At Greg's request (cause he's so deserving of such requests?
) I have started a thread on "The benefits for me and America" from Unions....
First off for me personally I started out of high school trimmin trees for Asplundh non-union. I made my way up to A-foreman at around I think $12.70 an hour! I joined LU 17 in Detroit and my wage jumped to almost $20.00 an hour. I had a truck when I was non-union that had no heat and failed an inspection cause the mechanic noted half the pins and bearings were beyond their tolerances! Guess what! I either used it or went down the road! My journeyman and I froze our @sses off in that old truck one winter and finally I was able to go home WITHOUT PAY when the outside temp was near 15 below! Actually we just went back to the show up and left! the next day I returned to have my @ss chewed for leaving so I when I thought the GF was done I asked him if he was and he said yes and I replied so am I and I threw the keys in his drivers window and went to 17! Man did he cry like a little b!tch after that!
OK! That's my abbreviated 4-5 yrs with non-union outfits such as Asplundh, Nelson, etc. I worked for a few others and more examples of poor treatment were no bennies, being sent home without pay cause the GF lost my truck keys, workin 8 hrs Saturday only to find out pay day the following week they considered that voluntary so only straight time
, no formal training, no vacation, poor equipment, no sick time, no damn raise for years at a time (and today a trimmer in that same position near where I was only makes about $2 more an hour,
15 OR SO YEARS LATER!!!!), no formal system for promotions or grantin days off (in other words seniority),
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...NO ONE TO FILE A GRIEVANCE WITH ABOUT ANY OF THIS!!! IN OTHER WORDS NO VOICE!!!
WHEW! That's not even all of it but I'll save some!
NOW THE UNION LIFE! I quickly learned
I have rights and a voice to express them with! In other words Greg I wouldn't have to quit a company and leave state just cause they wanna discipline me for some ignorant safety rule you know like what happened to you! My pay increased considerably (I know your reasoning for the down fall of our great nation right!), received bennies, a retirement, training, proper equipment, sick time like now....I cut my left thumb tendon 3 or 4 weeks ago and I get sick time for it! Yeah I know you probably don't like that one either..
SHOULD'VE STUCK WITH THEM HUH!!! Also I get vacation, holidays, and personal time off. Plus I get to take part in searchin for a diagnosis for my sons illness but not all of that is paid. The important part is because I'm under a collective bargaining unite I can not be terminated or harassed because of it!! I know, FMLA will protect me right? Yeah right that works real well in an "At Will" state! Do you know what that means Greggo..."At Will"? Means an employer can just conger up some nonsense to fire an employee they don't like for almost any reason!
You still with me Greg? Usually you don't make it past the first line or two! Come on now I read your sh!t! You wanted this!!!
Now, here's some good qualities instilled in me by the Union...I was taught you followed the rules the Union AND the company established not only for the Union but also the company cause after all we know you need the company too!! Yep that's right Greg....The Union taught me that! Go figure huh? I was told to bust my @ss cause there's a line of hundreds back at the Hall waitin for their turn! Also, I was taught to help out those in jobs that were not Union like waitresses and service companies! "That women makes less than minimum wage so you better tip her right!" That's what a crew leader yelled at me when I tried leavin a 20% tip about 10 years ago! Gish! He must tip at 50% now!
Now if that's what they teach all members then there's one reason they benefit America!
Well I have more like the charities we donate too or the needy (which of course is more and more now!) we help each year (not all Union either Greggy!) but I gotta leave somethin for the others to type!
But hey Greg! In these bad times when some non-union folk can't find a job I'm still workin because of my Union and we did take major concessions in our recent contract so hopefully we will hire some new people! Just doin our part!
Now go a head Greg...Chop away!!!