Building a union can be hard work with a lot of questions along the way. Below are some common "myths" about signing a card and joining our union. 

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1. I can get in trouble for signing a card, attending a meeting, or showing support. 

No.  Workers have the legal right to engage in union activities without facing retaliation from their employers. Laws and regulations protecting workers' rights to organize, join unions, and engage in collective bargaining are designed to promote fair labor practices. 
 

If an employer takes adverse actions against an employee for participating in union activities, the affected employee or the union may file an unfair labor practice complaint with the public employees labor relations board.

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2. The union is working against our district, not working as a team. 

Unions are started by a concerned group of workers who see areas of improvement and want a voice in making those changes. This is not an us versus them and in fact, we have a lot of ideas that we look forward to working with the district about. 

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3. Our school can withhold raises or other benefits from union members. 

No, a school district or administration cannot discriminate against people who are or are not union members. What a union does is ensure that workers have a seat at the table as decisions are being made. Far too often we hear that the smaller raises aren't enough to cover the cost of living in Santa Fe, this is an example of an issue our union could problem-solve with the administration. 

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4. Am I required to join?

Joining a union is 100% voluntary. Part of what makes our collective voice so strong is that it is made up of workers who have made the choice to join a union and come together to advocate for better working conditions. While your local may have a set window of when you can drop your union membership, it is not required to join.

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