Union Members Unite!

I'm sure there are some good unions and some bad. Probably a safe bet to say the Twinkies and auto unions are crappy. If your demands cause your company to go under then you're retarded. On the flip side I have no problem with workers getting together to get what is deserved based on the competition.


Oh, and this thread escalated quickly. Some of the stuff in here is ridiculous, "I don't want to get fired if I deserve to get fired", "I'm pissed because people have died for unions!", ect.... Get real guys

 

A guy who has paid his dues for 15 + years and comes in hungover and takes a breathalyzer and fails (under a zero tolerance policy, If he's way over its a different story) doesn't deserve to lose his job. That's where a union comes in handy and you have people to help you through the process.

 

Guys did lose lives when the union stuff was getting big look it up. And of coarse I'm gunna get fired up this is my life not just some job. It's sacred to me.

 

Remember the "union" didn't make the choice the union members/ workers did its there job they must of had there reasons. Idk why hostess didn't just raise the prices a lil and pay for it.

 

Is that the answer ? Everytime a union decides it needs more benefits , the employer should just pass the burden of that onto the consumer ?

their

 

The interesting thing is that while Hostess was in bankruptcy proceedings, they gave their CEO a huge pay raise from $750k to $2.5 million and also apparently 9 other executives got big raises of $100k plus per year. If you're the CEO, CFO, or COO of a company that's filing for bankruptcy it seems like you don't deserve a merit-based raise for your bang-up job with the company.

I have firsthand seen the good side of Unions (protecting workers' from company managers' innate human greed) and the bad side (subjecting companies and managers to workers' innate human laziness).

 

Well hostess would still be making money. Now the workers and the company are making zip. And come one twinkies were like what .99 in the min mart and .50 in bulk I think we could of payed a lil more for the things. But if Hostess is anything like my company they ask for cuts then annouce record profits like 30 days later. I just think a lil more is going on there then the union members wanted a raise. A company of 18,000 plus doesnt just shut the doors cause some members want a raise.

 

I agree here-- if I showed up unable to work because I drank, I *might be able to bank on my good history of years with my boss to have her say "hey, clearly you are having a giant personal crisis or something, go home NOW and never do it again." But I do think she should have the right to let me go since I made a series of choices that led to me violating work policy. I'm in a Union though, so I have no idea what actual immediate recourse she has and I don't plan on testing it out either. lol

 

I've personally worked in three situations that I feel differ greatly. #1 non union factory: I was paid well, however I was forced to work overtime of which I did not want, but it was my job. It paid well with good benefits. #2 union shop factory: was paid well with decent benefits. All employees around spoke non stop about basically screwing over the company. Also, if you weren't friends with the "right" people, you weren't represented at all. #3 laborers union doing field work outside of a "shop": fellow employees worked hard, and wanted paid for it. Company owner treated people well, and most likely would have no matter whether union or not.

Conclusions: I feel that given the correct atmosphere unions aren't "bad". However, the original purpose of the unions was to help keep companies honest in pay but first to ensure safe working conditions. Both of these primary issues are now regulated by the U.S. Government with OSHA and the Minimum Wage policies. Basically relieving the unions of their primary functions.

I feel that if I do what is asked of me at an agreed upon wage, I need zero representation. If I am fired for no reason of my own, the company is legally responsible to pay me unemployment.

If the company decides to cut my wages, it is my responsibility to find the company that will correctly compensate me. If there isn't such a company, then obviously my self worth is too high.

I'm an independent person who takes responsibility for my own life. I'd rather not let a union president or steward fight for me. This is simply my opinion. Ive had three very different experiences. I will never work in a union shop again. I would however, become a skilled tradesman and work "in the field" as part of a union as I found that there was much less red tape, and high school bull shit.

 

I couldnt begin to live on min wage. Unemployment is higher in OR then min wage.

 

I couldn't begin to live on unemployment. I would gladly earn the money I make. If I were wrongfully fired I would accept that, until I found a job, any job as quickly as I could.

 

Unemployment is not determined by your wage ?

 

It is like 80% of your wages I think, in Indiana.

 

Exactly my point

 

IAFF Local 1906

 

He is saying unemployment on a $15 /hr. job pays more than a min wage job. I was stating that I would rather earn min wage than sit on my butt and make 80% of $15 / hr. Hell, I'd work two or three jobs if I had to, and have before.

 

It's a % up to a certain amount like 375 a week i think in Cali

 

I get it