Union shop

[gnubler]

Are you or have been in one? How many employees? Did the union make any difference in the work environment? What was the money used for other than Mafia investments?

Comments, please.

[Joe]

Yes I have worked in a union shop. The good always outweighed the bad for me. I know most others here won't agree as we've had this discussion multiple times.

The last union shop I was at had about 1,300 employees in the plant where I worked.

Yes, the union made a difference. The company wouldn't have given us the benefits we had because they loved us.

The money is is used for a lot of things like running the union business, pensions, and of course the mafia.

[StudioMonkey]

Union situation is different here in UK.  Basically there was a decade of confrontation (the 70s) followed by the Thatcher government which dismantled all the heavy industries just to defeat the unions.  Result - no big unions in UK any more which is why I'm working part time on £1.50 above minimum wage.  We take what we can get and the days of 'if you don't like it you can always get another job somewhere' are well and truly gone.

[David]

being from Texas which is a "right to work state", we've had union shops around, but you did not have to join the union to work there.

and no, I've never been a union member.
other than the united union of tequila drinkers, or the UUTDs as we like to be called.
Meetings are on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

[Tracy]

I've worked Union, very large company, It was a good experience
But they are pretty much gone in San Diego.

One thing I remember, you don't do somebody else's work! :laugh:
Considering Union?

[gnubler]

other than the united union of tequila drinkers, or the UUTDs as we like to be called.
Meetings are on the 2nd Thursday of each month.

Not every night?  :laugh:

[gnubler]

I only work part time and there are no benefits. The company is so small I don't know what the point of the union is.

[delooch]

union shop here. its a good situation, frustrating at times, but without them this would be an $8.50/hr job with no benefits.

What i dont like is recently the union i belong to is supporting another union that is trying to get kicked out of the City, and i dont support the reasns behind it. I know we are going to feel the repercussions when its our contract time, its not legal, but thats reality.

ive been in non-union shops before. wasnt a bad situation but im one of those types that do what it takes/required. once i was bumped from press-op to csr for a few weeks to cover short staffing, didnt like that shit at all, was told i could leave if wouldnt do it.  I did it, eventually got back on the presses.  It didnt kill me, but i wasnt going to quit over it either. that would NEVER happen in a union shop.

[DigiCorn]

My personal opinion is: fuck unions. Unions are a ruse to drive up costs so that lazy fucks can be paid for not working, and not be fired for their lack of drive.

My wife is in a union. She's a lazy fuck, and complains constantly about all the other lazy fucks she works with. She calls in sick at least twice a month, and can not be fired for it. She makes about 2.5 times what I make, with full benefits that cover me and the kid, and twice the paid vacation time.

Do I personally gain from it? Yes. But I also see the benefits of unions. Without unions, people might be forced to work 80 hours a week, could be fired for no reason, and never have access to healthcare. Without unions, workplaces could have unsafe conditions, and could have no liability. Without unions we might not have a minimum wage.

Why can't there be a happy medium?

[delooch]

My personal opinion is: fuck unions. Unions are a ruse to drive up costs so that lazy fucks can be paid for not working, and not be fired for their lack of drive. TRUE

My wife is in a union. She's a lazy fuck, and complains constantly about all the other lazy fucks she works with. She calls in sick at least twice a month, and can not be fired for it. She makes about 2.5 times what I make, with full benefits that cover me and the kid, and twice the paid vacation time. YOURE JEALOUS

Do I personally gain from it? Yes. But I also see the benefits of unions. Without unions, people might be forced to work 80 hours a week, could be fired for no reason, and never have access to healthcare. Without unions, workplaces could have unsafe conditions, and could have no liability. Without unions we might not have a minimum wage. AGREED

Why can't there be a happy medium?

[gnubler]

She's a lazy fuck

Quiet, you! Earendil spilled enough TMI about his wife, we do not need to hear more.

[t-pat]

wow.

[Farabomb]

I have one friend that has only worked in a union shop. He's a stand up guy and isn't a sausage. He works hard and busts the ass of his co workers is they are not pulling their weight.

I have another friend that has only worked in a union shop. He's the laziest sausage I know. Arrogant, respects nobody, keeps pulling the "I've been here the longest" shit. Doesn't learn more than the bare minimum and won't take initiative to make himself more worthy to the company. Why? because of unions, he doesn't have to.

I really think the unions aren't the problem. If the person is lazy at heart he's doing to be, union or not. I do think the union does enable the lazy to embed themselves into the workforce but that's not the union's fault.

[Joe]

My personal opinion is: fuck unions. Unions are a ruse to drive up costs so that lazy fucks can be paid for not working, and not be fired for their lack of drive.

My wife is in a union. She's a lazy fuck, and complains constantly about all the other lazy fucks she works with. She calls in sick at least twice a month, and can not be fired for it. She makes about 2.5 times what I make, with full benefits that cover me and the kid, and twice the paid vacation time.

Do I personally gain from it? Yes. But I also see the benefits of unions. Without unions, people might be forced to work 80 hours a week, could be fired for no reason, and never have access to healthcare. Without unions, workplaces could have unsafe conditions, and could have no liability. Without unions we might not have a minimum wage.

Why can't there be a happy medium?

wow.

Double wow.

[Skryber]

I worked in a union shop before IN was right to work. It is now. Bunch of shills there. Owner was shop steward so nothing was ever voted on. The bindery and press/prepress used to be separate and they merged. Then in about 2004 or 2005 GCUI merged with teamsters. I was not union. I shouldn't have touched union jobs and my husband tried doing something about it. But because of the shills and useless (IMO) union GCIU local 458, nothing could be done. I gave him all the evidence he needed but only to prove my point that his union was a giant load of bullshit. I told him I'd do a cartwheel over a picket line. I already knew about the corruption because my boss would wave it under my nose and strut around like a fucking peacock about it. We hired people who were tenuous with the union for moonlighting and other things and paid them under the table. There was no secret to any of this. They did, however, make Jer's feeder shop steward. Contract time came and it was a disaster. No one would strike, Jer and his feeder got the hell out of there. There they wanted the union jobs but didn't want the union nonsense to go along with it. I was happy being in control of my own wages. (Back when we were getting paid.)
I wouldn't want to work for a union shop because of many reasons. Union dues can go to politicians I may not agree with. Teamsters are notorious for stealing your pension. No control of your individual wage. Politics. Government. Corruption. Oppression. This is why I'm for right to work. You can still choose to hire/join union but you aren't forced into it.