And one third of employers illegally fire workers during election campaigns. Questions and answers about the UAW page three Illegally fired workers almost always get their jobs back, but the legal process takes some time. They often return to work after the election is over, and the desired intimidation of co-workers has already taken place. Every workplace is different, and there are unique circumstances relating to each group of workers that decides to undertake a union organizing drive. But the main reasons that people want to join with their co-workers to form a union have remained remarkably consistent over the years, and are remarkably similar even in very different kinds of workplaces.
Unions bring democracy to the workplace.
Democracy will never go out of style. Graduate students at the University of California, who organized an independent union in 1983, contacted the UAW in 1987 and made a decision to affiliate with us. The enormous energy and dedication of UC grad student activists, backed by the resources and political clout of our International Union, brought this 14 year organizing drive to a successful conclusion earlier this year. We have an excellent track record in recent elections involving graduate students. There were elections union representation elections for grad students at eight University of California campuses this year.