Deunionize

To remove or eliminate the status of a union within a workplace or organization. This can involve various actions, from decertifying a union through a vote by employees, to actively undermining its presence and influence. Deunionization can significantly alter the relationship between employers and employees, shifting the balance of power and potentially impacting wages, benefits, and working conditions. This process often involves legal and strategic maneuvers aimed at reducing union membership or eliminating the union altogether. It can also encompass the closure of facilities or the reorganization of the workforce to weaken union bargaining power. Ultimately, deunionization seeks to decrease the authority and collective bargaining capabilities of a union, creating a workplace landscape where individual contracts may become more prevalent than union agreements.

Deunionize meaning with examples

• The company hired consultants specializing in anti-union tactics to advise them on how to deunionize the factory, leading to a tense atmosphere during the upcoming decertification vote. They subtly promoted individual contracts and discouraged union participation to weaken support, aiming for a union-free environment.
• Following a series of layoffs and facility closures, management attempted to deunionize the remaining workforce by offering generous severance packages to union members and promoting non-unionized employees to positions of authority to discourage union activity, dividing the workers and weakening the Union.
• Facing significant financial pressure, the struggling airline sought to deunionize its pilots and flight attendants in order to cut labor costs and restructure its operations, which triggered major negotiations, strikes and public outrage, affecting the airlines reputation in the industry.
• The state government passed legislation designed to deunionize public sector employees, limiting collective bargaining rights and implementing measures to weaken the unions' ability to represent their members, causing protests and significant political disputes.