ARE YOU PRO-UNION OR ANTI-UNION?

by Mary 71 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Mary

  Would you rather work in a unionized or non-unionized environment? The place where I work recently voted 'no', we don't want a union in here (after being harassed by a very large union for the last 5 years). There were some who voted 'yes', but the majority of us voted 'no' and those that were pro-union are quite pissed off that the rest of us 'fail to see the light'.

  The thing is: I've worked in a unionized environment before and I hated it. To me, it creates a bad atmosphere between management and the employees, and I don't like the idea of possibly being out of work due to a strike. I was convinced to go to a union meeting so I did. After the one guy finished giving his speech about how a union would get rid of all our problems (kinda like the New System of Things!), I proceeded to ask all the questions they don't like to answer, such as: Who pays my bills if we go out on strike?" After fumbling a bit, he says "Well we have a wonderful set up with a financial company that would give you an interest-free loan." So I said "Soooo, not only would I not be getting my paycheque, I'd now have to borrow money to pay my bills?? Gee, why doesn't that sound very appealing to me?" He asked me what kind of a pay raise I get right now. I said "On average, about 5.5% a year." He said "We can guarantee you that!" I responded "Like hell you can----I've worked in two unionized environments before and the most we ever got was 2%"

  He gave me the evil eye and they're probably making cement shoes for me by now.

  So what do you think? Think unions are great to have or did they fill their purpose years ago? I realize there are some places that do need unions, otherwise the employees would be getting minimum wage, but I just don't see any need for one where I work.

  Your thoughts?
• 

  brinjen

  It's a grey issue all right. We had some changes made to our workplace legislation in the last couple of years, stripping unions of a lot of their power. There were many reports of people getting fired from their jobs, then offered the same position within the company back to them with a substantial pay cut. A major chain store pretty much forced their employees to sign a new agreement which took away all their penalty rates in exchange for a very generous 2cent per hour pay rise. Our newly elected government is reversing these changes.

  On the other hand, unions have become too greedy, they don't keep their members best interests at heart like they claim either. They're currently crowing at my workplace on how they've scored us a 10% pay rise, over 3 years which is no different than the pay increases we've been getting anyway.

  It would be nice to have a fair balance where both the employee and employer are fairly represented. Does anyone have this?
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  FlyingHighNow

  Sweden is 80% or near so, unionized. They have a high quality of living.

  But here? Unions aren't what they used to be. Last year I worked for Meijer and made $7.15 an hour under their union. At one time, the union made sure cashiers got fulltime and were paid a very good wage. Some of the older cashiers make $15 or more an hour. The only thing they did for me was pressure Meijer to give me my leave of absence when Andy had his accident.
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  serendipity

  I was slightly anti-union until my company started cutting benefits for it's non-union employees. The union employees kept:
  
  1. Free Health and dental insurance with low deductible. (Our deductibles went from $250 to $1000/person & coverage costs $500/person/year now. The sucky dental coverage costs $500/year for $3000 in coverage)
  2. Unlimited education benefits (our benefits are limited to $8K/year)
  3. Their pensions. (Ours were frozen, with no more contributions. I went from having a future $450K pension at age 52, to having approx. $110K.)
  4. Collectively they kept all their jobs since union employees don't get laid off. If they work over 40 hours/week, they get overtime. Non-union employees are covering multiple jobs each because nearly 40% have been laid off in the last 4 years. Of course, the workweeks are longer and there is no overtime pay or comp time.
  5. They work their one job, based on the job description. I along with 4 coworkers, were also PUT in a job that in no way,shape or form aligned with our career objectives. The job had few transferable skills inside the company. Looking at online job boards, I've found 2 jobs like that in the ENTIRE DFW metroplex. (I think that's what they call a dead-end job.)
  
  I could go on, but I think you get the picture. I"m pro-union now. Corporations are raping non-union employees. Those employees can get other jobs, but sometimes if there are health insurance considerations (or other circumstances) that's easier said than done.
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  Caedes

  Like most things, it depends, electing the right people to represent you is crucial. If the bosses and the unions work together then it can be great. But then unions here are not compulsory and even if you do join nobody will force you to strike if you don't want to.

  The majority of union work is representing members when things go wrong (disciplinary hearings, setting up fair systems for staff etc) rather than staging walkouts
• 

  5go

  Pro-Union

  Non-Union job are they reason the economy is tanking in the US. They can just fire us at a whim and then rehire us at a lower pay with no valid reason what so ever just to make better slightly profits. I have seen many of case of a poor workers doing bad jobs or stealing from an employer do to the lack of any loyalty shown from the company to the employees.

  Many non-union firms try to covering this lack of loyalty up in order to get new employees to replace the thief's and slackers. When all they have to do is either pay fare wages or consult their workforce to figure out what they need to do to get their loyalty back. Sadly many firms would rather go out of business than figure out what is bugging the workforce.
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  FlyingHighNow

  Michigan is a model. Look at what has happened here. Union busting or weakening has been going on and the economy is so dead here that people, once union and paid very well, are standing in line to work for $7.15 at McDonalds. I really wonder if the Republicans don't intend to spread the results of busting unions in Michiga around the country.
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  Mary

  seredipity said: I was slightly anti-union until my company started cutting benefits for it's non-union employees. The union employees kept [everything].

  Any chance the non-unionized employees could join the unionized employees?
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  DJK

  For the second time in my 18 years here at Kodak, a union is trying to come in. I am in favor of it this time.

  My gross income was 9K less this past year over two years ago due to pay cuts.

  Our health insurance has been switched to a cheaper outfit paying less in medical benifits and costing us more in employee contributions.

  Our severance package was reduced 25% with the 5k for retraiining being eliminated.

  Our vote will be on March 26th and 28th. Its looking good for those who are in favor and corporate knows it.

  Today we had a meeting with the new plant president who came here two weeks ago because corporate is not pleased and faults the last president with allowing conditions to get so bad. I asked the new president, "With all the buildings on site that we closed or tore down to save money, why are we reopening one of them now?" He said "We have a lot of people coming in and we need the space."

  He didn't say who the people were. We know they are lawers from S. Carolina, Georgia and New York as well as big wigs from Kodak. Corporate is scared.

  I'm scared, when I came back to my office I started looking for bugs.
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  Scully

  I have worked in non-union jobs during my JW days. I was pretty much earning minimum wage (even in an office setting where I basically ran the office), putting in unpaid overtime, being given responsibilities that I didn't want or feel were appropriate for my position, had pay increases promised for additional responsibilities but never followed through on (even when I got it in writing from my supervisor - their boss would veto it).

  I've been working in a unionized setting for the last 10 years. It's not ideal, but then again, nothing is ideal. With large sectors like health care and education, I don't want management to have the ability to make deals with favorite employees or pay people whatever the hell they feel like paying people. I like the security of knowing that a junior person is not going to get a promotion or a shift that I want. I like that I know when I accumulate a certain number of hours of seniority, I am automatically going to get my pay increase. I like that I have the option to buy into the group benefits and pension plan as a part time employee, where I'd be SOL in a non-unionized position. I like that there are terms and conditions that apply to everyone equally. I don't like that it allows slackers and malingerers to keep their jobs and collect a paycheque / benefits when they go off on sick leave for several months and then post pictures on Facebook of their vacation to Vegas or Florida.

  BTW, nurses in Ontario do not have the right to strike, and the hospitals do not have the right to institute lockouts, and I think that's one of the most beneficial clauses in our contract.