Labor Unions???

labor unions...curious what everyone's views are on them i'm debating joining the AFGE local at my company and i see a lot of negatives and only a few positives. the view i have right now is that they can take you from 23.00 an hour to 23.30. please offer opinions

Worked 26 years in a labor union and was able to retire at the age of 47 with a good pension and medical benefits that were negotiated for over the years. I feel that if all employers were willing to treat their employees fair and provide them with a decent wage and benefit package unions would not be needed, unfortunately that is not the case most of the time.

Man where in the heck did you guys work?? Seriously,I am looking for a job possibly pipeline work,natural gas line work etc.
If you guys (or anybody reading this)could get me on somewhere that pays $25.00-$30.00 an hour I would be very interested in some info. Thanks.

That rate is probably what you get in the envelope, look at the hidden money, pension, annuity, medical, vacation. Me personally think they're great.

I live in what used to be a large General Motors town.....the plants are either all gone, moved to mexico, or demolished. This town is nothing like it once was.

What I saw was the unions making sure no drunks, ghost employees, or lazy-arses were fired, not to mention they skyrocketed the price of GM cars......now they're (GM) reaping what the unions sowed for them...........

ST

I worked with a union for several years. I understand the negative point of view however because someone joins a union doesn't mean they should not be held accountable for their actions. The union offers a great benefit in that you have your wages and benefits handled for you. When a contract is put in place the membership votes on if it will be accepted or not. I think a common problem with non union and young union help is the people only see it as paying to work and don't understand the benefit it affords them. I have been on both sides and I will take union over non union anytime. Many Unions suffer because the newer membership does not understand the wisdom of the old timers.For instance, the last contract I was involved in, the new membership wanted to leave the pension plan for a 401k plan. The argument was that they would like to manage there own money because they felt they could do better than the union. In some case this was true however most of the young guys don't understand investing and therefore can't do a better than a union pension plan,(which was pretty good) How about this- Let's say for some reason there is a strike. part of the union dues go to a strike benefit fund that is dispersed to the membership in the event of a strike. I guess I am trying to say that there is more to union labor than you might think please look more deeply into it before you decide. I hope this helps...

And lets keep this topic on topic. I have seen this topic get out of hand Every single time on the other forums.

I agree with Jim.

Politics, religion and talking about the union are all surefire knockdown dragout topics.

I am sure that at one point in time, they served a very useful purpose.

That being said, I've been around unions my entire career. My momma always told me "if you don't have anything good to say, just don't say anything".

Well....... :-#

my company was union free for over 100 years I was not in favor of a union for my first 15 years with the company. the pro union guys said we need to protect what we have or the company will take it away.. I always felt they were wrong.
Well I now py 25% of my medical coverage and get less benifits for that same money. I lost 2 sick days. our management sneaks around trying to catch you doin something wrong they use selective enforcement of rules to take care of certian guys.
We voted in the ibew and after 2 years we now have a contract and things seem to be better.. perfect??? no but at least i know the company cant change the rules for the next 3 years

Wayne

Its good if the work force is good, from my expeirance.

If the work force is bad, then it can put a bad taste in ya mouth.

Not to mention you doing Heck of a job and being past up on promotions due to seniority #-o Nothen worse than working next to a joker thats half your out put, but he moves on. Unions are Black and white issues, they are not gray. So whats said is said and done is done

Most all believe that a union is in due to unfair polocies from an employer, well one employer I know was a window fabricator and a trucking union was trying to get in? Just so happens I know a few on this local union board and it was more of a loss of dues that they needed to get back by getting into another market.

Only thing is ya never know untill ya work it. as for pensions and such thats what they are known for, so history speeks itself here.

I have a dad(pops is forced retired from an accident that Union did not stand by, so he had to sue both parties and won) and uncles in a trucker union, a brother in a painting union and another Uncle in weld union.

You'll have die hard fans of them and some who will never work for a union again :|

Same ol' story is GRASS ANI'T ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Union is politics and its a very dangerous subject on non related boards
Jim will or should lock this down by the 2cnd page :wink:

i guess i understand it a little better, but my employer is the federal goverment, and i'm a helicopter electrician kentucky, so being the goverment, we don't strike, or negotiate contracts, all they seem to do is protect the people who deserve to be fired and hold down the people who deserve to get promoted. people at my job have this mentality that they have the right to this job regardless of their actions or performance.

If you're a union member, and get laid-off......isn't it against the "rules" for you to take a non-union job in order to pay your bills? Also, the same GM employees here who retire.....have their contracts re-negotiated & constantly lose benefits.

ST

Unions are good if you work for the union management and questionable if you are a union member.

Kinda like politics. #-o

ya my grandparents both retired from GM in Michigan and they're in their 70's now and losing all there health benifits...hey thanks for 30 years, how does that happen???

There are lost of forums devoted to this sort of debate - heck I even give legal advice on a few


TinBoats is not one of them - I suggest we stick with fishing, boating and making fun of Bass Addict!

I agree with Capt. Ahab (except for making fun of BA :lol: :lol: ), Ive seen this subject on other sites turn very ugly, so lets talk about the one that got away.

I don't understand why certain everyday issues in life are so "taboo" to some people, and I sure didn't see anyone getting bent out of shape. Life revolves around more than fish & boats. Don't matter to me....I'll never be a member of one :wink:

ST

SlimeTime said:

Life revolves around more than fish & boats.

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No it don't.

Victor Coar said:

SlimeTime said:

Life revolves around more than fish & boats.

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No it don't.

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lol.....in a perfect world :wink:

ST