The Retail EmployerMay 2009

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How Much Do Employees Really Want To Work For You?

By Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor

Fair enough question to ask, isn't it?  You could ask them but I doubt you'd get a straight answer.  One of the most telling is their on-time record.  Much like an airline, this figure shows how important your job is to them.

On a recent survey I found 50% of the people who were looking to get rid of an employee found the offenders were late by more than ten minutes and frequently much more.

When they are consistently late, I believe it is a sign your job is of secondary importance. It rarely is the last thing to happen but the first. And my motto has always been, when the mind goes the body should too.

I keep wanting to write an article, "Take your tongue out of my mouth, I’m kissing you good-bye." The gist is that oftentimes we have looked past so many clues that the employee is not happy, that when we promote them or give them a perk, they tell us they are leaving. It comes as a jolt until we look back and then see the signs.

You know they should have quit three weeks ago, you’ve seen the way they come in late or sloppily dressed and the way they treat both customers and employees. You are not helping anybody by letting them get away with it. Managing means making the tough decisions and that means helping them see when it is not a fit.

Ways to reduce tardiness:

• Hire smarter to begin with, if they are late to the interview, don’t hire them.
• Have a set standard for tardiness—3 in a month = you’re gone
• Employee reviews on a regular basis
• Awards for people being on-time for 30, 60, 90 days. Like mystery shops it is better to reward the behavior you want, than to only focus on what you don’t.

Think you may have one ready to go? You can take this simple test of whether to get rid of them.

For more information: www.retaildoc.com
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Card Check Update—Latest on EFCA

There have been some reports both in the media, and by some members of Virginia's congressional delegation that EFCA is dead, but we know that this is simply not the case.  Senators are working right now on a "compromise" version of EFCA, and while details regarding the content of the compromise are unclear, it seems apparent that organized labor is pushing harder than ever for passage of a bill that will look very similar to the original EFCA bill that was offered a couple of months ago.

While the situation is fluid, it appears that at this point, supporters of EFCA will likely drop the card check provision of the bill (which would have eliminated the secret ballot altogether), and instead would substantially narrow the time frame for an organizing election to 21 days (and thus limiting the opportunity for an employer to communicate with their employees regarding the impact unions might in the workplace).

As you know, the current bill also calls for federal arbitrators to set contracts if an employer and a new union fail to agree on a contract within 120 days.  Organized labor is fighting hard to preserve the binding arbitration provision of the bill.  It has been suggested that there may be some sort of compromise on this provision as well, but as the spokesperson for Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who is EFCA's chief patron, said, Senator Harkin, "remains confident that we can address these issues without compromising the core provisions of the bill."  This is a clear indication that the term "compromise" means the most of the objectionable provisions will remain in the bill, particularly since Senator Arlen Specter's decision to leave the Republican Party (while Specter has said he still opposed EFCA, his opposition has been highly qualified, and he has said publicly he believes a major overhaul in the nation's labor laws is, "long past due".

The Fight Continues and We Need Your Help:

We need to continue to ensure that our congressional delegation, particularly Senators Webb and Warner continue to hear a steady drum beat of opposition to EFCA.  They simply cannot think that we have forgotten about this issue, and that the compromises that are being discussed are in any way acceptable to the business community.  Here are some of the things you can do to help us:

1. Let us know about any meetings your organization is holding that would give us an opportunity to present information on EFCA.  We have a wide array of tools that will help maximize your membership's participation on this issue.
2. When you become aware that a member of the Congressional Delegation, particularly Senators Warner and Webb, are in your area, let us know immediately.  It is critically important to have people engage the members directly about EFCA on a consistent basis.
3. If you become aware of a letter to the editor or an op-ed in support of or in opposition to EFCA, please make us aware of it.  We want to respond as quickly as possible to any media hits (while creating some of our own).

Article of Interest:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124165379013293871.html

Former Senator and presidential candidate George McGovern wrote an op-ed in the Wall-Street Journal this week that we thought would be of interest to you.  Senator McGovern has been a steadfast supporter of organized labor, but he understands the danger of EFCA and has been a vocal opponent of the measure.

Next Steps:

Over the couple of weeks, we will be contacting you to discuss how Virginians for Workplace Fairness can assist you and your organization in our shared goal of defeating EFCA.  Our coalition has a wide array of media and grassroots tools, including sample letters to the editor, op-eds, and other materials that should be helpful in educating and keeping your members up to date on EFCA.

Also, see our updated Coalition member list, reflecting our new additions. 

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