Unions .... are you for them in TODAY'S society?

I see you like to stereotype as well! Yeah those 2 or 3 guys are probably getting paid cash under the table, not paying taxes and getting state funded health care! Nice try! You better hurry Walmart closes in a half hour! LOL!

I believe we had this conversation before..... LOL!

 

So, paying $36.00 an hour is practical? You honestly think that there are no painters out there making $12.00-$18.00 an hour and paying taxes? Brother, there are a lot of out of work tradesmen in my area and the Union isn't finding them work.

I know a painter that pays his top guy $24.00 an hour, they have health benefits and he pays taxes on his employees. He also has guys making anywhere from $12-18 that roll paint just as fast as any Union painter he has seen.

I stereotyped nothing, I am simply stating facts. I am not biased here, I am not in a position where I could be unionized as I am in management and our employees have turned Unions away because they know they have it better than their Union counter parts down the highway. My company pays higher than the Union company in our industry and we kick their butts in J.D. Power and Consumer Reports surveys as well as other publications and papers.

The guys that built my house were Union, I would love to slap the crap out of the drywallers. The painters did nothing more than use a sprayer with 5 gallon buckets and back rolled flat white on the walls, while making a pretty penny The carpenters must have been high because I can read a level and there were a few walls and a back sliding door that was 3/4" off level from one end to the other. The billboard says that Unions do it right, what went wrong in my house and numerous others in my hood?

Toyota has proven that you can make a great product without Union workers, I am just stating facts here to make a point. I know many in here have vested interests in protecting the brotherhood but I am only stating the obvious

 

I would also like to add that I worked for UFCW in high school and a couple years after and the local Plumbers Union for a little over a year.

I worked Non-Union Customer Service in my company and now I am management. so when I say I am not biased, I am speaking from the heart. I have seen both sides of the fence on this issue and understand the impact of Unions from a business management side. I have also seen why Unions can be a good thing

 

Yeah and I'm sure every wall ever put up by a non union carpenter are all perfect! Please, typical management statement you made! LOL!

 

I'm not a fan of unions at all. Twice I've been Involved with the union, once as a county worker and the other Is I work with union workers at the cheese plant I haul milk too. In both Instances all these unions do Is protect Idiots that shouldn't even have a job and wouldn't have a job because of their poor job performance but have one because their union and protected.

 

I never said they were, but the billboards tell me that Union will provide better results. I didn't see better results and I am not alone in my neighborhood.

Yes, typical management statement. I expect any worker, Union or not to read a level and build walls that are level.

Union membership is declining, is that a sign of the times?

 

When I was in the plumbers union we had a kid that never made it in on time on Friday's. Seems the local bar had fifty cent draft night and he was fired twice in four months. Sadly his Uncle worked at the Union hall and his butt was rehired both times. Frustrating when I was the guy always there 15 minutes early

 

Walls are actually built plumb, not level. Plumb is vertical, level is horizontal.

 

So it doesnt matter if they are level ?
HHMM:D

 

Yeah, they are not plumb. Thanks for the correction on that one.

 

Been a union member most of my life until my current job. All I can say is I wish I was still in a union because of recent events. We have a new plant manager( past one retired). Within 6 months time he has:

(1) taken away our 5 paid personal days
we have no sick days so if you are sick you are unpaid and given an "incident". If sick for more than one day you are forced to go visit a doctor or face additional "incidents". In short, if sick you go unpaid and must pay a doctor's bill as well as get into trouble.

(2)working out of your regular dept. results in labor grade pay, meaning any day I am moved to another dept. I take a $4.00 per hour pay cut

(3)purchased 52" flatscreen televisions for plantwide meetings in the cafeteria. In this way he or any manager can hold their meetings without having to answer any questions

(4)employees who smoke pay additional medical insurance costs

(5)cell phones are not permitted inside company property

(6)hourly employees cannot leave the grounds and return to work, but any salaried employee(superviors, office staff, etc.) may leave for lunch or for whatever

By the way........we(employees) are currently engaging in preliminary investigations with a national union. We have no other recourse. Our other plants are union and enjoy higher wages and at least a voice in discussion of policies. We are continuosly told we are the highest performing plant within the company yet we are paid the lowest wages. I am more than ready to become a union member again!

 

I can see why a Union may benefit you in most cases. Have you guys also looked at contacting the department of human rights in your state? I can't see how they can get away with not allowing you to leave for lunch or pay you less if they need you in another department.

I do agree with the smokers paying more for insurance, we have the same policy at my company. Smokers tend to have more cancer and heart related risks leaving higher insurance premiums.

Truth be told, if they aren't treating you guys right what is going to keep them successful? My company pays well because they want to have a direct relationship with the workers. Our attendance policy is better than the Unions and we promote on qualifications, not time in job like many Unions.

Is there something you are producing that would require no cell phones for security? If not has anyone gotten an answer why you can't have them? The department of human rights will look at consistency across the company and if needed enforce changes.

What state are you in?

 

Another long time proud member here IBEW local 1393 electrical workers going on 24 years. There are basicly 3 groups of people at my plant. The 1393 Union employes, the contractor Union employes and the Contractor non union employes. There is one of the 3 that gets treated like crap by there employer Its not mine so there is two guesses left

 

I'd say that I agree with Raceway, and we don't agree on everything, well not WalMart at least.

I was a non-union finish carpenter and cabinet maker for nearly 20 years before returning to school. As far as the quality of work that I have seen from a multitude of union shops and carpenters, it sucks by comparison to those where I have worked. I worked my up from sweeping the floor and sanding to managing a shop of top notch cabinet makers that produced some of the finest cabinets in the Pacific Northwest. I would put the work of those guys against any union hack in the country.

The reason, we had a level of pride in the work that we did every day and the company that we did it for. The level of attention to detail and customer service was over the top. bar none. Every guy in our shop wanted to be the best, and do the best job. They were proud of who they worked for and would put their name and reputation on it. You do not get that level of pride in quality in a union shop, unless it is "proud to be union" sticker on their union built truck.

 

But if the floor is not level then is the bottom plate? so at least part of the wall might not be level

 

WalMart needs to be Unionized!

 

Then you'd have a new job. It would be hard for you to give up a job working for a unionized WalMart, ohh

 

I gave up retail before WalMart was cool:p

 

I fail to understand why some of you guys spend so much time worring about what other people do.

I could not care less if someone is union, non union, self employed etc. Affects me none, so therefore I do not care.

For those of you guys who do care about other peoples buisness, I am a Union Carpenter. Youngstown, Ohio local 171. I do Commercial Carpentry.

 

It does affect you. It affects what you might pay if you drive a "American" made vehicle, the house you live in or other goods you buy. The cost of those good is directly related to the cost of inputs, including labor. Politics is also affected by labor unions, just ask Obama, he got a lot of help from them.