Why Should I Join A Union?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.usw.org/districts/new/page?district=12&type=organizing&id=0009

Why would workers in a non-union workplace want a Union? This is a question that is on the minds of working men and women everywhere, no matter what occupation.

The fact is that having a Union in your workplace is the most beneficial thing you can do to secure your future and the future of your family!

Did you know that if you work in a non-union workplace you could be fired for virtually any reason?

In March 2007, a national computer chain fired 3,400 workers because they said that these workers made too much money (average $24,000-$28,000). The company failed to mention in the news release that their CEO earned over $4.5 million and the Chairman of the company earned over $5.4 million.

Did you know that in a non-union workplace, you could be fired for getting sick, or for getting injured on the job?

A custodian at a University in Louisiana fell down a flight of stairs during a blackout in a storm. The mother and bread winner of two young children was unable to work because of the medication prescribed the physician who attended to her. The University forced her to resign because she did not have any sick days to use up.

At a car plant in mid-Ohio, a 12 year employee who contracted a respiratory infection was fired for not returning to the job which induced the infection. The 49 year old mother was raising two children.

Did you know that, in a non-union workplace, you could be laid off to make room for friends or relatives of your employer?

[rfranklin]

1. Too many g-d idiots in this country buying the anti-union propaganda...

but "It's morning in America!"

Wake up and smell the coffee, assholes!

[MattBaggins]

3. People would rather get kicked in the balls daily than

do anything that Fox-Jazeera tells them is "communist".

[MattBaggins]

2. Or like my last job

We were the only non-union site for the entire company that has facilities all across the US. People thought it was just great that we got all the benefits of a Union without the dues. Of course it became a different tune when we were first on the shut down list.

[hayu_lol]

4. Have worked both sides of this street...

having and belonging to a Union makes not only sense, but cents and protections from arbitrary managers.

[lunatica]

5. Get rid of unions and you've got less overhead and more profit!

Unions are destroying Amerka!

[Urban Prairie]

6. Fired for getting sick/injured?

So they apparently did not try to cover their asses using FMLA, or their physicians would not agree to fill out a form?

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Or that happened to be a RIGHT TO WORK STATE.

[RKP5637]

7. In a non-union workplace your voice today could be instantly gone tomorrow. In fact

a lot of middle management needs a union, I've been there. Who do you go to, HR? What a F'en joke. Americans need to wakeup and see what we live in today, this sure isn't the good old days for worker's rights. There are some simply evil greedy people in corp. exec. America today. Your little voice as a little worker is worthless, but combined, you have the power of an army of ants. A lot of workers still have their heads in the sand.

[Touchdown]

8. Keep getting the word out, Brother!

Never give up! Fellow union brother in CWA Local 7750.:applause:

[lonestarnot]

9. I like the affect speaking the word has on pigliCONs.

:evilgrin:

[Tailormyst]

10. What we really need is a Workers Party

A Pro-labor, Pro-Union party to go work for US in DC instead of the ones we have now who work for the big money corporations.

[RKP5637]

11. Exactly!!! "We the People" has fallen out of the equation today and

become "We the Corporations." It is an unhealthy environment we live in today for the majority of the citizens IMO.

[Tailormyst]

12. If we continue on this path we will end up watering crops with gatorade....

[RKP5637]

14. Why so much of America chooses to be asleep at the wheel amazes me, I guess

they have simply been brainwashed into being robots and sheep, somehow believing kissing the asses of corporations will be a winning move for them.

What always amazes me is middle management (been there) that seems to love to be kicked around, working maybe 70+ hours a week for a monthly salary, thinking they are somehow superior to union workers, and I know a lot of middle management still out pounding the streets for work because they got kicked out on their ass. Ha, yep, go see HR. And many of them enjoy the benefits the unions brought to them, but they are not educated enough to realize their benefits came from the unions they choose to scoff at. Insane to me. Many in this country need to wake up and smell the coffee.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. Hey, we have one.

And no, you can't have it.

[Tailormyst]

17. You lucky duck !

[dana_b]

24. I'm in!

how do we start such a party?

[Tailormyst]

26. I'm not really sure

[guitar man]

13. If you want to work under a contract

Have seniority after you've been there a while, have better pay and benefits, only be fired for a good reason, grievence policy and procedures and so on, then go union. It's awful peculiar all the top execs love to crow about what they are entitled to under their contracts but begrudge the common worker a contract of any kind.

If you work non-union, especially in an "at will" employment state, there is NOTHING contractual about your employment...at least nothing in your favor.

[kctim]

15. Because

you buy into the fear that these examples are the norm rather than the exception?

[NNN0LHI]

20. I think your fear is of the facts

From the article:

On average, union workers’ wages are 30 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts.

A Union can help those in the workplace obtain better healthcare for you and your family.

80 percent of union workers in the private sector had jobs with employer-provided health insurance, compared with only 49 percent of nonunion workers.

Union representation means that you stand a better chance able to retire with financial security for you and your spouse.

Of all Union workers, 81% have Defined Benefit Pension Plans that are fully financed by the employer. Defined Benefit Pension Plans are guaranteed by the Government and they provide a guaranteed monthly pension amount. In non-union workplaces, only 48% of workers have Defined Benefit Pension Plans financed by the employer.

[kctim]

23. Those are stats, not examples

and I came no where close to questioning those or the unions themselves. In fact, my only objection to unions is that I believe it is an individuals right to join one or not.

My objection to the article is that it falsely uses fear, instead of just facts.

"Did you know that if you work in a non-union workplace you could be fired for virtually any reason?"

That is NOT true and to try and give the impression that it is, in order to gain support, is pathetic.

[Doremus]

21. I take it you have no life insurance?

No car insurance or insurance of any kind?

After all, they only protect against exceptional circumstances, not the norm. Odds are you won't even need them .... well at least not in the immediate future .... maybe.

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. Oy, there is always the expected one, isn't it?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. To keep your bosses honest.

Think of it as labor relation's equivalent of the Second Amendment.

[troubledamerican]

27. + 1

[izzybeans]

19. Excellent post.

I have always wondered if there are any legal barriers for a union to purchase a company or fund a start-up through its members, run by its members, with them being the primary shareholders through a trust of some sort.

We need more union led companies, not just companies with unions in them.

[Kablooie]

22. The reason I belong is because they have free donuts at their meetings. Mmmm.

[dana_b]

25. whatever works for you

sprinkles or none?

[troubledamerican]

28. No Unions = no middle class. No middle class = no democracy. No unions = military coup.

[anigbrowl]

31. Why should I join a union that won't have me as a member?

I am not against unions. But let me tell you about my experience with a particular local. I am leaving out names of individuals because I don't wish to be accused of running someone down.

I make my primary living as a sound engineer, doing production sound for film and TV. I'm good at it. I quite frequently work alongside union members from Los Angeles who come to my area to work on independent projects, which are usually non-union and whose budgets are too small to be subject to collective bargaining agreements. This is a fact of the industry. Another fact of the industry is that it's difficult to get hired on a larger production if you're not a member of IATSE, whose logo you see near the end of the credits on any major motion picture. theoretically you can be brought in under Taft-Hartly, but producers prefer to avoid that because it involves a lot of paperwork.

Three times in 5 years I have gone into the local IATSE hall and spoken to the membership director. I show him my (lengthy) resume, praise the work of IATSE in upholding standards of safety and professionalism, and express my willingness to pay dues. Every time he says the same things: the union can't help me get a job (I wasn't asking them to) and if I do get hired to a union production we can talk then.

There are no certification programs for what I do, nor are there safety courses to take as I don't handle electricity or heavy equipment. You can go to film school if you like but there are no qualifications in production sound recording. But I have over a decade's experience in audio engineering, have invested many, many thousands in my own equipment, and am regularly told by my professional colleagues that I am the best 'sound guy' they have ever worked with.

There are two or three large-scale productions that come to my city every year to shoot major films of TV shows. I can't get hired onto any of them because I don't have a union card. the union refuses to let me join.

Why? You tell me. You'll notice I'm not talking shit about them. I'm just telling you the bare facts.

[ChiciB1]

34. I See You Haven't gotten A Response To Your Delimma... I Don't Have One

myself, but there must be someway to resolve this situation.

Unfortunately I live way down here in Florida where UNION is almost a curse word! My daughter & son-in-law have thought more than once that they wanted to move to CA so they could be part of a Union! We took a trip last year to San Fran, and they had done so previously, but the cost of living there was beyond their means!

They LOVE San Fran, (to visit) but have decided that the "city" living was something they wouldn't care for after very long. My son-in-law was born and grew up in Chicago and was even more reluctant to living in a city that large. Albeit that the two cities are much different!

Anyway, they have NO OPTIONS here of ever belonging to a Union, it just has never happened here even though some attempts have been made. But those who supported the idea may as well have put a scarlet letter on their forehead! It's THAT bad!

My husband was with CWA formerly GTE and now Verizon, but we did have very good benefits and there was "no lockout" at any time. I think they even let employees who didn't pay union dues to have the same benefits!

Good luck, and perhaps there might be someone here who could be of some help finding a solution for you.

[ChiciB1]

32. If My Husband Had NOT Belonged To A Union, I Don't Think I Would

still own my home, nor would I have DECENT HEALTH INSURANCE that I still can depend upon.

How long this will last I don't know, but I'm PRO-UNION all the way, and those who have NEVER been part of one, just don't know about "job security" for most of the Union Members!

I don't DOUBT for a minute that some "bad" has been done... but just take a look at what the WH & our Congress Critters are doing and tell me, which is WORSE??

I think that the figures for Unions today is down to 12 to 15% and that's very, very SAD, and scary for "we the people!"

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Seven, you are looking for seven

and most unionized workers today are Federal Employees.