The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
Today’s Question: What’s your opinion on Unions?
The Water Cooler – What’s Your Opinion On Unions?
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I was in a union for 15 years at a refinery. They were useless. Just another political group trying to take advantage of their members. I can’t speak for all unions but the union I was in was more about keeping the company happy than being there for its members. Unions are no bueno.
For fast food workers not worth it.
.
For skilled craftspeople with experience a Union means an
excellent living wage where spouse stays home, full medical
benefits and retiree pay.
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Would highly recommend high school graduates consider
LMC (Los Medanos ETEC program, very highly recommend.
https://www.losmedanos.edu/EETEC/curic.aspx
.
Not uncommon for students to get job offers near end of program.
Decades ago I believe unions did some good; however, now a days they just get in the way and have no purpose.
I love Onions
Depends on the industry and company. In one case – union leaders were too much “in cahoots” with management – so little if any, benefit to members. In another case, union was instrumental in keeping their pay and benefits somewhat respectable as the organization downsized significantly (few management positions were left in the state & benefits, pensions, etc. cut dramatically while union members had much fewer and smaller cuts).
It depends on which union, some are good and some are useless. I was in the machinists union, and when I retired they cheated me out of some of my pension. They knock off a
certain percentage if you don’t retire at a certain age, which I didn’t know about. It was
never mentioned in any of the material they sent me about their pension plan. After I retired,
I went back to school and got my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and joined up with
the nurse’s union. The nurse’s union offered job security, excellent wages, health benefits
and a nice pension plan.
They are good when the stewards fight for and stand up for the members.
Not so good when they care more about promoting and less about what’s fair.
When the fire chief refuses a member to use their sick time and the union president just looks at the floor you know you are screwed.
Labor Unions may have outlived their usefulness for Middle Class…. oops… the Unions did not actually save the Middle Class, did they? Our country is polar in wages. Rich man, Poor man.
Top Union Leadership got very wealthy off of mandatory membership fees. Labor wages went up some…but nothing in comparison to what the Leaders did for themselves.
Very few workers actually make the wages commensurate to their skills… up or down. For example, a great, caring teacher makes the same wages as a professional child indoctrinator in the same district.