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I'm currently in this situation, having seen talent leave and 80% of my coworkers are useless twats. I left this situation at my previous workplace, watching a

I'm currently in this situation, having seen talent leave and 80% of my coworkers are useless twats. I left this situation at my previous workplace, watching a process of unionization coincide with a merger, leaving behind a horde of useless twats who then had jobs for life, regardless of competence, with management then having no history with those people. This company is now globally infamous for poor service and incompetent techs and sales people. I've seen this play out repeatedly and inevitably in 30 years of work. Unions are an anachronism, and we need something better. American unions are an unholy hybrid of faux social activists and lobbying factions who use "the plight of the worker" as a political bludgeon. Locally run unions devolve into cults of personality and high school style cliques, rendering political clout and social prominence to otherwise non-contributing members of society. We don't need non governmental bureaucracies rewarding the stupid, incompetent, and lazy with pensions, benefits, and job entitlements.

op00to 5y ago
Ever think that it’s not your coworkers that are useless? Maybe turn the lens inward. The only common pattern i see over your 30-year experience is you. Maybe instead of blaming unions for your current situation, ask why haven’t you left your current job?
- robbedpeter 5y ago
  The compensation, location, and work are good - I'm willing to put up with the nonsense for reasons that transcend the work environment. That doesn't mean I don't see problems for what they are. I want nothing but the best for people, but I also don't think people should sneak through life and profit through the exploitation of arbitrary rules and the ignorance of employers about the exact nature of a job. The way I see it, you should be reimbursed for your work commensurate with the value you bring to an organization. I find myself in that situation, with good compensation and benefits. I joined a team of unionized people who talk a great game, but are mostly play acting at the work, and are not interested in raising the expectations or quality of work. I rocked the boat and have been taken to task numerous times for working too fast, or too much. For making the others look bad. For completing projects that were intended to be left undone as bargaining chips during contract negotiations. I am a little resentful of the fact that they take home as much as I do. It also upsets me when people are shitty to employers. The job itself is meaningful and the work is good, the management is excellent. The problem with unions isn't the state of things when everything works out to the benefit of everyone, including the employers - those situations can and do happen. The problem is when awful people are in charge and see the situation as an opportunity to exploit the employer and beat the system. Unions give such people unwarranted and more or less permanent power, without recourse.
emptysongglass 5y ago
I work with very competent engineers who are members of my same union. We work long hours, sometimes weekends, when the company needs it without complaint. We're in this thing together. To me, it's your attitude and frankly awful language used to describe your colleagues which is the problem. We're all human beings, all of us. We all deserve dignity.
- robbedpeter 5y ago
  Right, the problem is me, and how I describe them, not their poor behavior and gold-bricking. I haven't said anything at all about their worth as human beings. What I take issue with is their behaviors - laziness, ignorance, deliberate stupidity, and the idea of being entitled to employment regardless of your contribution to the value of the employer. Unions protect the worst kind of people - occasionally they can get it right, but it is clear to me that unions are an inferior and woefully insufficient tool for labor issues. In the US, at least. I've no doubt many other countries get it right. We don't play by sane rules in the US.

op00to 5y ago

Ever think that it’s not your coworkers that are useless? Maybe turn the lens inward. The only common pattern i see over your 30-year experience is you. Maybe instead of blaming unions for your current situation, ask why haven’t you left your current job?

robbedpeter 5y ago
The compensation, location, and work are good - I'm willing to put up with the nonsense for reasons that transcend the work environment. That doesn't mean I don't see problems for what they are. I want nothing but the best for people, but I also don't think people should sneak through life and profit through the exploitation of arbitrary rules and the ignorance of employers about the exact nature of a job. The way I see it, you should be reimbursed for your work commensurate with the value you bring to an organization. I find myself in that situation, with good compensation and benefits. I joined a team of unionized people who talk a great game, but are mostly play acting at the work, and are not interested in raising the expectations or quality of work. I rocked the boat and have been taken to task numerous times for working too fast, or too much. For making the others look bad. For completing projects that were intended to be left undone as bargaining chips during contract negotiations. I am a little resentful of the fact that they take home as much as I do. It also upsets me when people are shitty to employers. The job itself is meaningful and the work is good, the management is excellent. The problem with unions isn't the state of things when everything works out to the benefit of everyone, including the employers - those situations can and do happen. The problem is when awful people are in charge and see the situation as an opportunity to exploit the employer and beat the system. Unions give such people unwarranted and more or less permanent power, without recourse.

emptysongglass 5y ago

I work with very competent engineers who are members of my same union. We work long hours, sometimes weekends, when the company needs it without complaint. We're in this thing together. To me, it's your attitude and frankly awful language used to describe your colleagues which is the problem. We're all human beings, all of us. We all deserve dignity.

robbedpeter 5y ago
Right, the problem is me, and how I describe them, not their poor behavior and gold-bricking. I haven't said anything at all about their worth as human beings. What I take issue with is their behaviors - laziness, ignorance, deliberate stupidity, and the idea of being entitled to employment regardless of your contribution to the value of the employer. Unions protect the worst kind of people - occasionally they can get it right, but it is clear to me that unions are an inferior and woefully insufficient tool for labor issues. In the US, at least. I've no doubt many other countries get it right. We don't play by sane rules in the US.