Bumper Stickers

[saleen556]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?oregon

Not sure why my post didn't go through.

I work in a union public transit shop. A coworker was sent home today for refusing to remove a bumper sticker from his toolbox. The sticker reads "the trimet way screwing our employees is how we roll"

There has been a contract dispute since 2009. This is the reason behind the stickers.

Can the company force you to remove these? The union sent out a memo a week ago and said they were ok to have.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

Depends on whether such brilliance is covered by the union contract. If so, what it says rules. If not, they are perfectly within their rights.

 

[disneykid52]

Maybe it should be on his "bumper" not his tool box

 

[ecmst12]

That would be a question for the union. But probably not a great choice to antagonize things in the workplace. Keeping the sticker on the car would actually be a better choice.

 

[xylene]

And I'm a pro union guy!

Keep up the shenanigans and the puerile and infantile bull hockey, and quick as you can say "The non-union working class voted for Romney and Ryan" your union will be a historical artifact of the 20th century.

"Sent home"

I would never be insolent and disrespectful to my employers and my clients - even if I didn't have the luxury of knowing at worst it would give me an unpaid day off.

Looking like so unprofessional...

It is really hard to ask people to defend your 'right' to indefensible workplace conduct

Next time try a polite "Fair Contract Now" sticker...

Something non-union people who could lose their job AT ANY MOMENT AND ANY TIME might think was reasonable workplace conduct, not an odious slur.

 

[cbg]

There are two different answer to this question; the answer under the law, and the answer under your contract.

Under Federal law and the laws of 48 states, your employer can require that you remove them, and even in the two remaining states it's not impossible that they legally could require the removal, depending on circumstances. Political affiliation is not protected except in California, New York, and to a certain degree in Washington DC. The employer can require that no political statements be made on the premises as long as they are consistant across the board and do not single out one position or another.

It is possible that under your union contract, the employer may NOT require the removal. But since no one here has read your contract, no one here can say for certain.

Since it does not violate the law, it then becomes a union issue, as has already been said. You'll have to take it up with them.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Your coworker is free to file a grievance based on the company violating his seniority by sending him home. He can request the lost wages. The company can pay or it will be heard locally. As you say the union said it was okay, the employee will have one side of the local meeting agree with him. The company is free to present their view of what article they were exercising, when they sent him home. This will escalate it to the regional level, where it will again be considered by a larger committee. They will either find for the employee or the company. If they do not reach an agreement, it will be escalated to the next level. The employee will likely be forced to remove the sticker, pending the outcome of the grievance.

 

[commentator]

Is this a hill he wants to die on? Oh come on now! This amount of wasting time going through the process is probably one of the reasons the contract hasn't been approved yet, and one of the reasons there is some real public dissatisfaction with labor unions right now. And i also, am generally pro-union. But people who do have a union can certainly get ****y about their rights and privileges real quick.

 

[Beth3]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?oregon

Not sure why my post didn't go through.

I work in a union public transit shop. A coworker was sent home today for refusing to remove a bumper sticker from his toolbox. The sticker reads "the trimet way screwing our employees is how we roll"

There has been a contract dispute since 2009. This is the reason behind the stickers.

Can the company force you to remove these? The union sent out a memo a week ago and said they were ok to have.

Appararently your co-worker is not familiar with the adage "don't bite the hand that feeds you."