Your thoughts on Unions

[Jennasis]

I kid you not, I thought the post asked what we thought about UNICORNS.

Love 'em.

 

[Kitty 34]

All I'm going to say is my DH worked as a machine operator/foreman for 30 years in a factory and never had a union. We survived nicely.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Why? It only makes sense for unions to endorse candidates that support their goals. It isn't as though anyone is obligated to vote for them... It really isn't any different from religious or social advocacy groups "telling" members which candidates best align with their world views. Why should unions stay mute, particularly lately when right-to-work (ie union-busting) is a key issue in many places?



Is that the union, though, or state laws? Educational and public sector unions in my state have essentially been neutered by anti-union laws. They can engage in collective bargaining but have no leverage, because sickouts and strikes are prohibited by law. So they can ask nicely for what the workers want/need but those requests can be readily ignored because there's no real consequence to it, and the union ends up serving little actual purpose.

To be fair, pp did not indicate how they felt about those “other” groups being involved in politics. Plus, membership in a church is much more voluntary than membership in a union.

And while it may be “okay” for a union to endorse a candidate, they on occasion get very aggressive on the matter. People shouldn’t have to tolerate that as part of their job (just as they shouldn’t have to tolerate it from their employer).

 

[BLAZEY]

Depends on the union. At one time they fought for worker protections and many still do. Some unions, however overstep and get greedy even with their membership. DH is in one, and I'm glad or he'd be working for like $15.00 with no benefits or vacation after doing the same job for 20+ years even as a trade journeyman with trade papers.

 

[dclpluto]

I don’t want a union. A union tried to get in where I work. They were defeated 209-69. This was about 6 years ago. It was IBEW . Some places need unions some places do not.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Worked in media publishing for many years. My first job was at a union property and I actually was a union steward. Properties merged and jobs were eliminated, including mine. The union was worthless. Two weeks later I landed a job at another property, same industry but was non-union. My pay was 20% higher, I had an additional week vacation to start (it took 5 years to hit 3 weeks in the union job), and the entire environment was so much better. Loved the non-union environment and was actually treated more like a human at the second job.

Looking at our current home: Our son is non union making $11.50 working part time at Best Buy during college. Our nephew is making $11.25 stocking shelves at a Walmart part time during school. Both have been at their jobs less than a year. Our soon to be daughter in law is a pharmacy tech at Kroger, a union property, making $8.90. She has been there almost 2 years. She also pays union dues.

I see no benefits for unions anymore.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I think unions were important for worker's rights, but the union leaders are just as crooked as any politician, I hate that my livelihood is in their hands!

 

[tinatark]

My current unpin gripe (I'm not part of one, but did work for one a lonnnggg time ago)... my mail carrier. Grrr! When my regular guy is off - occasional Saturdays and Mondays after weekend holidays - the sub just doesn't deliver! Well, she does deliver other people's mail to me, which makes me wonder how much of mine she dropped at other houses. I have contacted the postmaster multiple times about her... Now I understand, from my carrier, that she is getting her own route soon. She's been there "long enough", it's "her turn". Hopefully her route will not include my address!

 

[Hikergirl]

My son just got a job and has to pay union dues. I doubt that being a cashier in a grocery store really requires the "protection" of a union.

 

[ronandannette]

Sounds similar to where I live. Non-union workers do all the residential work. Commercial work is mainly done by union electricians but not always. The union electricians require 5 years of trade school (all done while you are apprenticing). Union electricians here typically make about $100,000 if the work all year.

And do the non-union guys who work residential make $12/hour?

 

[Colleen27]

Worked in media publishing for many years. My first job was at a union property and I actually was a union steward. Properties merged and jobs were eliminated, including mine. The union was worthless. Two weeks later I landed a job at another property, same industry but was non-union. My pay was 20% higher, I had an additional week vacation to start (it took 5 years to hit 3 weeks in the union job), and the entire environment was so much better. Loved the non-union environment and was actually treated more like a human at the second job.

Looking at our current home: Our son is non union making $11.50 working part time at Best Buy during college. Our nephew is making $11.25 stocking shelves at a Walmart part time during school. Both have been at their jobs less than a year. Our soon to be daughter in law is a pharmacy tech at Kroger, a union property, making $8.90. She has been there almost 2 years. She also pays union dues.

I see no benefits for unions anymore.

That's interesting. I work in media as well, at a non-union publication that shares an office (and a parent company) with a unionized paper. We make considerably less and pay considerably more for our benefits. And I've been warned that our wages are basically fixed - no routine raises, cost-of-living increases, or periodic reviews that are tied to pay. No one at my company makes a whole lot, but at least on the union side they don't actually see their pay decline as time passes.

Not all unions are created equal, that's for sure. Around me, Kroger enjoys a very good reputation as a place to work, even for part timers, that I've always attributed to the union. But around me, other retailers aren't paying $11+ either, so the differences end up being non-monetary (not getting fired for being sick, for example).

 

[Bluejn]

I grew up union, my dh is union, we believe in the union 100%. I would hate to see what would be happening at his job without one.

 

[GreatLakes]

Like most things they have good and bad aspects but I would never want to be in one. There are some aspects of unions that go against every ounce of my being, like collective bargaining. I go sit down with my boss and discuss what I think I'm worth. I am not going to tie that to some other schmuck who might not be as good as I am and am sure as heck not gong to tie my worth to seniority like some unions do. I became the youngest C-level officer in the history of my company. No way I would sit in line behind people less qualified that I am because they happened to get hired before I did.

I am also 100% against forcing anyone to join a union just to get a job. Anyone should be able to choose if they want to join or not. No union should be compulsory. If you want to join, go for it. If you don't, don't.

 

[Christine]

And do the non-union guys who work residential make $12/hour?

Yes about that much: anywhere from $12-$18 per hour. The one guy on the job who is required to have the license will get more than that.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

I'm a nurse at a non-union hospital. While we put up with a few things unionized nurses wouldn't have to, I am ok with my current job.

DH is a teacher and thank goodness he is in a union. People already think he has the easiest job in the world, board members in his town have a beef with teachers making professional salaries, and superintendents trying to make a name for themselves come and go with the newest latest greatest junk and ideas (let's completely revamp the schedule, put 30 kids in a class, and institute feel good discipline policies that never work under a different name, etc.). Without the union he'd be fired for standing up for himself, making "too much" money or not giving a kid related to town officials an "A" for walking in the door.

I understand the concerns of union abuse, however, and think they could be pulled in. While people are quick to blame teachers unions for everything wrong in the country, I believe police unions should be further scrutinized. Yes, police absolutely need a union. But the lack of accountability pushed (and often achieved) by police unions - especially city ones) is quite frightening.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

My son just got a job and has to pay union dues. I doubt that being a cashier in a grocery store really requires the "protection" of a union.

I worked in a factory my first summer before college...yes, I was a tiny 18 year old Teamster . While being in a union seems silly since I was gone in a few months, it did matter to the people that were working there for years. And honestly, their union protected fight for safety and fairness allowed me to make a decent amount of money without dropping dead from heat exhaustion or losing my hand in a machine.

 

[ronandannette]

Yes about that much: anywhere from $12-$18 per hour. The one guy on the job who is required to have the license will get more than that.

Presuming the guys (or ladies) you’re talking about aren’t red-sealed or formal apprentices, are they even eligible to join unions?

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

To be fair, pp did not indicate how they felt about those “other” groups being involved in politics. Plus, membership in a church is much more voluntary than membership in a union.

And while it may be “okay” for a union to endorse a candidate, they on occasion get very aggressive on the matter. People shouldn’t have to tolerate that as part of their job (just as they shouldn’t have to tolerate it from their employer).

I've found any pastor/priest/reverend/rabbi willing to inject politics into his sermon to be far more aggressive than a union notifying its members of who supports positions in line with their job.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I've found any pastor/priest/reverend/rabbi willing to inject politics into his sermon to be far more aggressive than a union notifying its members of who supports positions in line with their job.

Definitely. Other Unions may do things differently, but mine just sends us a postcard about 2 weeks before election day with the candidates they endorse.

 

[bdcp]

Unions let you know which candidates support them and their causes. I would think this is good to know if this is of importance to you so you can make intelligent decisions and factor this in bf deciding who you support.

I don't need a union or anyone else to tell me who supports what I do. I do my own research into the candidate themselves. It was so strange hearing someone actually say (actually two couples who were friends) "I voted for who the Union told me to" and that's a quote. We were traveling with friends and we just looked at each other. We've discussed it since and we all heard the same thing. Honestly, they weren't the brightest people we've ever met on a cruise, but I'm sorry, that was just a dumb thing to say. It wasn't that they said they voted for who supported the union or their beliefs or causes. It was a straight up voting how they were told to.