{"id":12066,"date":"2024-04-18T20:58:16","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T20:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/?post_type=resources&p=12066"},"modified":"2025-07-14T21:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T21:28:09","slug":"four-guiding-principles-for-managers-during-unionization","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/resources\/four-guiding-principles-for-managers-during-unionization\/","title":{"rendered":"Guiding Principles for Managers During Unionization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article is part of a <\/em>resource collection<\/em><\/a> for leaders and managers preparing for a unionization process.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At The Management Center, we believe in the importance of unions in social justice movements. We also know that managing in a unionizing context is tricky and high-stakes. Fortunately, you don\u2019t need to figure it out on your own! In this article, we share an approach and four guiding principles to help you manage during a unionization process (note that we are not <\/em>offering legal advice!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Beyond Neutrality approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We encourage organizations to take the Beyond Neutrality Approach<\/a> to the unionization process: pro-union, anti-racist, and mission-driven.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Pro-union: <\/strong>Are you pro-workers\u2019 rights but feeling conflicted about being on the management side of unionization? If you\u2019re feeling apprehension, dread, or even anger, these feelings are normal. Accept your feelings, but also accept that the unionization process will happen anyway. Whether staff unionize is outside your sphere of control<\/a>\u2014it is their legal right to form a union\u2014but managers and leaders can <\/em>decide how you show up during the process. Showing up pro-union can have a positive impact on how the process plays out (on the flip side, being anti-union will certainly have negative impacts). <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Anti-racist:<\/strong> Use the unionization process to advance your organization\u2019s racial justice and equity priorities. This is especially important because, for all of the good that organized labor has done, there is also a history of racism and other forms of oppression<\/a> within the American Labor Movement. To prevent the disproportionate negative impact the unionization process can have on marginalized leaders and staff, take steps to center the experiences of BIPOC and marginalized staff, leaders, and experts in each phase of the process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Mission-driven: <\/strong>Keep the organization\u2019s mission and vision at the forefront. While the unionization process does<\/em> require time and resources in the short term, it has the potential to strengthen your organization and better support the organization\u2019s goals in the long term.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    A note on language:<\/em><\/strong> At TMC, we use terms like \u201cmanager\u201d or “management” and \u201csupervisor\u201d or “supervision” interchangeably. In a union context, these terms often have legal importance and bearing on who is represented by a union and who is considered Management. Each collective bargaining agreement is different, so if you\u2019re not sure about your designation, check with HR. In this article, the term “managers\u201d refers to people with staff management responsibilities, and \u201cmanagement\u201d is the practice, duty, and balance associated with supervising staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Guiding principles for managers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The following are four guiding principles for managing during a unionization process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Act from a grounded place<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As we mentioned before, it\u2019s normal to feel conflicted during a unionization process. It\u2019s okay if you don\u2019t feel great. <\/strong>When staff decide to unionize, it can feel like an indictment of an organization\u2019s leadership and management (and let\u2019s be real\u2014sometimes it is), and it\u2019s normal to feel defensive. If you\u2019re a manager\u2014and especially if you\u2019re a senior leader\u2014find a way to process your emotions so you can respond, supervise, and support your teams from a steady place. Staff unionize to be heard, and you will need to be grounded to listen well and not take it too personally (especially when you receive feedback that is<\/em> personalized). Use your personal grounding practices<\/a> and support your team to build a sense of purpose, agency, and connection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Own your power<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    One of the hardest parts of the unionization process is navigating your power and authority as a manager<\/strong>. Even outside of unionization, this can be hard for managers. Many of us experience marginalization, too, and work to fix <\/em>harmful power imbalances; so it can be uncomfortable to be the one holding power. That discomfort leads some managers to shy away from exercising authority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Additionally, unionization creates some limits on the authority managers can <\/em>exercise. Managers must learn and adopt new processes to transition to managing in unionized settings. Uncertainty about what’s allowed and the fear of messing up often creates a \u201cfreeze\u201d response, leading managers to simply do nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Two things are true: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Managers have positional power that we must use responsibly. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. We are responsible for getting the work done.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Regardless of your feelings about power or the uncertainties you face, doing nothing <\/em>is not a viable option. In fact, inaction will impact your team, too. The Management Center\u2019s <\/strong>definition of effective management<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>calls on managers to understand where we have power (and where we don\u2019t), exercise it for the good of the work, and consider our impact on the lives and livelihoods of the people we manage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A note for BIPOC managers and\/or leaders with multiple marginalized identities: <\/em><\/strong>\u201cOwning your power\u201d can feel more complicated if you hold multiple marginalized identities. In a 2022-23 study<\/a>, Beyond Neutrality found that the potential for harm increased dramatically<\/em> when the pressure tactics associated with unionization intersected with race, gender, and equity dynamics. When the situation is especially tense, it is even more important for BIPOC managers to go back to the first guiding principle and stay grounded, as BIPOC managers are less likely to receive grace or leniency than their white counterparts when they act from a reactive place. And, it is even more important for BIPOC managers to focus on their sphere of control<\/a> and treat pushback or negative feedback as data. You can always choose what to do with feedback (and yes, sometimes that means ignoring it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      3. Know your role<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      When you know your role as a manager in a unionization process, it\u2019s easier to own your power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When it comes to unions, here are some general dos and don\u2019ts for managers:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n