Re: WMF executives decision not to voluntarily recognize the union

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On Wed, Jul 29, 2026 at 2:49=E2=80=AFPM Jimmy Wales via Wikimedia-l <
[email protected]> wrote:

> One of the problems with the process so far is that it was
> not secret and we have heard from some staff members that they felt
> pressured because the organizers would know how they decided.  That isn't=
 a
> great process and it goes against our movement's values quite badly to ha=
ve
> people in a situation where they are pressured into something one way or
> the other.
>
> It's pretty easy to see the problem if we imagine it in the other
> direction - imagine some company asking staff to sign pledge cards not to
> join a union, and keeping track of who did or didn't in order to put
> pressure on those who didn't.  Gross.  It doesn't make it better for it t=
o
> be the other way around in my own personal view.
>

It does make it better, because your employer can fire you, but your
coworkers can't.  That's why voluntary recognition based on card checks
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_check> is legal, and the sort of
reverse-card check / informal yellow-dog contract
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-dog_contract> you describe probably
is not.

As far as movement values, our movement makes decisions in public by
default, often even when conducting formal votes.  Of course, employment at
a foundation is different from participation on a wiki, but if there is any
setting on earth where voluntary recognition is appropriate, this would
seem to be it.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">On Wed, Jul 29, 2026 at =
2:49=E2=80=AFPM Jimmy Wales via Wikimedia-l &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:wikimedia=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</=
a>&gt; wrote:</div><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_qu=
ote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,20=
4);padding-left:1ex"><div><div style=3D"font-family:Helvetica Neue,Helvetic=
a,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">One of the problems with the process so =
far is that it was<br>not secret and we have heard from some staff members =
that they felt pressured because the organizers would know how they decided=
.=C2=A0 That isn&#39;t a great process and it goes against our movement&#39=
;s values quite badly to have people in a situation where they are pressure=
d into something one way or the other.<br><br>It&#39;s pretty easy to see t=
he problem if we imagine it in the other direction - imagine some company a=
sking staff to sign pledge cards not to join a union, and keeping track of =
who did or didn&#39;t in order to put pressure on those who didn&#39;t.=C2=
=A0 Gross.=C2=A0 It doesn&#39;t make it better for it to be the other way a=
round in my own personal view.</div></div></blockquote><div><br>It does mak=
e=20
it better, because your employer can fire you, but your coworkers can&#39;t=
.=C2=A0 That&#39;s=C2=A0why voluntary recognition based on=C2=A0<a href=3D"=
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_check" target=3D"_blank">card checks</a>=
=C2=A0is legal, and the sort of reverse-card check / informal <a href=3D"ht=
tps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-dog_contract" target=3D"_blank">yellow-d=
og contract</a> you describe probably is not.<br><br>As
 far as movement values, our movement makes decisions in public by=20
default, often even when conducting formal votes.=C2=A0 Of course, employme=
nt
 at a foundation is different from participation on a wiki, but if there is=
=20
any setting on earth where voluntary recognition is appropriate, this would=
 seem to be it.</div><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div>=
<div dir=3D"ltr">
</div>


=C2=A0</div></div></div>


=C2=A0</div></div></div>
</div>

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