Unions Q&A

A union is an organization that represents employees in the workplace and is funded through membership dues collected from members’ paychecks. If a union is voted in, every eligible employee will be required to work under the rules of the union contract, even if they voted no. While unions may promise to pursue higher pay, better benefits and greater job security, it’s important to understand that these outcomes are not guaranteed. Any changes must be negotiated with the employer, and the final results often differ from what was initially proposed. As a result of negotiations, you and your family could end up with more, the same or less than what you currently have here at Mud Bay.

With a union, terms and conditions of your employment such as pay, work schedules, benefits and other items must be negotiated through a process called collective bargaining, which happens between a union and an employer. Collective bargaining is a complex, time-consuming process that, on average, takes over a year to complete. 

If you are represented by a union, you’d be expected to comply with two sets of rules:  

1. The contract, which could determine new rules regarding scheduling, seniority, time off from work and other things that affect your day-to-day work.
2. United Food and Commercial Workers rules as outlined in the union’s Constitution and Bylaws. 

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent federal agency responsible for enforcing U.S. labor laws related to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices. The NLRB investigates allegations of wrong-doing brought by workers, unions, or employers, conducting elections, and deciding and resolving cases. 

Established in 1979, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO based in Washington, DC. The members of UFCW Local 3000 are 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis, & other industries across Washington state, north-east Oregon and northern Idaho. UFCW does not represent any pet store locations. 

No. A union may be able to help an employee challenge a disciplinary action or termination through a grievance process, but it cannot guarantee you will get your job back or that the discipline will be reversed. 

They may.

UFCW union organizers have the legal right to communicate with employees about union representation and may contact employees by phone, email, mail or even in person, including visiting you at your home. Mud Bay employees have the right to decide whether they want to engage in those conversations. NLRB rules require Mud Bay to provide employee contact information. 

In a union election, you have the choice to decide whether you want to pay for a union to speak for you in collective bargaining with Mud Bay. 

Union elections are decided by a majority of the votes cast. Not of the total employees who work at Mud Bay, but those who showed up to vote.  

If you don’t vote, you’re giving up your voice to those who do. 

Yes. Your vote is entirely private, and nobody, not even the UFCW or Mud Bay, will know who you voted for unless you choose to tell them. Your vote is your choice, and your choice alone.   

Yes, you can still vote no and we hope you do! Signing an authorization card does not force you to vote a certain way. You are still legally and morally free to vote NO.  

Yes, but the process is extensive and time restricted from happening 1-3 years after the union is certified. If there is no collective bargaining agreement in place after one year, members of the bargaining unit can petition the NLRB to conduct an election to potentially remove, or decertify, the union. There’s no guarantee the NLRB would grant that petition. 

If the union wins the election, it becomes the representative for all employees in the bargaining unit, including employees who voted against union representation or did not vote. 

The result of the election impacts everyone, so it is very important to use your voice and VOTE. 

Collective bargaining is a process through which an employer and a union negotiate a contract on the terms and conditions of your employment, such as:

• Pay
• Benefits
• Work schedules
• Other workplace adjustments

UFCW may make promises or comparisons to other retail stores to get your vote, but Mud Bay is not required to agree to any specific proposals from the union. Collective bargaining is a complex process that is time intensive and on average takes over a year to get to a first contract. As a result of negotiations, you and your family could end up with more, the same or less than what you currently have here at Mud Bay.

Voting for a union does not guarantee higher compensation or benefits. A union can promise anything during campaigning. While both sides have a legal obligation to bargain in good faith, neither side is required to agree to any particular proposal.

Based on UFCW’s financial report, an employee could pay between $864 and $3,240 in dues over the course of a typical 3-year contract, depending on their wage.¹ Muddies may also be required to pay an initiation fee of anywhere between $30 and $250. Those expenses could otherwise be used for your personal priorities such as:

• Housing or rent
• Groceries
• Car payments or gas
• Vacations
• Gifts for special occasions
• Savings and personal goals

¹ United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 3000. (2025). Labor organization annual report (Form LM-2) (File No. 543-341). U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=939918&rptForm=LM2Form

It’s important to be aware that union representation does not come with guaranteed outcomes related to pay or benefits. The union can use your money to support issues that have nothing to do with representing you in the workplace such as political activities and lobbying.