What is union salting?
✅ Ask Us: “Look out for salters? What does that even mean?” sent in anonymously, fast food HRBP.
An excerpt from “Anticipate!” ©️written by Thornton Mason.
“Union salting refers to a practice in labor organizing where experienced union organizers, known as "salt organizers," get themselves hired by companies with the intention of unionizing their workforce from the inside.
These organizers blend in with the regular workforce and build support for unionization among non-union employees.
The term "salt" comes from the idea of sprinkling a small amount of something (the organizer) to influence a larger context (the workforce).
This practice is controversial and subject to various labor laws (such as the National Labor Relations Act, non-discrimination laws) and numerous regulations (such as National Labor Relations Board decisions) - few of which favor employers.
And while many believe this is an ancient union tactic relegated to the distant past, in recent years salting has been dusted off and used widely, particularly with smaller, decentralized workplaces like chain coffee shops.”
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