The email contents are italicized below.
Employees at the large Buffalo, NY GEICO office have begun organizing a union. Recently, pamphlets were dropped off at some employees’ homes in regards to the union and talks were had. As licensed insurance agents, employees’ addresses are publicly available. Below is the office-wide email from a GEICO VP meant to instill fear into the Buffalo workers.
This is GEICO’s first steps toward union busting. I would like to make this “friendly language, anti-union” email public knowledge. It may not break specific laws, but its message is clear. And this is only their first communication on the union effort.
The email:
Several GEICO associates in Buffalo have reported receiving uninvited visits to their homes by representatives asking them to sign documents supporting a union. To be clear, GEICO has not given your personal information to anyone. We also want to give you accurate information regarding your rights if you receive an unexpected visit:
1. GEICO has not authorized any home visits from union representatives, and you are not required to speak with them. Additionally, GEICO has not given any associate's home address to any individuals associated with a union. If you feel uncomfortable about an uninvited visitor showing up at your home, or if you have experienced any form of intimidation or harassment, you have every right to contact the police.
2. We're unaware how anyone making unannounced home visits obtained GEICO associate home addresses. However, if a union obtains enough associate signatures to file a petition to represent you, GEICO would not be able to keep your personal contact information private. Federal regulations would require GEICO to provide your personal home address – and available email and cell phone numbers – to the government AND to whatever union is attempting to be your exclusive representative.
3. Do not sign anything without knowing the legal consequences. No associate should sign documents, cards, petitions, or anything else just because someone asks you to do so. Union representation can involve dues being deducted from your pay, giving up personal rights, and losing the ability to deal directly with your management on workplace issues. You have a lot to contribute on your own, and we believe everyone benefits when associates can deal directly with their management – without a third party in the middle of that relationship.
We continue to be committed to addressing matters that are important to all associates and creating a workplace that inspires everybody to reach their full potential and build rewarding careers. We support associates' rights to make their own decisions when it comes to union issues.
However, it's worth noting that outside of the government, more than 93 percent of all employees in this country remain nonunion. We sincerely appreciate the dedication you bring to your roles and can't thank you enough for the contributions you make every day. If you have questions or want to talk about these issues, please let us know.
I will be succinct in saying GEICO’s management has made increasingly unpopular decisions since the pandemic and many associates are, to put it mildly, discontented.
I do not want them to be able to begin anti-union activities unnoticed, so I am sharing this here. Apologies for the long post.