Unions

Before I accept a job. Where can I see monthly fees, do I have to join and/or should I run away? Its an entry level dealership job. I can email the letter if its helpful.

depends on if it is an open or closed shop...

be prepared for lots of pressure if you don't join.

I was a Teamster a long time ago. They had a "shop steward" who could answer any union-related questions. Otherwise, Google?

I really didn't mind the dues, since I was making dang good money for the time and my experience level.

My first job brain washed me that unions are evil. Other than this i have no input.

some unions are better than others. I would not go washing them all with the same brush. the one I belong to: IATSE 77 is a very decent Union and everyone there works hard.. including the president.

The unions' contracts have degraded severely around the STL area. I had family that worked for years at the dealerships. The unions were a positive thing until he got laid off. 25 years of service at one dealership makes you expensive. He continued to work at another shop as the steward until the new contract prevented him from contributing to his pension which was the entire point.

As you can see I have some mixed feelings.

Examine the benefits and pension closely and find out when they kick in. The shop steward should be able to talk openly about this. DO NOT discuss union matters with a non-union manager. If it is entry level, you will likely climb the ladder and take advantage of said benefits down the line. Prepare to fight over E36 M3ty contracts and strike from time-to-time. That means a few weeks with tiny pay checks.

I deal with unions all the time.

All i know about unions is there the reason teleflex moved from van wert too mexico with scabs loading the trucks!

Datsun310Guy wrote: I deal with unions all the time.

That is one nut union you have to deal with!

Union nuts are one thing, dealing with union suits is another--

In reply to 1kris06:

If I were in your shoes I'd stop by and ask one of the guys. I've worked in non-union shops and union shops. It's not all sunhine and roses, but I'd pick a union career over a non-union job 10 times out of 10.

Technically I'm still a member of the Boilermakers Local 158 (took a severance card good for 48 months back in March '13, when the mining downturn hit Komatsu), that was a great union. They took great care of the skilled labor without creating a completely adversarial relationship with management.

I'm currently a member of the ISWA, we're not national. Our health insurance isnt the best and retirement is a pipe dream but I've had worse. Lol

1kris06 wrote: Before I accept a job. Where can I see monthly fees, do I have to join and/or should I run away? Its an entry level dealership job. I can email the letter if its helpful.

You did't provide much info which is fine:

• Unions are not all good or bad. Kind of like saying "car." Some good some suck some awesome
• The person or office offering the job should have given you a contact to reach if not call them and ask.
• The Union should have written information for you to review and it will be up to you to decide if you prefer to work with the union or alone.
• Your life circumstances may more determine your path rather than the work. If the union has better benefits package than the non union offerings then maybe that is more important to you.
• Also, get someone to confirm to you when the next union contract negotiation is going to occur. So you can be prepared for disruptions and changes.
• Few unions have a non compete clause that would not allow you to work for the company or companies that the union has contracts with for X amount of time.
• Also get a good idea on how layoff would work. Policy wise and historical actual.

I have seen unions save people (broke up a management run drug ring and extortion racket) and hurt people (conspired to get raises for union management at the expense of the benefits offered to the union).

Just remember the union will protect itself before it protects you.

This generally translates to

The union will not do any thing for you, that it does not benefit from itself.

or

The union will make deals to preserve its position, that negatively affect your position/interests/employment against your wishes (vote).

I have been sold out or screwed over by the Teamsters, IBEW (twice), and some machinists union in San Rafael (dealership)

I have mostly seen negative where I worked (united Chemical Workers I think), basically they were a barrier to any sort of sense of urgency, any repercussion from terrible work ethic or terrible behavior. They absolutely created an adversarial relationship that a very similar plant down the street did not have.

This was a pretty automated job, so even then they didn't offer much protection. I recall a specific conversation where a Steward said the word 'strike' and the GM said "that's fine, we'll have trucks here to pick up the machines in the morning".

Sadly enough, under different regime, they actually did strike and that didn't happen.

Anyway they probably can be of use, but like any protection, it's contingent upon less corruption within the protector. Unions aren't superheros, they are staffed by the same greedy people that run management. They both will generally eagerly take their own motives over that of their workers, they just do it under the guise of being your buddy. If the union were staffed by angels, it would all be great.

In my IBEW days it also paid to know where your unit fit into the union as a whole. For example, there were 50 or so rotating shift plant workers in the same union with 250 linemen. When it came time to negotiate, who's benefits were most likely to get thrown under the bus and who's were going to get supported? Good if you're a lineman, bad if you're a shift worker.

I've been a union electrician for ten years. An A member in the IBEW as well as a Skilled trades union that exists only at my employer.

A couple things to consider. A union (should) protect all its members, good workers or not. I've seen people lose their jobs for pulling really dumb stunts, only to get their jobs back including back pay (!).

Also, if it's a union shop and you don't join, don't expect your coworkers to be nice to you. The way they may look at it is you are being represented, but not paying dues.

Right, wrong or indifferent this is from my experience.

I think calling the local business office or talking to the steward in the shop is a good idea.

SWMBO worked as a KP in an army dining facility years ago. They were union, Teamsters union in fact. I thought it was amusing a 5'0", 115lb Asian woman was a Teamster.

I recently got done working a contract job for 6 months where all the production people were UAW workers.

It was the most toxic, hostile, entitled, and lazy group of people I've ever seen.

Careful. Once you're in a union, it can be hell to leave.

z31maniac wrote: I recently got done working a contract job for 6 months where all the production people were UAW workers. It was the most toxic, hostile, entitled, and lazy group of people I've ever seen.

Ontario Province?