I'm in the unfortunate position of trying to get a union going at a site that's remote work from home. We use Microsoft teams/outlook to chat and talk so anything said is recorded and looked into. It's the only way we have to connect with each other. I'm wondering if anyone could point me to something that could help with trying to form unions in this environment, or if they had any experience with a remote situation like this.
My current plan is to create an off site Facebook group that's not officially connected to work. And slowly invite people under the pretense that it's a social thing to replace the work place water cooler so to speak since we no longer have a central office. Then when we get enough people we start discussing unions and testing the water. I just worry messaging folks with links to FB groups is gonna lead to some sort of trouble since we have to communicate via work chat. I'm in the process of social engineering getting permission to send out a mass email for it under the above pretense, but it could take months to get approval.
Can anyone think of anything else? Everytime the chatrooms we are all in turn to how shit we are treated/paid we all seem to agree we need change. So I feel like if the ball could start rolling there's interest there. But I know no one ever wants to be the one who takes the first step. So I have been trying to do it. But I have been coming up with blanks on how to proceed.
Any advice or tips would help. I feel like I'm stuck where I'm at. And short of just sending PM to people asking if they want to join a union I don't know what else to do. I have already talked to agents from UFCW who have helped form many unions, a few even in my province, but they haven't been much help. Basically telling me I'm fucked and good luck. You're trying to do the nearly impossible on top of something that's not been done before. Call back if I get something formed! Which has made me super depressed to think about, but it's also really fucking inspired me to make it happen. Because fuck them. And fuck the company. I
I'm probably just gonna end up fired, but I have to try. We need change.