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Responses to: Why Is It Volunteers vs. Labor Unions?

Using Susan's task vs. job viewpoint is an excellent way to alleviate fears in a non-union environment as well. It is quite true that volunteers are responsible for components of a job not the entire job. The needs of stakeholders, in particular clients, should indeed be the foundation of determining what gets done by whom. Whenever I have used this as the focus in discussing utilizing volunteers in new areas with staff, it seems to click for them.

Submitted by Georgean Johnson-Coffey, Volunteer Services Manager, Allen County Public Library, USA

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I think it is dangerous and potentially unreasonably divisive to generalize. Certainly, in the UK, attitudes of individual unions, individual union members and the experience of individual volunteer-based services vary dramatically. There is no "unified" union response in many situations, though, certainly, historically, union concerns regarding volunteer workforces potentially replacing paid labour have been raised.

I personally feel that these concerns are healthy and play an important part in ensuring that organizations do not simply fall into the trap of abusing volunteers. By having to be mindful of the fundamental differences of paid and unpaid work, I feel that organizations may learn to be more respectful of the input of volunteers.

Furthermore, I do not think it is helpful to view labour union responses as unreasonable: in an ideal world, I do believe that volunteers should be paid for the work they undertake, appropriate to the level of skill, experience and qualification. Obviously, though, in many situations, volunteer-based responses exist because no funded option is available, likely or even appropriate. However, to see union concerns as "unhelpful" or "unreasonable" is to negate some of the fundamental ground gained - and currently under threat in many parts of the world- made by unions to ensure reasonable working conditions.

In the UK, some unions will recognize volunteers, trainees and students as a valid part of the labour market and welcome volunteers' efforts to organize in the same way as organized labour. This I think is an admirable solution to the problem of division. Ironically, however, many charities actually don't want their volunteers to organize. No surprise then that the "myth" of antagonistic unions is able to be perpetuated, after all, who except the unreasonable would see the willingness of people to work for free, for noble causes, as wrong or problematic?

No. Herein, I think, is the ridiculousness: your article is distinctly anti-union, emphasizing the historic benefits which volunteers have played in unionism, implying some kind of debt which should repaid how? By shutting up and leaving the concept of volunteering uncriticized? Does it not occur that, perhaps, now, unions could offer something to volunteers.

As to the idea that volunteers' work does not represent a risk to paid posts - they perform tasks, not jobs, you say- this is truly nonsense. Of course volunteers' work represents a risk to paid work and presents existing power structures with vast opportunities for exploitation. This is exactly why, we feel, that managers and leaders of volunteer-based services should, at a strategic level, be acting as conciliators between volunteer workforces and labour unions, encouraging formal acceptance of volunteer unions and negotiating, as organizations, appropriately. Or, as I often wonder, is there really any longer any difference in the relationship between the management of many volunteer services and good old fashioned factory managers?

Submitted by Ken Pratt, Drug & Alcohol Resources & Training Exchange, England

Susan's Response

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I'm intrigued with the Union issue - I never had one at City Hall - we never replaced a paid job and we didn't interfere with union work, unless the unionized paid staff requested it - ie., clerical support - but, it sounds like others have had some issues. Your points make sense to me, but you always have, Susan. Thanks for the site and the work.

Sarah Elliston, UW Vol. Resource Center, Cincinnati, Ohio USA

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The union topic is especially pertinent for me. It seems that few of the leaders in our field are willing to lay the hard truths out there, so we're lucky to have you. I hope to be able to do some of that one day. Thanks for more to think about.

Melissa Eystad, Department of Human Services, State of Minnesota, USA

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