labor relations. By fairly compensating employees and sharing decision-making responsibility with them through unions, these employers embrace a forward-thinking business model that is a smart, ethical and successful.

With a fully unionized work force, American Income Life sets a high bar for respecting workers' rights. By selling affordable supplemental life insurance for working families, the company also helps promote public policy that protects workers -- such as by supporting the proposed Employee Free Choice Act as crucial to the future of America's middle class.

After letting the employees choose to organize with the Office and Professional Employees International union through majority sign-up more than 40 years ago, American Income Life has paid fair wages and provided health insurance and a defined pension benefit. High employee retention and satisfaction is the result.

Another example is McGuire Scenic, which was started 14 years ago to provide theatrical scenery for local performances and national traveling shows and has diversified into conferences, trade shows and events. McGuire's workers, represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Set Employees, receive higher pay than workers at non-union design companies. They also receive health care coverage and a contribution to each worker's pension welfare fund.

In return, the union has helped hone the specialized skills required for scenic design work, including offering forklift and carpentry training that minimizes safety hazards and increases productivity. This union advantage is one reason traveling Broadway shows use McGuire Scenic.

The New York City-based grocery chain Morton Williams, whose employees are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers, has used the majority sign-up process when expanding so new workers can choose whether to join the union -- including supervisors and management. The union reciprocates by providing extensive health and safety training, a systematic approach to address issues of disagreement and a loyal, veteran staff.

Can this be done in Michigan? It already is.

The United Auto Workers' decision to create a voluntary employment beneficiary association for health care insurance took billions of dollars off of the auto companies' balance sheets.

When the Teamsters fight to keep car haul contracts in place between their employers and the auto companies, they help the employers.

Unions will always dig our heels in to protect our members and their incomes and benefits. That's why we exist. But we also know that in the long run, having union members and their employers work together is best.

The bargaining table negotiations make the headlines, but the joint agreements do not.

Mark Gaffney is president of the Michigan AFL-CIO, a federation of Michigan labor groups. Please e-mail comments to letters@detnews.com or mail to The Detroit News, Editorial Page, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226.