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Target Union DVD Video Training Transcription
Person 1: Welcome to Target where we know you'll have a terrific experience. I'm Doug.
Person 2: And I'm Maria and even if you already started working here you're already part of an important team and a great Target Store.
Person 1: That's right. Now you were chosen to work in our store because we think you'll help us achieve our vision of being the best company ever.
Person 2: You'll probably learn something new every day. At least for a little while.
Person 1: There will also be a lot of challenges. But there's nothing we can't solve by working together. The leadership team and your fellow team members are anxious to help you and to make working at Target a positive and rewarding experience.
Person 2: If you ever have a question all you have to do is ask it. Everyone here from the CEO down wants you to be successful. In fact Target prides its self on our open door policy. Ask your team leader, ask your ETL , or ask any supervisor. There doors and every door are always open to you and what you have to say. Two way communications, fair dealings are a key part of our culture and a key part of our success.
Person 1: We're in a very competitive business, and we're changing all the time. We have to. In order to stay ahead of the other guys. Now just a few years ago we really didn't sell that much in the way of grocery items, but now well many of our stores have a full line grocery. And others sell many more food items which means that we're now competing not only with other retailers but with grocery stores too.
Person 2: That's a huge challenge but we believe we can win the battle with the competition because not only do we have high quality products at competitive prices we've got the best guest service in the business. And because we're the best that makes those of us at Target a target our selves.
Person 1: We're a Target because we're a threat to unions. The unions that represent grocery store workers.
Person 2: When we take business away from unionized grocery stores that means they need fewer employees.
Person 1: And fewer grocery store employees means fewer union members. And fewer members? Well that's a problem for the union business. That's right, I said business. Union business.
Person 2: A union is not a charity. It's not a club and it's not part of the government. It's a business. A business that has to take in money to survive. But it doesn't have any products to sell. All it has is memberships to sell. A unions only source of income is the money they charge members.
Person 1: Money for initiation, dues, fines, assessments. You get the picture. So it's pretty obvious that the fewer members their business has the less money they collect.
Person 2: The unions only alternative is to get more people to pay their hard earned money to them in dues every month.
Person 1: And that's becoming more and more of a problem for unions every day.
Person 1: 50 years ago one out of every 3 workers was in a union. Today that number excluding government workers is dropped to less than 1 in 10.
Person 2: One of the biggest reasons is that workers know that all the good things unions once did child safety laws, workmans comp, all of that they're all laws today. Laws protecting workers. They were passed along time ago.
Person 1: And no body wants to pay dues for something they already have.
Person 2: So the numbers just keep going down. You can see why the union would want to organize us here at Target.
Person 1: If the unions did try to organize Target team members they could also try and bring along there way of doing business. An old fashioned rigid structure.
Person 2: Old fashioned is right. Being able to change quickly and adapt to new opportunities being flexible. That's the key to running a successful business in todays market and we've got the flexibility now.
Person 1: Right you are. No one knows exactly what could happen. But there are lots of examples of how rigid grocery store contracts could hurt our stores ability to serve guests and actually hurt our team members in the process.
Person 2: Here's what we mean. Let's say you're working in stationary but you're walking through domestics on your way to check on something. A guest stops you and ask for help. What would you do? With out even thinking about it you'd stop and give them any assistance they required.
Person 2: But what if union work rules say you can't work outside of your department? What do you tell the guest? Sorry I can't help you? That makes you look bad. But more importantly it means our guest doesn't get immediate attention and they might not come back. So everyone gets hurt. Everyone except the union. Right now team members can get more hours based on their ability to cover more than one area. You have the option of being cross trained and becoming a more valuable member of your team.
Person 1: That's right. But with a rigid union contract that may no longer be an option.
Person 2: Also under the old fashioned union rules that really haven't changed in decades seniority rules. Rather than treating people as individuals everything depends on when you were hired. Schedules, job assignments, promotions, transfers, even days off are often decided by seniority only.
Person 1: And that can be one of the least efficient and really not a nice way to operate. There is no regard for individual skills and needs of each team member. Top workers suffer because their performance isn't reflected in job assignments or promotions and the company suffers because the best qualified people don't necessarily get the right jobs.
Person 2: Once again the only winner is the union. That can justify collecting dues from people that don't get the jobs or hours they want based simply on that seniority date. They don't have to offer an explanation at all about why someone else might be better qualified for the job and at Target we don't have those rigid rules. We're open and honest. You've got the desire, we'll tell you what you need to do to get ready for another assignment. We believe in putting the best person in every job based on their qualifications not on seniority. That helps to keep our employees productive and our guests happy.
Person 1: And speaking of our guests they can also be a Target of the unions. Some day you might come in to work and find pickets telling guests to not shop at Target. Or you might read articles about unions threatening to boycott our stores just to scare away our guests and encourage them to shop somewhere else. None of that helps you or any other team member. After all every one of us depends on our guests for our jobs.
Person 2: That's right because the union needs your dues money at some point you might be asked to join. We'll talk about the tactics organizers might use in a minute.
Person 1: But first it's important for you to know Targets philosophy on unions.
Jim Rowader (Target Director, Labor Relations & Sr. Counsel): Hi. I'm Jim Rowader. Team members have the right to join unions, but they also have a right not to join unions. Experience has shown us that after learning the facts Target team members agree union representation is not in their best interest. In fact not one group of Target team members today has chosen to be represented by a union. Ultimately what works best for Target and our team members is the ability to meet challenges, resolve issues, and grow the business together. With out the interferance of a union or other 3rd party. 3rd party representation, trying to divide us, is contrary to our company philosophy and beliefs. Our team environment strives to create a clear direct path of communication. We believe in solving issues and concerns by working together. All of us. Team members, team leaders, group leaders, supervisors, and managers will work together to insure an environment open to discussing and resolving concerns. Target celebrates the success of team members and strives to recognize excellent performance. We do these things because it is the right thing to do. And because we believe working together with out union representation is the best way to grow and flourish. I'm convinced that a union would not improve anything at Target. Not for our team members, not for our guests, and not for our company. Bottom line at Target you don't need to pay dues to a third party to have a work place where world class team members work together, listen to each other, and treat each other with dignity and respect.
Person 1: World class team members. That's you, and at Target we respect you. Every effort is made to insure a rewarding work experience as well as being fast, fun, and friendly.
Person 2: No team member has ever had to pay one nickel of their pay check to a union to get fair treatment from Target.
Person 1: We said earlier that you might some day be asked to join a union. It's happened before. Unions have spent hundreds of hours picketing our stores and asking team members to sign up. But not one group of team members, not one anywhere in the whole company has ever decided they needed a union.
Person 2: So some day you might be asked to sign a union card or petition authorizing a union to represent you.
Person 1: You may not realize it, but your signature on that card or petition is very valuable to a union.
Person 2: It's true your autograph can create a legal contract obligating you to the union.
Person 1: And that won't be what a union organizer tells you though. You may hear statements like your signature isn't important it's just to get more information. Or just sign the card every body else is doing it.
Person 2: The card its self is not dangerous, but the words printed on it are. Lots of times union cards or petitions contain words like I hereby authorize the union to represent me or I hereby accept membership when you sign one of those you may be joining the union.
Person 1: Your signature could be used by the union to get the right to legally represent you and collect dues with out even letting you vote.
Person 2: Some unions have even gone so far as to use signatures to force themselves on employees even after the majority of employees have voted against the union representation.
Person 1: Right. You may be wondering ok, why is that such a big deal? It's a big deal because when a union becomes a team members representative that team member loses the legal right to deal directly with the management team.
Person 2: No more open door. With a union you no longer have your own voice. Have a great suggestion? You can't take it directly to your manager. You have to go through the union layers. Need help with a problem? Same thing. Someone else will do the talking for you. And there's no guarantee you'll like what they have to say. Guarantees. Guarantees and promises. That's something else you might hear from a union. Unions often make big promises about wages and benefit increases if the team member will only sign their card. Those are promises they can't keep.
Person 1: The fact is a union can't guarantee anything they promise. Even if there was a union here the company can and would legally demand that Target and only Target would make the final decision on all wages and benefits regardless of what the union promises.
Person 2: In other words management doesn't have to agree to any union demand. If the union demands seem potentially harmful to the company, too expensive, or not too smart management can simply say no.
Person 1: We realize that's a lot of information, but it's very important. Important to Target and important to you.
Person 2: The risk of getting a union with out a vote, big promises that can't be kept, pressure on guests not to shop at our stores, for all those reasons and a whole lot more please think hard before you sign any card or petition.
Person 1: You'll always have the right to make a choice here at Target. And that includes refusing to sign any union authorization.
Person 2: You also have the right to work with out fear of union harassment or soliciation. If you're approached while you're working you have the right to discuss the situation with any member of the leadership team. Remember their doors always open and you can speak with them directly. Target will enforce solicitation, distribution, and harassment policies.
Person 1: That's right. We feel strongly that once you learn the facts you'll decide that having a union at Target might benefit the union because they could collect your dues.
Person 2: But it's not in the best interest of the company or the team members.
Person 1: Refuse to sign and keep Target union free.
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