According to Dessler (2008), supervisors are in the best position to discover the first signs of union activity therefore they are considered as the employer’s first line of defense when it comes to the unionizing effort. The supervisors’ decisions and actions may affect or inspire unionization. Without special training, supervisors can hurt the company’s union-related efforts. Therefore, supervisors should be knowledgeable about:
− Actions and practices that drive employees to form a union
− Early signs of union-organizing attempt
− Counter-attack
− Things that can and cannot do to hamper organizing activities

DiNome & Barras (n.d.) listed the actions of the supervisors that drive or inspire the employees to organize a union.
1. Failure …show more content…
Failure to convince the employees that wages and benefits are fair and competitive
6. Failure to acknowledge achievements or to give recognition when due
7. Unawareness of employee’s concerns before they become issues.
8. Lack of courtesy and respect
9. Inability to treat employees equally
10. Inability to motivate employees to work toward common goal

DiNome & Barras (n.d.) also made a checklist of early signs of a union-organizing attempt.
1. Noticeable increase in casual employee gatherings (tendency to stop talking when supervisors approach)
2. Employees seem uncommonly busy during breaks, before or after work, and during lunch hour
3. Discussions of informal employee “get together” after hours
4. Nature of employee complaints changes and becomes noticeably more or less frequent
5. Complaints/concerns presented by a delegation instead of individual employees
6. Employees begin using terms like job security, duty to bargain and right to representation
7. Sudden changes in employee attitudes, coupled with reluctance to talk or to deal openly with management
8. Unknown individuals appearing at facility and conferring with groups of employees
9. Personal visit, telephone call or registered letter from a union representative
10. Anti-company …show more content…
Publicize open-door policy

Dessler (2008) enumerated what the supervisors can and cannot do with respect to unionization. The acronyms TIPS and FORE are used to help the supervisors remember what not to do and what may do. To remember what not to do, use TIPS – this stands for Threaten, Interrogate, Promise and Spy. To remember what may do, use FORE – this stands for Facts, Opinion, Rules and Experience.

According to Dessler (2008), supervisors should NEVER:
− Threaten or imply that the company will take adverse action of any kind.
− Interrogate or ask employees their position concerning unions.
− Promise employees a pay increase, special favors, better benefits or promotion.
− Spy at any union activities or attend a union meeting, even if invited.

Dessler (2008) also added that supervisors MAY TELL:
− Facts about the authorization card
− Opinions about the management’s belief in having an open-door policy to air grievances
− Rules or laws regarding strike or negotiations.
− Experience that he or she may have had with a union.

Failure of the supervisors to do the TIPS practices, may result in finding of “unfair labor practices” which may in turn result in recognition of a union without election, as well as fines for the company (Dessler, 2008). In short, supervisors should avoid unfair labor practices as these