4 ms·
Free services and better terms from a union that you don't pay for because you know that you will most certainly get all the benefits of the collective bargaini
by glibgil 8y ago
Free services and better terms from a union that you don't pay for because you know that you will most certainly get all the benefits of the collective bargaining, ugh!?
- mixmastamyk 8y agoAlways wondered why aren't (some) unions free, staffed with elected volunteers? Perhaps like a floss project.
- s73v3r_ 8y agoUnions usually do more than just bargain and organize, including setting up funds to buffer the members in the event of a work stoppage, and getting insurance benefits for the members.
- kazen44 8y agofor very good reason though. Without these buffers, going on strike is basically impossible.
- DanBC 8y agoBecause one of the roles of the union is to litigate to protect the rights of its members. It needs money to do so.
- chimeracoder 8y ago> Always wondered why aren't (some) unions free, staffed with elected volunteers? Perhaps like a floss project. In the US, unlike in most other countries, unions usually receive exclusive rights to representation. Decertifying a union is technically possible under the law, but almost impossible in practice, so there's no competition between unions for membership the way that you see in most other countries. That gives the union very little incentive to keep its fees in check, because there's no risk of members defecting (they're legally required to pay) and essentially no risk of its members choosing to be represented by a different union.
- gsnedders 8y agoWhat, so in the US people doing a certain type of job at a certain company can only join a single union if one is already recognised by their employer?!
- chimeracoder 8y ago> What, so in the US people doing a certain type of job at a certain company can only join a single union if one is already recognised by their employer?! Yes. There are a few exceptions, but by and large: once a union is granted authorization over a bargaining unit, the union exclusively represents all employees included in the bargaining unit (whether or not those employees voted for the union or are members of the union).
- hjnilsson 8y agoBecause unions need lawyers (and other professionals) to litigate on their behalf. The Venn diagram between lawyers and iron workers/developers/journalists etc. is very slim. So money is required to hire this skill set. However workers who represent the union are often unpaid. Or paid very little for their efforts.
- mixmastamyk 8y agoLitigation can happen without unions, there was a class-action on overtime pay at one company I worked at that had a payout. Could a kickstarter or contingency support more cases?
- patmcc 8y agoThere was a very recent Supreme Court decision that impacts this - employers can insist (as a condition of employment) that employees use arbitration only for these kind of claims. Which makes class action suits impossible, and leads to more and more wage theft - since stealing $1000 from a bunch of employees would be enough to warrant a lawsuit if done collectively, but not if each individual has to go through arbitration.