unions - yay or nay

[core2slow]

Union is just another security blanket for all the lazies out there. Paycheck is already getting smaller and smaller as it is with the increase in taxes and whatnot, i do not want to pay toward a cause that would undermine productivity and efficiency.

If you feel that you're getting paid too little, then go back to school, gain some new experience, apply for a better job. You don't like the health benefits at your current place? Leave and find another job.

 

[DrPizza]

Depends on the industry, the one place unions never belong is in the service industry.

I almost agree with you. However, management in the service industry is less likely than in other sectors to be aware of many labor laws. Their length of employment/loyalty to a company/restaurant is the primary reason for working their way up the ranks to the position of manager. Not their knowledge of labor laws. Here's a specific example - http://www.boardmanclark.com/readin...t-on-tipped-employees-cleaning-and-prep-work/ If a waitress is knowledgeable about that, and with tips is making $50 more per day above minimum wage, is a waitress or waiter going to dare to go to their employer and complain that they're being illegally underpaid? I'd bet that in cases where the boss is perceived to be a jerk, it's rare that an employee dares to stick up for his or her rights - they have minimal skills, and the job pays better than the minimum wage alternative they'd be left with if they were fired.

Service workers are the easiest people for management to screw over. When it comes to employee power versus owner/management power relationships, they are probably the most powerless people with the fewest resources to defend their rights.

 

[pcgeek11]

No. If you have bad management, the company is doomed. Unions are only essential for bad workers.

I agree with this statement 100%.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm more of a fan of Intersections myself...

That one kills on the Venn message boards.

Anyway, unions are like any other tool. They can be used for good or evil. I don't think I need one at work, but then again I have an excellent management chain above me.

 

[brianmanahan]

Yay and Yea are not the same...

yay or neigh?

 

[NoTine42]

^ I must not know how money works in non-profits then. Where does it all go? The workers are getting paid and the supplies are being supplied... and obviously money is coming in.

It takes a lot of money to send needy families to collections

 

[Puffnstuff]

I will say that manufacturing workers with managers who've never had to labor a day for a living are probably the people who need representation the most. Efficiency comes to the front of all company decisions while equity and voice fall to last place. Not all union workers are lazy but all it takes are a few bad apples to spoil the batch. Having worked for a company that ran the hell out of their workers I can understand the environment but even there having a bad union just wastes the workers dues money.

 

[Ackmed]

Union is just another security blanket for all the lazies out there. Paycheck is already getting smaller and smaller as it is with the increase in taxes and whatnot, i do not want to pay toward a cause that would undermine productivity and efficiency.

If you feel that you're getting paid too little, then go back to school, gain some new experience, apply for a better job. You don't like the health benefits at your current place? Leave and find another job.

Um... my paycheck gets bigger because of my union and our bargaining agreement. Getting a 4% raise August 15th because of them. I love the health benefits at my current place, we're having another baby and it is 100% covered. Again due to the union.

You can't make blanket statements for everything, thats just dumb.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I almost agree with you. However, management in the service industry is less likely than in other sectors to be aware of many labor laws. Their length of employment/loyalty to a company/restaurant is the primary reason for working their way up the ranks to the position of manager. Not their knowledge of labor laws. Here's a specific example - http://www.boardmanclark.com/readin...t-on-tipped-employees-cleaning-and-prep-work/ If a waitress is knowledgeable about that, and with tips is making $50 more per day above minimum wage, is a waitress or waiter going to dare to go to their employer and complain that they're being illegally underpaid? I'd bet that in cases where the boss is perceived to be a jerk, it's rare that an employee dares to stick up for his or her rights - they have minimal skills, and the job pays better than the minimum wage alternative they'd be left with if they were fired.

Service workers are the easiest people for management to screw over. When it comes to employee power versus owner/management power relationships, they are probably the most powerless people with the fewest resources to defend their rights.

You are right except for the effect of word of mouth which quickly identifies poor companies and bad management. There are certainly exceptions as in the right to work States such as Arizona where unions are powerless anyways. Anything that limits flexibility be it union, one size fits all corporations or, bad management has a significantly higher affect on the service industries than any other type of business.

 

[spacelord]

I've been in plenty of UAW union plants, and the union just makes it difficult to get anything practical done. Like waiting 30 minutes for the guy authorized to operate a broom ( a plain old broom).. to clean the floor of a machine. Guy was on break. the operator could not press the green start button until the floor was clean. The broom and pan was right there. I would have done it.. I should have done it.. just so I could get written up and get away from the lazies. Finally the genius who understands the broom shows up, does his job. and the operator who is pretty much asleep in a chair next the button with his hat over his eyes.. looks up just enough to push the button and proceeds to continue snoozing.
There are plenty of good hard workers.. in fact most are... but geez, the rules are beyond ridiculous.

 

[Ruptga]

Unions suck, but that's at least partly because they sprout in response to sucky situations like adversarial or exploitative management. If you think management is acting in good faith then there's not much reason to join a union. If they can't be reasoned with though, then all you have left is to either leave or use leverage like collective bargaining.