So for some background, the place I work at is a factory that produces medical equipment like stints and catheters. There's been a lot of past attempts to unionize, the last big one back in 2008, but we still don't have one because HR is particularly good at appeasement.
Anyway, earlier today we had an employee meeting to air grievences (part of that whole “appeasement” thing), and during it I nervously brought up that “other companies have proposed an 8% raise in accordance with our states' inflation rate”. The HR rep said they weren't discussing it as far as they knew, and I backed off the point.
HOWEVER, after a few more comments from others, I asked if a lot of work-from-home people in HR are being made to come back to the office, though I prefaced it by mentioning how that would affect parking for us. I also mentioned how this was “in accordance with other companies”.
The important thing there wasn't finding a solution right then, the guy there didn't have the authority to give raises after all. Instead, I wanted to bring the idea into the conversation, and the minds of my coworkers (I even had someone come up to me afterwards and ask if the inlation/raise thing is true. Already my move is paying off!).
I also managed to cover my own ass and maybe sway HR closer to the workers' side, by showing the unfair treatment they're facing.
I'll let you all know how it progresses. I already have emailed the IWW asking how to proceed with unionization, and they're calling me this week. Wish me luck!