UFCW leaders urged to embrace technology at LV meeting

Kevin Ferguson

Thursday, May 24, 2001 | 11:23 a.m.

The constantly changing landscape of the business world brought on by the Internet has created a shaky workplace environment for workers.

As a result, it's essential for union leaders to learn how the technology can benefit their members, a Harvard Business School professor told a union group Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a business strategy consultant and author of several books, said the Internet opens up "a world of chaos," partly because it allows consumers to compare prices simply by surfing the web.

"That's very threatening to companies that can't compete," Kanter said, explaining this causes employers to constantly shift the structure of their businesses to be profitable.

Kanter said today's work style is geared toward productivity, rather than stability and security for employees.

"It turns out that the best security now is the skills that workers develop in and of themselves," she said.

Kanter spoke to about 900 presidents of locals of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, which has more than 1.4 million members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The Las Vegas local is Local 711.

UFCW national communications specialist Jill Cashen of Washington D.C. said Kanter -- who normally talks to business groups -- offered messages relevant to union workers because they are affected by technology.

"Her message could be a guide for (union) local presidents in dealing with staff as well as negotiating with employers to adopt bargaining agreements," Cashen said.

She said technology has been a hot issue at grocery stores lately, because some supermarkets are deploying grocery-item scanning devices that allow customers to check out products without the need of a cashier.

"That technology threatens more than 100,000 jobs," Cashen said. "We need to ensure that technology works best for our members and the customer."

Another changing element in the workforce today, Kanter said, is the loss of employee loyalty to companies.

"You have people on the move who don't believe in lifetime employment in terms of careers," Kanter said.

She noted that mergers and acquisitions -- like Albertson's acquisition of Lucky stores -- are part of the reason that employees feel insecure about their job status.

As a result, unions have to be on top of these changes, because new management teams could alter or change employee-benefits plans, Cashen said.

"When events like that happen, it's important that the unions get the new employer to agree that the health insurance plan is not changed," Cashen said.

"With all these companies constantly moving and changing, (unions) need to be constantly on our toes and keeping communication lines open for our members."

Kanter said another way the Internet has shaken up the business world is by offering a voice to those low-level employees who normally had few, if any, chances to complain about workplace problems.

"When my team looked at how many sites are started with a company's name followed by 'sucks.com,' we found 57,000... That included Walmartsucks.com," Kanter said.

The audience erupted in laughter, because the union, including Las Vegas Local 711, is trying to organize Wal-Mart workers.

Cashen also said the UFCW uses its website (ufcw.org) as another communication channel for its members. It posts news releases and offers a link for members to send receive membership information via e-mail.

"We also get organizing leads (via e-mail) all the time from workers who are unhappy with their work environment," Cashen said.

Cashen also said the site is an effective tool for union retirees who may have been out of touch with the group and need questions answered about pension plans.

"For example, if someone worked in Seattle, but retired in Las Vegas, and the husband just died, the wife can e-mail us to get information on his pension plan," Cashen said.