Community relations won’t stop a labor union

We have a strong community relations program that prefers hiring workers within the vicinity of our factory. Our human resources (HR) manager says it’s a strategy to prevent people from organizing a labor union. Is that correct? — Arctic Owl.

​Contrary to the belief of your HR manager, there’s no assurance that having a “strong” community relations could prevent workers from organizing a union. Besides, that statement coming from an HR manager crosses into union avoidance and therefore, an illegal strategy.

​But then, how strong is “strong,” exactly? Do you have an attractive scholarship for deserving college students? Do you have a medical mission for the residents or a feeding program for its malnourished children?

​How about funding a self-managed cooperative to augment the income of the workers’ families? Does the program include the construction of a basketball court or the repainting of the barangay hall? The list is endless.

​On paper, those interventions could help organizations be endeared to the residents but not enough to prevent unions from coming in. At its best, your program could only merit regular standing ovation from barangay officials, the parish priest, and grateful residents, but not to labor officials.

​The hard truth is that those “strong” interventions may not be enough. They can’t be used to solve the issues of an unhappy workforce that may even think that hiring locals is best suited to solve their commuting woes and ensure the success of the perfect attendance award.

​Indeed, a community relations program is good public relations, but they don’t substitute for genuine and strong employee relations. A company may build goodwill outside its gate, but if massive discontent brews inside, union organizers will find it easy to talk to willing ears.

TWO WORLDS
​Many HR executives proudly speak of a “strong” community relations making the company visible and admired. That reflects an overly narrow mindset. They create a sense that management cares about its social footprint without realizing that their employees live in two worlds — one outside the factory where they’re part of the local community.

​And another world inside the factory where they must dutifully clock in like robots, reluctantly follow toxic supervisors, earn their minimum wage while working in an unsafe and dirty environment. Or even wait for the late release of their 13^th month pay.

​That means if their inside world feels unfair, unhealthy, and managed by dismissive managers, the outside kindness loses its meaning no matter how HR perceives it to be “strong.”

​Labor unions don’t appear out of thin air. They grow in the cracks of organizational neglect. When management ignores complaints, when supervisors bark orders more than they coach, when promotions seem unfair, and when wages lag behind — workers are bound to talk. And when they talk, they organize to protect their interests.

​Joining a union is driven by frustration. Employees who feel powerless create collective power.​ If management thinks a “good image” in the community will immunize the company from this reality, then they’re wrong because low morale takes precedence over a cosmetic community relations program.

​One important caveat, unions are often supported by federations that target strategic employers and not the internally “neglected” workforce with few disgruntled people.

DUAL STRATEGY
​Organizations can only progress if they fully understand that employee relations and community relations are two sides of the same coin. That means, but cannot replace, each other. If your organization wants to succeed in creating a high-morale and productive workforce, you should create a dual strategy where management is trusted inside and out its territorial boundaries.

​One, treat employees as partners, not just payroll numbers. Offer fair wages, have a proactive two-way communication and participative decision-making process. Create a grievance system that works — not one that buries or ignores complaints. Celebrate small wins publicly and solve problems privately before they escalate.

​Two, strengthen authentic community partnership. Support local schools, health programs, and small businesses. Be transparent about environmental practices. Then require, if not allow volunteer opportunities for employees so that the company’s goodwill includes them as active participants, not passive observers.

​When both fronts are aligned, employees take pride in where they work — and the community respects where they work. That’s how a company builds genuine loyalty, not a faint applause. The lesson is clear: you can’t outsource industrial peace by doing community projects.

ALIGNING THE TWO
​For community relations to help indirectly with labor stability, it must include employees in the narrative. That means designing community relations and employee relations as one basic program making workers feel proud contributors, not passive bystanders. A good example is when employee volunteers lead school outreach programs.

​Then, publicly recognize their participation, not just the company’s donation. This approach blurs the artificial wall between “inside” and “outside.” When employees see that their employer walks the talk, the relationship becomes more authentic.

​In today’s business landscape, goodwill has two addresses: one in the community and one on the factory floor. Ignore either, and you’ll end up in deep trouble.

Consult Rey Elbo for free. E-mail [email protected] or DM him on Facebook, LinkedIn, X or via https://reyelbo.com. Anonymity is guaranteed, if requested.