Your thoughts on Unions

[Boardwalk Jedi]

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.

Then they aren't that smart which is not the union's fault. That's no different than someone saying they voted that way because the rabbi told them to or because Trump told him to.

 

[starry_solo]

There is a time and place for unions.

I know where I work, we had to fight and file an unfair practice complaint with the state agency to get the opportunity to join the union. We are happy we joined the union because, not surprisingly, when it came time to balance the budget, the non-union workers were the first ones to get cuts in the salary and benefits. Not management, but the line workers.

 

[Hikergirl]

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.

OK, not really sure why you quoted me since I was talking about grocery store cashiers.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

OK, not really sure why you quoted me since I was talking about grocery store cashiers.

Cashiers who might not get a break, be forced to work overtime, or just have their pay cut if it weren't for unions. Some people are cashiers year round and likely get benefits due to the union. That's why I quoted you.

 

[Hikergirl]

Cashiers who might not get a break, be forced to work overtime, or just have their pay cut if it weren't for unions. Some people are cashiers year round and likely get benefits due to the union. That's why I quoted you.

OK, but none of those things IMO mean one needs protection from a union. Millions of cashiers seem to survive just fine without them.

 

[wvjules]

I think there was a time and a place for unions. Thanks to them we now have labor laws and safety regulations. However, now I believe they have mostly outlived their usefulness. I think that unions are the biggest reason that companies move manufacturing overseas. They can't afford the demands that unions here put on them. I also don't like the idea of collective bargaining. I've never belonged to a union and have done pretty well for myself. No one needs to fight any battles for me. I stand on my own merits.

 

[Christine]

OK, but none of those things IMO mean one needs protection from a union. Millions of cashiers seem to survive just fine without them.

Most of our grocery store chains around here are unionized but we have one or two which are not. The unionized cashiers start out making about $10.00 per hour and get overtime on Sunday's and holidays. The non-unionized cashiers make approximately $1 above minimum wage (which for my area is $7.25 so they get about $8.25) and they do not get overtime.

I'm not sure what the negatives are to working as a unionized cashier (maybe paying dues), not sure. But the union does seem to keep their wages up.

As for places like Target, Wal-mart etc., of course, their cashiers are not unionized and those stores seem to pay based on whatever image they want to project on how they treat their employees (I believe Target and Costco do $12 per hour).

 

[Christine]

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

I don't believe they would be allowed until they entered the apprenticeship program. They have basically learned what they are doing on the job from a residential (non-union) company.

 

[sam_gordon]

Unions are like HOAs. Some are good, some are bad. People are either for them or against them. Some truly benefit their members, others are over reaching.

My one union story is from a number of years ago. I was doing freelance work, and after a day of freelance (I think my invoice was around $500-600 including travel), I got an email from the union saying I needed to pay ~$250 to "support" the union. I replied saying I refused to pay that for working such a limited time and never heard back again. I think I ended up working for that group 1-2 times over the next year but never was asked for more money.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

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.

But, that’s not always the case. I have never had a minister inject politics into their sermons, and if I did, I could simply choose not to go anymore.

OTOH, many of my union friends have complained of non-stop brow-beating from the unions come election time.

So, like anything else in life, my personal experience isn’t yours, and yours isn’t mine.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

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.

Usually don’t think of Teamsters as factory workers. But, lots of unions have strange offshoots.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

OK, but none of those things IMO mean one needs protection from a union. Millions of cashiers seem to survive just fine without them.

You're basically saying that's not a job worthy of respect or a living wage. Frankly, there are plenty of people out there (many in high places) that would say the same of teachers, nurses, police, fire fighters, constructions workers, secretaries, and more. We have unions to protect people from bosses who think their workers do little and can be continually nickeled and dimed.

 

[Christine]

But, that’s not always the case. I have never had a minister inject politics into their sermons, and if I did, I could simply choose not to go anymore.

OTOH, many of my union friends have complained of non-stop brow-beating from the unions come election time.

So, like anything else in life, my personal experience isn’t yours, and yours isn’t mine.

Just our personal experience: we don't get "browbeat" but we do get a lot of flyers in the mail come election time. We always get a letter that tells us who they are backing and why they are doing so. We've never felt pressured at all and, honestly, sometimes I actually look forward to the flyers because is summarizes how a particular candidate (union friendly) has voted in the past and what they support as far as jobs. With my husband a union member, it's pretty good information for us to decide if we want to vote that way or not. We haven't always voted along their recommendations, depending on if other issues outweigh what I think might be done to my husband's job viability.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Usually don’t think of Teamsters as factory workers. But, lots of unions have strange offshoots.

What do you think of them as then? It was a (at least one time) Fortune 500 factory that employed machinists, line workers, stock room workers, janitors, office workers, and management.

 

[soccerdad72]

What do you think of them as then? It was a (at least one time) Fortune 500 factory that employed machinists, line workers, stock room workers, janitors, office workers, and management.

Teamsters covers so many different industries - it's not just about factory workers.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Teamsters covers so many different industries - it's not just about factory workers.

Gotcha. Due to my life events, I saw them as normally factory workers and truck drivers. Me being a teenage Teamster was likely amusing to my friends because it was the late 80s and the whole Jimmy Hoffa thing was still familiar.

 

[Hikergirl]

You're basically saying that's not a job worthy of respect or a living wage. Frankly, there are plenty of people out there (many in high places) that would say the same of teachers, nurses, police, fire fighters, constructions workers, secretaries, and more. We have unions to protect people from bosses who think their workers do little and can be continually nickeled and dimed.

No, that is basically what you are saying I am saying. Don't put your words in my mouth and then get up on some high horse.
A grocery store cashier is a minimum wage position because it requires no degree, it requires minimum skill and it can be done by children as young as 15. It is a stepping stone on the way up the retail ladder. Nowhere did I say it didn't deserve respect, I said it IMO it isn't a job position that requires the protection of unions. There are millions of cashiers that are not part of unions that do survive (as in they are not being nickled and dimed, they do their job, get paid, get their benefits and have no issues) just fine, which shows that unions are not needed for that particular position.
I'm not really sure why you want to argue, I answered the OP. If it offends you that I'm not pro union for grocery store cashiers I would suggest you just move along and find someone else to argue with about teachers, nurses, police, fire fighters because I never mentioned any of those other profession in my posts.

 

[disneychrista]

Usually don’t think of Teamsters as factory workers. But, lots of unions have strange offshoots.

Teamsters was the union at my former employer. It was the brewery & soft drink division.The unionized workers were in the manufacturing division aka factory.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

No, that is basically what you are saying I am saying. Don't put your words in my mouth and then get up on some high horse.
A grocery store cashier is a minimum wage position because it requires no degree, it requires minimum skill and it can be done by children as young as 15. It is a stepping stone on the way up the retail ladder. Nowhere did I say it didn't deserve respect, I said it IMO it isn't a job position that requires the protection of unions. There are millions of cashiers that are not part of unions that do survive (as in they are not being nickled and dimed, they do their job, get paid, get their benefits and have no issues) just fine, which shows that unions are not needed for that particular position.
I'm not really sure why you want to argue, I answered the OP. If it offends you that I'm not pro union for grocery store cashiers I would suggest you just move along and find someone else to argue with about teachers, nurses, police, fire fighters because I never mentioned any of those other profession in my posts.

I hear that excuse a lot to keep certain jobs low wage and without benefits or job protections. And I find it ironic given that many people in our grandparents generation (maybe even your grandparents themselves) did that very job and were able to make a living doing so. As for the other jobs, I was pointing that....well, it's all relative. There are plenty of people that don't think those jobs should be well paid livable jobs too.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

What do you think of them as then? It was a (at least one time) Fortune 500 factory that employed machinists, line workers, stock room workers, janitors, office workers, and management.

Generally speaking, people “think of” Teamsters as truckers & others in the transportation industry. At least I do. But, obviously that’s not all they do.