There is a reason unions exist. It’s partly to protect employees from unfair treatment and unhealthy hours and conditions.

But sometimes you can overcome this without a union. See how this worker’s actions made things better for them all.

Start 30 minutes later to save company money? Ok.

At one of the factories I worked at, we had a shift overlap. Each shift was there for 8.5 hours, with a half hour unpaid lunch. We had a half hour on shift change to tell the incoming shift what was going on with the machines.

A bean counter figured out how much money could be saved with this ‘unnecessary’ half hour hand over time being cut.

The result was messed up.

This also cut our workday to 7.5 paid hours.

They told the lead men to coordinate the shift handover, even though there was too much information for one person to handle.

So I strolled onto the production floor at my new assigned start time. Machines were all down. Operators wait for me (a set up operator) and the lead man to discuss what needed to be done. Instead of machines running continuously, they were shut down for at least a half hour.

My lead man furiously asked me why I didn’t come in earlier. I told him I don’t work for free.

Their efforts started to bare fruit.

Naturally, my approach to the new way spread to the other shifts and suddenly people who always came in early decided they didn’t want to work for free either.

The factory production levels dropped. Upper management asked why.

Several fingers were pointed at me for starting the rebellion, but nothing could be done to make us work for free.

A week later, our hours were changed back.

Here is what people are saying.

Not every company, but a lot.

Haha probably. Now they need consultants for crisis communications. Ha.

Tale as old as time.

I can’t say I care.

I hope they pursue this!

We all have power.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.