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Oh God, please let it be........

308pirate

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Apr 25, 2017
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    A $45 monthly fee could end up costing big labor billions. Public unions are getting nervous, while those who don’t like how they operate are claiming the free lunch may be over soon.
    Petitioner Mark Janus works at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and didn’t like that a certain amount was deducted from his paycheck — he didn’t believe he should be forced to pay union dues or fees just to be allowed to work for the state. He didn’t agree with the 1.3 million-member AFSCME union’s politics, and so believed, under the First Amendment, he couldn’t be forced to contribute.


    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/09/death-knell-for-unions-supreme-court-gets-to-decide.html
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Nodakplowboy
    A change in the law, many fear, could turn quite a few workers into free riders who won’t have to pay for the unions but will still get to enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining.

    Well, union officials have enjoyed living off workers for so long. Screw 'em.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Spblademaker
    It would be a great thing for this country if public unions were destroyed. These unions hustle politicians to give gov workers persions and other perks that won't be due till long after that politician is long out of office. There's a lot of State and local municipalities going broke because of this.
     
    Like most things in this world, unions have good and bad things associated with them. I was a union member for 34 years. I never needed them to protect me from my employer. The only time I need representation was when I was in management, But there was no union there. I think on the local level they can be good. Where I have a problem with unions is on their national front. They are ALL just puppets for the Democrats. There isn't anything they won't do for the Democrats and that mean even stuffing it to the local workers. In my years of experience, I find many of the workers are conservative with many being registered Republicans, the rest are what I call 50/50. They want what's best for them, on both sides of the aisle.

    Unions, if allowed to function without politics, would probably be a good thing, but union officials are so deep into the politicians' pockets, I doubt it will ever be turned around.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Yasherka
    When private sector unions engage in thuggery and criminal acts such as arson as means of intimidation during bargaining negotiations (Teamsters in my personal experience) they gain an enemy for life that wishes nothing but their ultimate destruction.
     
    Nothing wrong with unions in the private sector. Government workers unionizing needs to be outlawed.
    when i worked for Raytheon....i wasnt allowed to carry equipment i was working on at my desk to the labs.....because that "was a union job".....yup, if i needed to move a power supply or test fixture 20 feet down a hall, i had to fill out a work request, submit it to the job shop, and then wait for someone to come up and move it for me.....that process took them at minimum 24 hrs to complete.

    unions took a process that takes a normal person 30 seconds to do, and made it a 24hrs deal.....killing any productivity in the process.

    if i needed to move a chair into a meeting room so my ass would have a place to sit.....yup....you guessed it....."union job"........again, another 24hr process.....

    unions kill the productive of any business....they are a cancer and need to be done away with
     
    Last edited:
    when i worked for Raytheon....i wasnt allowed to carry equipment i was working on at my desk to the labs.....because that "was a union job".....yup, if i needed to move a power supply or test fixture 20 feet down a hall, i had to fill out a work request, submit it to the job shop, and then wait for someone to come up and move it for me.....that process took them at minimum 24 hrs to complete.

    unions took a process that takes a normal person 30 seconds to do, and made it a 24hrs deal.....killing any productivity in the process.

    if i needed to move a chair into a meeting room so my ass would have a place to sit.....yup....you guessed it....."union job"........again, another 24hr process.....

    unions kill the productive of any business....they are a cancer and need to be done away with

    I get what you're saying, and those extremes are just that... extremes. But what you're also saying is akin to:
    All Fords are Blue, and
    All Chevy's don't run.

    I've seen some polar differences between a few Unions here in Canada. One, was strong and did what its mandate was. The other was nothing but useless bureaucrats who were bought-n-paid-for by mgmt. Those pricks did practically nothing for the workers.

    I can't stress the "polar differences" enough though. And there were even better Unions than that 'good one' that I was in. BTW, Shop Steward in both, at least.
     
    You'll have an easier time finding unicorn scat than getting rid of any unions. But please dream on. There is good and bad to unions, I am against the government being union, or anyone paid by tax dollars for that matter. Non union companies sure can figure out how to fuck over their employees though.
     
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    Reactions: Kwe1982
    That's the problem, some workers think the union has to do for them and that's where things go off the rails. US Unions are way different than Canukistani unions, I dealt with both from a management side and was a member of chemical workers in the USA. Canada unions are worse than any union I dealt with here in the USA, I am hoping Trump cans NAFTA and builds a northern wall first just so I can watch the withering of that frozen hell that is full of fake polite people.

    I get what you're saying, and those extremes are just that... extremes. But what you're also saying is akin to:
    All Fords are Blue, and
    All Chevy's don't run.

    I've seen some polar differences between a few Unions here in Canada. One, was strong and did what its mandate was. The other was nothing but useless bureaucrats who were bought-n-paid-for by mgmt. Those pricks did practically nothing for the workers.

    I can't stress the "polar differences" enough though. And there were even better Unions than that 'good one' that I was in. BTW, Shop Steward in both, at least.
     
    On the flipside there's the union's that will fight to the death for a worthless employee that need's to find employment somewhere that he would like to work all the while other workers want to know why they have to pick up the slack for this person.....just saying.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: 308pirate
    Unions have both good and bad aspects to them.
    In the construction industry, they are the reason we have a 40 hr. workweek, 8 hr. workday, get healthcare etc.

    Non union construction provides an untrained, unsafe and sub standard workforce.
    I've worked both non-union and union as a carpenter for 30yrs and the difference is literally night and day. The union carpenters I work with are some of the most competent and hardest working guys I've ever worked around.

    That being said, there are plenty of problems in the unions as well...no accountability for the shitbags....too much nepotism....etc.
    Even with these issues, I'd rather make my living as a Union carpenter than not.
     
    IBEW, PIpefitters, Steamfitters, Ironworkers,Operating Engineers (big crane operators) Union all good unions with apprenticeship programs that work, and they do quality work, hard work. Get paid well, not too much BS either, UAW seems to be coming around, GOvernment unions are a stain on our history and need to be shut down.
     
    In nearly 25 years of manufacturing employment I haven't seen a labor union that is worth a single fuck, especially the UAW and IAM-AW.

    The UAW will NEVER penetrate the Japanese auto industry here in the US. That I know for a fact. The Japanese (Honda in particular) have been instrumental in saving manufacturing here in my state. The big 3 and their shitbag union can fuck the hell out of Ohio for all I care.

    I have no direct experience with skilled trade unions, though what little I know seems to indicate they are actually useful in providing a highly trained workforce to various industries.
     
    I worked as a non union pipe fitter on a pipe fitting job in Boston that was mixed with some union and non union trades. I learned real quick not to touch a broom or a shovel because "hey that's what the labors union guys are for" I was like "let me get this straight I don't have trench my own ditches to put my pipe in and I don't have to clean the job site up at the end of the work day because we got a set of union guys to do that?"........Hey they got no complaints out of me I hated using a Mexican excavator anyway.....lol
     
    You'll have an easier time finding unicorn scat than getting rid of any unions. But please dream on. There is good and bad to unions, I am against the government being union, or anyone paid by tax dollars for that matter. Non union companies sure can figure out how to fuck over their employees though.

    The major difference between unionized and non-union being which sets of suits do the fucking...

    Unions protect “experience” and lethargy at the expense of talent and innovation. Fuck them.
     
    I worked as a non union pipe fitter on a pipe fitting job in Boston that was mixed with some union and non union trades. I learned real quick not to touch a broom or a shovel because "hey that's what the labors union guys are for" I was like "let me get this straight I don't have trench my own ditches to put my pipe in and I don't have to clean the job site up at the end of the work day because we got a set of union guys to do that?"........Hey they got no complaints out of me I hated using a Mexican excavator anyway.....lol

    Of course the flip side to this is that you had to wait for the union guy before you could put the pipe in the ground. And, the job site was a mess until a union guy got there. Fuck. Me. Running. Kill initiative to save a job.
     
    Yea all jokes aside I can't imagine the extra cost involved to build a building with all union labor vs the same building with non union labor.....and before anyone gives me "yea but union pipe fitters are more skilled than non union pipe fitters" that is a crock a shit we take the same test and the work is inspected just like a union guy did it.
     
    Perfect example of worst case when you have a government employee that's union, read about what happened to US Army 1LT Katie Ann Blanchard. BLUF: Her complaints about her attacker were rebuffed for months by union leadership of AFGE, her command was both powerless to remove someone who is persistently harassing her across dozens of reports she made and favored the union's side, in the end she gets doused in gasoline by the fuckwad and lit on fire. He eventually got 20 years for attempted murder, but that's hardly going to help her regain her life.

    Link: https://justiceforkatieannblanchard...ubordinate-pleas-for-help-ignored-for-a-year/
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Sean the Nailer
    when i worked for Raytheon....i wasnt allowed to carry equipment i was working on at my desk to the labs.....because that "was a union job".....yup, if i needed to move a power supply or test fixture 20 feet down a hall, i had to fill out a work request, submit it to the job shop, and then wait for someone to come up and move it for me.....that process took them at minimum 24 hrs to complete.

    unions took a process that takes a normal person 30 seconds to do, and made it a 24hrs deal.....killing any productivity in the process.

    if i needed to move a chair into a meeting room so my ass would have a place to sit.....yup....you guessed it....."union job"........again, another 24hr process.....

    unions kill the productive of any business....they are a cancer and need to be done away with

    I used to get 1-2 grievances per month when I worked at mother Raytheon. The union Steward was a complete Jackhole.
     
    I have paid both and the union fitters are better, more expensive but way more skilled and the quality of their work is better.
    AJ I will admit the unions do run a tighter ship on journeyman programs and making sure if you are working in the trade you are going to school working toward your journeyman license and or master.
     
    I have worked in the construction industry for over thirty years and have to honestly say that in certain key trades the union guys are better especially electricians. On most of the larger commercial and industrial projects I have managed I always liked having IBEW guys on the job because of the quality of work. Yes you have to put up with some of the work rules, but you get guys that are well trained and for the most part get good production. The guys on the job are generally great to work with its dealing with the Stewards that is a PITA.
     
    If I’m not mistaken, the Union vote typically goes to the Dems :cautious::unsure:
    They may want it to be, down there, but up here 'they' want the votes to go more NDP.

    I myself go in a different direction, and can honestly say that the majority of my friends/co-workers in the shops had quite similar thoughts/trends, than the 'general labourers' did.
     
    Big difference between Trade Unions and Labor Unions. I still pay my UA Union dues even though I have not been active for years. Local 725 Pipefitters Union. In a Trade Union you either work hard and are good at what you do or you sit on the bench. Its not like a Labor Union where you can be worthless and be protected. The one flaw is the Prima Donna that feels they are so good they make the rules. Example; I just fixed that Chiller that was at least an eight hour day even though it only took four hours. So I am done for the day. That sh!t don't cut it with me.

    But I have been both Union and non Union and Union is better. Look at the math.

    Union say you make $1400 a week straight time. you pay $25 in dues and 2% that's what $53.00

    Non Union you make $1000 a week no dues. What would you rather make?

    The Power balance always swings back and forth between Union and Company. When one side gets too cocky the power swings to the other.
     
    5 years i was in a union, nobody told me how to vote or who to vote for, actually democrat and republican politics were never discussed at all, Now union politics, they were fought over hard and physically at times. I liked my union, they were harder on the members about doing a good job than managements, not doing a good job got fellow members killed, usually by fire , high pressure steam, gas, suffocation, electrocution, and in one case a guy falling into a heated tank full of fuel, but not drowning, eventually cooked to death before they could get him out, went insane as he slow cooked, ran away from air supplied rescue when they were lowered in to get him. The trades and Chem Workers unions are good to go in my book.