Unionfacts.com!!!!!???? A call to arms???

[Trampbag]

This morning, while having my coffee before driving to work, I was watching CNN news. A commercial came on that, at first, I believed was advertising a show like the Soprano’s. There were a couple of thugs in the living room of a couple with kids obviously threatening the father. The mother and kids were looking on in horror. The thugs were supposedly union officials.

It wasn’t an advert for a TV program but an anti union commercial telling of a new web site called “unionfacts.com”.



http://unionfacts.com



I really hope this kind of horse **** isn’t raising its ugly head again, but unfortunately I think it is.

I witnessed the late ‘70’s just before Reagan, Thatcher and Mulrooney came to power. Then there was intimidation of union members by companies, schmoosing employees by management saying how the unions have outlived their purpose and how the companies actually had the workers best interest at heart, etc.

Over the next several years unions took a hit that saw approximately a quarter to a half of union membership dissolve, wages and benefits erode, hours of work increase, worker safety programs cancelled resulting in increased worker injuries and fatalities and workers loose their livelihoods and pensions.

For instance this is one of the FAQs listed on this site

Are you against unions?

No. We are against union officials' abuse of power, often at the expense of their own rank-and-file members. We are against corruption, violence, and intimidation. We are against the misuse of union dues. We support employees who elect to join a union, as well as the right of employees to remain non-union without intimidation.

Of course the people who run this site do not identify themselves but if you leave your E-mail address they will get back in touch with you. Perhaps this is the latest ploy to find scabs??? You know the type, paid much more then those they replace then dropped like a turd if the union is not broken, dropped like a turd if the union is broken.

Anyway, I was alarmed when I viewed this commercial. Call me paranoid.

[Orgnizdlbr]

Sadly, billions are spent every year at this sort of tactic, and I do mean billions, imagine if the employers used some of those billions for employee benefits instead of union avoidance......

[Electriceel]

Same crap goes on here, never have joined the union because of the I am god attitudes and the officials I have met would not know work if it was handed to them. Everyday I am looked down upon, but have moved on and will not stoop to that attitude.
Being non-union does not seem to bother the union members when they get to a point to need advice or help, when they need something they come running, otherwise on the streets they will snub a person.

Yep we are one big family, YEA RIGHT!!!

[tolex42]

This morning, while having my coffee before driving to work, I was watching CNN news. A commercial came on that, at first, I believed was advertising a show like the Soprano’s. There were a couple of thugs in the living room of a couple with kids obviously threatening the father. The mother and kids were looking on in horror. The thugs were supposedly union officials.

It wasn’t an advert for a TV program but an anti union commercial telling of a new web site called “unionfacts.com”.



http://unionfacts.com






I really hope this kind of horse **** isn’t raising its ugly head again, but unfortunately I think it is.

I witnessed the late ‘70’s just before Reagan, Thatcher and Mulrooney came to power. Then there was intimidation of union members by companies, schmoosing employees by management saying how the unions have outlived their purpose and how the companies actually had the workers best interest at heart, etc.

Over the next several years unions took a hit that saw approximately a quarter to a half of union membership dissolve, wages and benefits erode, hours of work increase, worker safety programs cancelled resulting in increased worker injuries and fatalities and workers loose their livelihoods and pensions.

For instance this is one of the FAQs listed on this site

Are you against unions?

No. We are against union officials' abuse of power, often at the expense of their own rank-and-file members. We are against corruption, violence, and intimidation. We are against the misuse of union dues. We support employees who elect to join a union, as well as the right of employees to remain non-union without intimidation.

Of course the people who run this site do not identify themselves but if you leave your E-mail address they will get back in touch with you. Perhaps this is the latest ploy to find scabs??? You know the type, paid much more then those they replace then dropped like a turd if the union is not broken, dropped like a turd if the union is broken.

Anyway, I was alarmed when I viewed this commercial. Call me paranoid.


The reason this ad is appearing now is because the Employee Free Choice Act is scheduled to come before the Senate for a vote very soon. In the meantime the Republicans are attempting to invoke cloture so that the bill does not see the light of day and cannot come up for a vote again for at least two years. So much for Freedom and Liberty.

I was involved in helping a group of Tree Trimmers who wanted to join the IBEW. The union arranged a meeting of the employees to discuss and plan a campaign. The meeting was attended by several companies stooges. The owner of the company drove thru the the parking lot taking down license numbers. Later that evening, after the meeting, the Tree Trimmers who expressed an interest in forming a union were fired over the telephone.

Of course the union filed and Unfair Labor Practice with the National Labor Relations Board. After several months and several hearings the employer was directed to reinstate the employees "with loss of pay" and post a notice on the wall of his office that he had treated some of his employees unfairly. The tree trimmers that were fired either found jobs elsewhere or knew that there would be a bulls-eye on their back if they return to that company. The remainder of the employees were then too intimidated to even whisper the word union.

The Employee Free Choice Act is intended to prevent employers from these type of tactics against employees who want to use their right to form a union if the majority of the employees so choose.

If E.F.C.A. doesn't come up for a vote soon look for more "mudslinging commercials".

[Trampbag]

OK, I really want to hear from KingRat and Swamprat on this one. I want an honest opinion from you. I have never asked nor made much comment about either one of you before but this involves workers, organised or otherwise. We all stand to loose bennies and hourly rate if we go back to the Reagan days.

Is this free enterprise? I’m wide open to free enterprise. I’m just not supportive of government interference one way or the other.

[lineman-up]

trampbag

i have been non-union for almost ten years, my whole career in linework. i have never been union, not because i dont want to be but because there are not a lot of union jobs and i need to work either way and i love this work. my utility which is not union recently had a union contractor in here who referred to me as a rat, a little weird considering a "rat" was in charge of what they were doing. now this guy was not the foreman but a operator with a big mouth and an even bigger belly( about 350 lbs). After i was informed by him about his feelings and union beliefs it was all my foreman could do to hold me back from throwing his fat a$$ in the hole. i firmly and very loudly explained to him that if he didnt want to work for a non-union utility that he was free to leave the jobsite anytime he wanted and that i would be happy to follow him to his car and bang his head off it for as long as it took for him to gain a little respect for me. the thing is i dont dislike him for being union, hell i wish i was union(very badly) but this is the crap that draws the dividing line. i would never cross a picket line or get involved in any other working mans ability to make a living, but the fact that you are union does not give anyone the right to look down their nose at me.. i did end up climbing poles and working out of the bucket with the rest of the guy from old fatboys crew once he was removed from our job, due to our general manger telling him either fat boy goes home or the whole crew (about 25 guys) was done worlking here!! so there are alot of instances the union workers have helped cut the unions own throat. the non-union contractor that i used to work for has also had union pamphlets put on the workers windows at the parking spot during work hours and then that night had vandalizim done to their trucks on severl different occasion. so to be completly honest i am sick and tired of the union pissing and moanig that they dont get treated with respect and everone is screwwing them, just remember union brothers, the more in the union the stronger it is. so disrespecting other lineman and wrecking my way of living really makes me want to be associated with the union!!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!

[tolex42]

trampbag

i have been non-union for almost ten years, my whole career in linework. i have never been union, not because i dont want to be but because there are not a lot of union jobs and i need to work either way and i love this work. my utility which is not union recently had a union contractor in here who referred to me as a rat, a little weird considering a "rat" was in charge of what they were doing. now this guy was not the foreman but a operator with a big mouth and an even bigger belly( about 350 lbs). After i was informed by him about his feelings and union beliefs it was all my foreman could do to hold me back from throwing his fat a$$ in the hole. i firmly and very loudly explained to him that if he didnt want to work for a non-union utility that he was free to leave the jobsite anytime he wanted and that i would be happy to follow him to his car and bang his head off it for as long as it took for him to gain a little respect for me. the thing is i dont dislike him for being union, hell i wish i was union(very badly) but this is the crap that draws the dividing line. i would never cross a picket line or get involved in any other working mans ability to make a living, but the fact that you are union does not give anyone the right to look down their nose at me.. i did end up climbing poles and working out of the bucket with the rest of the guy from old fatboys crew once he was removed from our job, due to our general manger telling him either fat boy goes home or the whole crew (about 25 guys) was done worlking here!! so there are alot of instances the union workers have helped cut the unions own throat. the non-union contractor that i used to work for has also had union pamphlets put on the workers windows at the parking spot during work hours and then that night had vandalizim done to their trucks on severl different occasion. so to be completly honest i am sick and tired of the union pissing and moanig that they dont get treated with respect and everone is screwwing them, just remember union brothers, the more in the union the stronger it is. so disrespecting other lineman and wrecking my way of living really makes me want to be associated with the union!!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!


I, and I think most union lineman would like to apologize for the conduct of the jerk you came in contact with. Unions, like all groups have their bad apples, people that we would also like to have out of the union. Unfortunately there are too often people in a group that make things bad for the rest of the group.

My rule has been to judge an organization by the best people in the group, not the worst.

[Orgnizdlbr]

trampbag

i have been non-union for almost ten years, my whole career in linework. i have never been union, not because i dont want to be but because there are not a lot of union jobs and i need to work either way and i love this work. my utility which is not union recently had a union contractor in here who referred to me as a rat, a little weird considering a "rat" was in charge of what they were doing. now this guy was not the foreman but a operator with a big mouth and an even bigger belly( about 350 lbs). After i was informed by him about his feelings and union beliefs it was all my foreman could do to hold me back from throwing his fat a$$ in the hole. i firmly and very loudly explained to him that if he didnt want to work for a non-union utility that he was free to leave the jobsite anytime he wanted and that i would be happy to follow him to his car and bang his head off it for as long as it took for him to gain a little respect for me. the thing is i dont dislike him for being union, hell i wish i was union(very badly) but this is the crap that draws the dividing line. i would never cross a picket line or get involved in any other working mans ability to make a living, but the fact that you are union does not give anyone the right to look down their nose at me.. i did end up climbing poles and working out of the bucket with the rest of the guy from old fatboys crew once he was removed from our job, due to our general manger telling him either fat boy goes home or the whole crew (about 25 guys) was done worlking here!! so there are alot of instances the union workers have helped cut the unions own throat. the non-union contractor that i used to work for has also had union pamphlets put on the workers windows at the parking spot during work hours and then that night had vandalizim done to their trucks on severl different occasion. so to be completly honest i am sick and tired of the union pissing and moanig that they dont get treated with respect and everone is screwwing them, just remember union brothers, the more in the union the stronger it is. so disrespecting other lineman and wrecking my way of living really makes me want to be associated with the union!!!!!!!!!!!! I DONT THINK SO!!!!!!!!!!

I repect the fellow lineman on this board, I consider every Lineman on this board a brother in arms, union, non-union, it does not matter to me. I have been IBEW for 35 years, and I,m **** proud of that, the fact that some loadmouth @ssh*le who happened to be a union member disrespected you pisses me off. I would rather see you treated with respect, the same respect I, as a union member expect. But there is a loadmouth in every bunch.......

You stated that you "very badly" wish you were in a union. There is a way to bring that about, but it takes time, effort, intestinal fortitude, and most of all Balls. I wish you were in the union also, if you care to pm me, I'd be happy to talk to you more about the subject.

Tolex42 extended an apology, I do the same, the guy conducted himself like an *******, I'd bet he had an audience......

From one brother in the trade to another, stay safe, please dont judge the benefits and protections a union can provide by the words and actions of a jackass.

[lineman-up]

I have said before i am not anti union at all. why would a guy not want the best pay, bennies, retirement, and some one to stand up for them. i know this guy was not normal of a union lineman i have worked side by side with many. but i tried to organize my utility and some guys have had experiences like that with unions and were COMPLETLY against joining the ibew. the vote would be **** close i think, but if it fails i will have a real tough couple years. i am still tryig to come up with a plan. oh well we have a few retiring pretty soon maybe some new blood will get the ibew in here!!!:cool:

[Orgnizdlbr]

I have said before i am not anti union at all. why would a guy not want the best pay, bennies, retirement, and some one to stand up for them. i know this guy was not normal of a union lineman i have worked side by side with many. but i tried to organize my utility and some guys have had experiences like that with unions and were COMPLETLY against joining the ibew. the vote would be **** close i think, but if it fails i will have a real tough couple years. i am still tryig to come up with a plan. oh well we have a few retiring pretty soon maybe some new blood will get the ibew in here!!!:cool:

PM me........

[tolex42]

I have said before i am not anti union at all. why would a guy not want the best pay, bennies, retirement, and some one to stand up for them. i know this guy was not normal of a union lineman i have worked side by side with many. but i tried to organize my utility and some guys have had experiences like that with unions and were COMPLETLY against joining the ibew. the vote would be **** close i think, but if it fails i will have a real tough couple years. i am still tryig to come up with a plan. oh well we have a few retiring pretty soon maybe some new blood will get the ibew in here!!!:cool:


You should contact the IBEW's Vice President in your part of the country. If you inform him that there is a group of employees at your place of employment who are interested in becoming a part of the IBEW, he will send a staff member to your area and institute at organizing campaign. You can remain anonymous.

If you post what state your are in, I will post the Vice Presidents phone number for your area.

[Stinger]

Union Busting has been going on for years and will continue to go on. With this being said, first off Eletric-eel, you are a brother in the trade whether you carry a card or not. I was non-union for a long time. I am now union, it is the best move I have ever made in my life. I say this from a financial point. There is nothing free in the union. We pay our health and welfare from our overall rate of pay. Our annuity is great, it is not based on whether the contractor has a good year or not or chooses to drop profit sharing or 401K contributions. Most of us do not have vacation time, sick days and personal days. Most of us do not have holiday pay. Your probably wondering why the hell would I want to be union then If I am getting all these bennies. The answer is simple, being union I can earn twice the money you can. I am fairly represented at the table for wages and benifiets. You can't threaten me with lose of job or fire me because I refuse to do something that will put me or my crew in an unsafe work condition. I can grieve a complaint without the threat of being fired. You have to compensate me when I travel for the company. You cant work me 36 hours straight with no sleep or food.
All's I have to do is give you a safe productive days work in return for a days pay. You will hear people say " why should I pay someone dues and assesments to work" The answer is simple, the leceted officals of our union who are representing us and and taking care of the annuities and inurance packages, negotiting wages, grievences and union business for us have to get paid from someplace. I do not know about other locals, but in LU 104 our money is well spent for the leadership and represntation we have.
As some the of the guys here have said, we got big mouths and klunks on both side of the fence. If I need advise on a matter I really do not care if you are union or not. As lineman we are united by the trade. Union or no-union is your personal choice. One the biggest mistakes I made in my life was not being union. Part of the reason was right to work state and the other reason for a long time was being bad mouthed by some union guys, who in some cases could not make a pimple on a linemans ass anyway. Then one day I saw the light and have no regrets. Union and proud of it!!

[woody]

amen' my brother...could'nt say it better myself. Stand united or be divided. Kinda simple...but really hard in some parts of the country. Union and proud...wish the same for all fellow LINEMAN. woody

[billfoster67]

Flunked or couldn't do the apprenticeship. Dad or Uncle was a lineman, got him in. Waste of oxygen. Gets 2 paychecks a lot.