4 ms·

That short term hit can have long term consequences. If I'm scraping by already, I'm not looking forward to taking another hit to an already stretched paycheck

by bena 6y ago

That short term hit can have long term consequences. If I'm scraping by already, I'm not looking forward to taking another hit to an already stretched paycheck.

tyingq 6y ago
It does seem like the union missed an opportunity here. They should have offered some ramp up, or reconsidered the $500/month. If that's indeed accurate, it's 13.8% of gross pay for $15/hour workers, and 10.4% of gross for $20/hour workers. That seems really high. Edit: It's apparently $500/year, see other posts though, many news stories did post $500/month.
sitkack 6y ago
If that is indeed the primary motivator, that folks are literally getting paid so little that they can't afford the union dues then two things should happen The union should wave union dues until wages rise and ??? This seems not unlike Walmart informing employees that it is paying them so little that they qualify for Food Stamps. Looking forward to the Amazon paper, "Pareto Optimal Employee Compensation for Maintaining Fluid Labor Markets"
- shagie 6y ago
  Alabama is a right to work state. No one has to pay dues. https://www.justia.com/employment/unions/right-to-work-and-union-dues/ https://www.justia.com/employment/unions/right-to-work-and-u... > A union is an exclusive collective bargaining agent, which means that it must fairly represent all of the workers in the bargaining unit, including those who have decided not to be members or pay dues.
  - tyingq 6y ago
    Well, yes. But enough people have to vote "yes" for the union to do so. And fear of high dues could be a reason why many are voting no. Even though voting yes doesn't require them to do so.
- bena 6y ago
  I'm trying to look at it from the workers' perspective. I can't trust the Union to waive dues. Especially if they haven't said they would. Even if this would benefit me in the long run, I kind of need a place to stay, food to eat, and transportation to work in the interim and if I'm already one bad day away from being destitute, It seems like throwing that extra $5 - $10 a check is only going to exacerbate that issue. I've been in tight situations. Where I've had to juggle 0% financing and dick around with minimum payments just to keep myself at level. Charges I had to incur due to various emergencies at the time. I wouldn't have been able to afford to unionize in those days. Now I have a much better job. I just moved into a pretty nice house and my biggest concerns are whether my curtain rods are going to arrive before my curtains and if a larger TV wouldn't be more optimal for the living room. So I try and be cautious about not going too "Lucille Bluth" when I hear that what I would now consider a small expense be a major factor in someone's decision. I realize my situation has changed a lot compared to where I started.
sumtechguy 6y ago
For someone making 20 an hour that would amount to about 400-2000 less per year (1 to 4 percent). With nothing to really show for it at first. At my current pay scale I would grumble about that amount but not be too worried about it. But at the lower end it matters more and I would probably be very angry about it.

by bena 6y ago

That short term hit can have long term consequences. If I'm scraping by already, I'm not looking forward to taking another hit to an already stretched paycheck.

tyingq 6y ago

It does seem like the union missed an opportunity here. They should have offered some ramp up, or reconsidered the $500/month. If that's indeed accurate, it's 13.8% of gross pay for $15/hour workers, and 10.4% of gross for $20/hour workers. That seems really high. Edit: It's apparently $500/year, see other posts though, many news stories did post $500/month.

sitkack 6y ago

If that is indeed the primary motivator, that folks are literally getting paid so little that they can't afford the union dues then two things should happen The union should wave union dues until wages rise and ??? This seems not unlike Walmart informing employees that it is paying them so little that they qualify for Food Stamps. Looking forward to the Amazon paper, "Pareto Optimal Employee Compensation for Maintaining Fluid Labor Markets"

shagie 6y ago
Alabama is a right to work state. No one has to pay dues. https://www.justia.com/employment/unions/right-to-work-and-union-dues/ https://www.justia.com/employment/unions/right-to-work-and-u... > A union is an exclusive collective bargaining agent, which means that it must fairly represent all of the workers in the bargaining unit, including those who have decided not to be members or pay dues.
- tyingq 6y ago
  Well, yes. But enough people have to vote "yes" for the union to do so. And fear of high dues could be a reason why many are voting no. Even though voting yes doesn't require them to do so.
bena 6y ago
I'm trying to look at it from the workers' perspective. I can't trust the Union to waive dues. Especially if they haven't said they would. Even if this would benefit me in the long run, I kind of need a place to stay, food to eat, and transportation to work in the interim and if I'm already one bad day away from being destitute, It seems like throwing that extra $5 - $10 a check is only going to exacerbate that issue. I've been in tight situations. Where I've had to juggle 0% financing and dick around with minimum payments just to keep myself at level. Charges I had to incur due to various emergencies at the time. I wouldn't have been able to afford to unionize in those days. Now I have a much better job. I just moved into a pretty nice house and my biggest concerns are whether my curtain rods are going to arrive before my curtains and if a larger TV wouldn't be more optimal for the living room. So I try and be cautious about not going too "Lucille Bluth" when I hear that what I would now consider a small expense be a major factor in someone's decision. I realize my situation has changed a lot compared to where I started.

sumtechguy 6y ago

For someone making 20 an hour that would amount to about 400-2000 less per year (1 to 4 percent). With nothing to really show for it at first. At my current pay scale I would grumble about that amount but not be too worried about it. But at the lower end it matters more and I would probably be very angry about it.