14 ms·
By and large, unions serve no useful purpose these days. They exist for the benefit of the higher-ups (union management) to make money off of the members (thin
by brk 18y ago
By and large, unions serve no useful purpose these days. They exist for the benefit of the higher-ups (union management) to make money off of the members (think ponzi scheme).
My guess is that you had no choice but to join the union when you took the job.
- maximilian 18y agoI don't think we had much choice. However, a few years back they did renegotiate the TA contracts through a strike mostly to just adjust them for inflation. So I feel pretty torn because the university system I am a part of does seem to take advantage of the TA labor, but I don't want to request things that are unsustainable.
- mechanical_fish 18y agoI don't want to request things that are unsustainable It's not your job to keep your own salary down. Don't negotiate against yourself. Do universities voluntarily avoid raising tuition because high tuitions are becoming "unsustainable"? Why, no. They do not. Did the independent contractors who built the university's new athletic complex voluntarily lower their bids to allow the university to use some of its big endowment to pay you a better wage instead? Why, no. They did not. The proper way to negotiate is to ask for more than you expect to settle for. Smart union organizers understand this. Let the university wail about how "unsustainable" their budget is: That's their problem, not yours. Indeed, it's particularly hilarious for you to care about the state of the university's budget or profit margin, because in a handful of years you will be gone, one way or another. It's not like the university is offering you a long-term career path. So turn 'em upside down and shake 'em. You don't have to go out on strike. You could always just continue to be screwed, like all the rest of us who went to grad schools where organizing was not an option.
- Anon84 18y agoMy guess is that you had no choice but to join the union when you took the job. Is this legal? How can someone force you to join a union against your will?
- icey 18y agoPeer pressure. That's really about it.
- steveplace 18y agoMarketing/coercion My wife's part of the teacher's union only b/c they give you 1M in legal protection if you get sued.
- maximilian 18y agoI'm pretty sure this is why we as TAs join the union as a rule. Getting sued is a pretty scary thing. My buddy here said that is why he is part of the union.
- gcheong 18y agoReally? How often do teachers and TA's get sued? More than anyone else? Does that cover any lawsuit or just certain kinds?
- steveplace 18y agoTeachers: a lot more than you think. My wife has had threats to go to the schoolboard for retarded stuff (crazy cheerleading parents). And we know a couple that needed short-term legal counsel. For TA's, I could imagine problems with patents, pharma, and medical. I guess you could rig up the equivalent of malpractice insurance for certain fields to get around the union problem, but the current solution is the best available.
- qqq 18y agoI think it's common in sports. You aren't quite forced to join the union. It's just a condition of taking the job. You can find another job instead. Sucks, but I think it's legal.
- likpok 18y agoFor teachers, they argue that nonunion members get the same benefits as union members, so can be forced to pay union dues. Effectively, being forced into the union.