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Every single person I know either hated their Union because it does nothing positive for them except collect money. Or they hate it because it protects terrible

Every single person I know either hated their Union because it does nothing positive for them except collect money. Or they hate it because it protects terrible workers from being fired and prevents any discipline. One of these people runs a 600 man electricians crew. Anecdotal, I know, but the only people I know that like unions are bad employees the union is overpaying and protecting. Example: heavy equipment operators Union goes on strike for more pay ( its already prevailing wage+++), all the other unions go on strike to show “support”, in the mean time they don’t get paid. 10 guys on my friends crew went two weeks without pay. They wanted to work and had no issue with the pay rate only the operators Union did.

Frondo 5y ago
I've known quite a few union members who were paid out of their unions' strike funds when they went on strike. This is not so cut and dried. I've also known hundreds of people who love their unions, from a variety of industries and walks of life (health care, service industry, trades, heavy industry.) This is also anecdotal, of course, but it doesn't seem right to make such broad claims with a veneer of fact or universality and then add that one little caveat, "anecdotal, I know"
- mtnGoat 5y ago
  It’s seems very right to share what I have first hand experience with. Seems silly to look at it any other way. I just wanted to state that I am aware these dozens of people I know don’t speak for all union members, but my first hand experience is that none of them liked anything but the job protections and ridiculous pay protected by a mafia essentially. Also, I doubt you’ve spoken to hundreds of individuals about their opinions on their union. lol
gumby 5y ago
I have anecdote as well: I built my house with union labor and am glad I did. I have worked for a company that was a union shop (machinists, welders etc) and those guys were fucking serious about their work (I was in a non-unionized role). I'd do it again. The teamsters were famously corrupt (until containerization anything that involved materials handling was a huge opportunity for graft) and of course some cities have unions get in the way (ever do a trade show in Chicago?). But arguments that presume the needle being pegged to "paradise" or "hell" are unrealistic.

Frondo 5y ago

I've known quite a few union members who were paid out of their unions' strike funds when they went on strike. This is not so cut and dried. I've also known hundreds of people who love their unions, from a variety of industries and walks of life (health care, service industry, trades, heavy industry.) This is also anecdotal, of course, but it doesn't seem right to make such broad claims with a veneer of fact or universality and then add that one little caveat, "anecdotal, I know"

mtnGoat 5y ago
It’s seems very right to share what I have first hand experience with. Seems silly to look at it any other way. I just wanted to state that I am aware these dozens of people I know don’t speak for all union members, but my first hand experience is that none of them liked anything but the job protections and ridiculous pay protected by a mafia essentially. Also, I doubt you’ve spoken to hundreds of individuals about their opinions on their union. lol

gumby 5y ago

I have anecdote as well: I built my house with union labor and am glad I did. I have worked for a company that was a union shop (machinists, welders etc) and those guys were fucking serious about their work (I was in a non-unionized role). I'd do it again. The teamsters were famously corrupt (until containerization anything that involved materials handling was a huge opportunity for graft) and of course some cities have unions get in the way (ever do a trade show in Chicago?). But arguments that presume the needle being pegged to "paradise" or "hell" are unrealistic.