What is Medline’s position on unions?

Medline respects our employees’ legal right to make up their own mind about union representation.  However, we do NOT believe that a union is a good idea for you, our business, or our customers.

Leadership here at C40 and all throughout Medline are committed to working directly with employees to address any issue in our workplace and create a positive and constructive environment for everyone.  We appreciate the opportunity and privilege of working directly with you to continuously improve our business –and we’ve shown you how we can do that.

What are union authorization cards?

Authorization cards are legal documents (like a power of attorney) that would give the union the right to stand in between you and the Company on topics of wages, benefits and terms and conditions of employment.  Gathering signed authorization cards is the union’s first step in trying to represent employees at C40.

How many signed cards does the Union need to collect to claim the right to represent the employees?

If the Union gets more than 50% of employees to sign cards it can claim the right to represent employees.  But to get a secret ballot election, the Union needs less.  If 30% of the employee group the union is trying to represent sign cards, the union would be able to file a petition to hold an election.

If I sign a union authorization card, will I have to pay union dues?

By signing an authorization card, you could be legally obligated to pay initiation fees, union dues, and other payments.  You can also be required to follow union rules that could subject you to union fines and penalties.

Are union authorization cards kept confidential?

Union authorization cards will usually ask for confidential personal information like your home address, telephone numbers, job classification, shift assignment, and email address.  The Company would not disclose that sort of information to outsiders.  But unions could show your card to other employees, other unions, sales companies, or other third parties.  They could even post it on social media.

Someone told me that if I sign an authorization card, I will never have to work overtime unless I volunteered for it.  Is that true?

Unions can promise you almost anything to get you to sign an authorization card.  You should understand that it is not guaranteed that the union can deliver on those promises.  For instance, there is no guarantee that a union could deliver on a promise about overtime, a promise for higher wages or better benefits, or any other union promise.  If you have a union, your wages and benefits can go up, they can go down, or they can stay the same.  And rules related to overtime could change or stay the same.  It is all subject to a negotiation.

If someone asks me to sign a union authorization card, what should I do?

Medline respects our employees’ legal right to make up their own mind about union representation, so that’s up to you.  But as with anything else you are asked to sign, I’d recommend you make sure you completely understand what you are signing, and read the fine print.

What happens if I signed a card and want it back?

You can ask for your card back from the union, but they are under no obligation to give it back to you.  However, just because you signed a card does not mean you have to vote for the union if an election were to occur.  Also, you do not have to sign a card to have a right to vote in an election.  All employees who would be covered by the labor agreement would have a right to vote.

If a union gets in at C40 and if I don’t want to be in it, can I opt out?

Unfortunately, if the union gets voted in, you cannot opt out of the contract controlling your position or the terms and conditions of your employment.  Once a union is voted in and a contract reached, that contract covers your position whether you like it or not.

At this stage what is the quickest way to shut down any attempt to get a union into C40?

At this stage, it is not signing a card and educating other employees not to sign a card.  Without 30% of the employees signing cards, the union will not be able to organize the employees into a union and interfere with our working relationship.