INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Beyond the hours of 9 to 5, there are a range of networking events you can attend. Saturday brunch or evening cocktail parties may serve as the perfect backdrop to pitch a new idea or pass out your business cards. Look up networking events in your area or put out feelers at work or in your professional organization to learn about after-hours events. Having a strong social support group makes you more resilient to stress and even builds self-esteem. If you tend to flake on your loved ones due to school or work commitments, use your leisure time to hang out and nurture your existing friendships. Plan a movie night, game night, or ice cream social. Call up a few friends or family members you never get to see and invite them to join in on the fun. Connecting with those you love is a wonderful way to spend your downtime. Helping out in your local community provides you with an opportunity to connect with others, do something meaningful, and even polish your resume. Think about an area of need in your community and find out how you can be of service. You might help plan a community event, work in a homeless shelter, or pick up trash after the annual carnival. If you are searching for interesting ways to fill your free time, do something kind for someone else. Random acts of kindness show those around you that you care, and they make you feel good about yourself, too. These acts can be anything, from dropping off fresh-baked muffins to your elderly neighbor or volunteering to watch your sibling’s kids so they can go on a date. Make a list of fun ways you can give back to those around you, and aim to complete one random act each day.

SUMMARY: Expand your professional network. Invite some friends or family over. Start a volunteer commitment. Do random acts of kindness.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: To put it bluntly, most employers welcome a union like the plague. This is because it will likely cost the employer more to have a unionized work force due to the increased costs of labor and benefits associated with it. These additional costs can reduce the amount of profit the employer enjoys, meaning there may be less for them to keep. Some employers will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening; some will even resort to illegal tactics. Be prepared for animosity both from your employer and from their close confidants. Experienced union organizers can tell you exactly what to expect.  One good rule is to be especially careful not to "mess up" on the job in any way. In other words, your employer can't legally fire or punish you for trying to form a union, but if you give them any other reason to, they may jump at the opportunity. Remember that, if the organizing drive is successful, the employer will no longer be able to dictate the terms of employment, but will be obligated by law to negotiate in good faith with your union representatives. Also remember that, while the employer may try to fight unionization efforts, s/he cannot legally penalize you for trying to start a union, even if you're unsuccessful, provided you follow the law as outlined in the NLRA (see section 1). For a union to have a chance of forming, the majority of workers in your workplace will need to support it. Talk to your fellow workers - are many of them unhappy with their treatment or pay? Do any of them have reason to suspect unfairness, favoritism, or discrimination? Have many been left in dire financial straits due to cancelled benefits, etc? If most of your fellow workers seem discontented, you may have a good chance of forming a union. However, be careful where and to whom you raise the prospect of unionizing. Members of your company's management naturally have a stake in the status quo - they stand to make less money if their employees unionize. Also beware of any "favorite" employees or people who have close relationships to the management, as these people may not keep your secret. At first, try to involve only people who you know and trust. Research your industry - are there other workers in your industry (or employed by your competitors) who are unionized? Who are your strongest allies in the workplace? Who is willing to help you in your efforts to organize? Are there any local politicians or community figures who are sympathetic to your cause? Organizing a union is hard work - not only will you have to organize the union itself, but you may also need to take part in rallies and community outreach efforts. The more friends and resources you can secure early on, the greater chance you have of succeeding. As you gather allies and ammunition for your unionization effort, try to remain discrete. The farther you can get without your management learning about your plans to unionize, the better. If your union is to succeed, it needs not just the broad support of the workers in your workplace, but also a strong sense of direction provided by determined leaders. Meet with the people who have pledged their support, and, if you've appealed to a larger union, their representatives (again, you may want to do this discretely so as not to notify the management at your workplace). Decide upon a coalition of the most dedicated union supporters - in the early stages of union formation, these people will act as the leaders of the organization movement, motivating employees to take action and spearheading efforts to gain support. Next, you'll want to be able to show strong, broad support for you union to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a neutral governmental agency. This usually means getting as many workers in your workplace as possible to sign special forms called "authorization cards" declaring their desire to be represented by a union. To get the NLRB to hold an anonymous election to determine whether your workplace will unionize, you'll need 30% of the workers to sign such cards.  Note - these authorization cards must specify that, by signing, a worker is declaring his or her intention to be represented by a union. If the card says only that, by signing, the worker is declaring his or her support for a vote on the matter of unionization, they're not valid. Often, to garner support, organizing committees will throw rallies, host speakers, and distribute literature to educate workers about their rights and encourage union membership. Consider these tactics to increase support for your union. When you get at least 30% of the workers to pledge their unionization support, you can file a petition with the NLRB to hold an official election in your workplace. When it receives the petition, the NLRB will investigate to ensure the union support is genuine and wasn't coerced. If it finds that it is, the NLRB will negotiate with your employer and with your fledgling union to schedule an election. This election usually takes place at your workplace, and can take place at multiple times to ensure workers from all shifts get a chance to vote.  Note that your employer can, and often will, challenge the legitimacy of your petition and/or worker support as demonstrated by authorization cards. Note also that this process is very complicated and the procedure in these steps are simplified. Contact the NLRB for exact, specific rules, which may vary based on your employer and state. If your union wins the election, it becomes officially recognized by the NLRB. At this point, your employer must negotiate a collective contract with your union by law. During your negotiations, you'll be able to address specific workplace grievances, try to introduce new working arrangements, fight for greater pay, and more. The specifics of your contract are up to your union leadership, your employer, and, of course, you, as contracts have to approved by a union vote before they go into effect. Note that, while unions allow you to negotiate collectively, they don't guarantee your offer will be accepted by your employer. Remember that negotiation is a back-and-forth process - you may not get exactly what you want. However, rest assured that, on average, union workers make about 30% more than their non-union counterparts.

SUMMARY:
Be ready for plenty of opposition. "Feel out" your workplace. Gather information and support. Create an organizing committee. Demonstrate support for your union to the NLRB. Have an NLRB-sponsored election. Negotiate a contract.