Are you a union member?

[jclark]

No. My plumbing shop is not union. Work around union folks every day.
Nothing against them, but It's just not for me.

 

[paddling_man]

As far as having to vote democrat all of the time that's B.S. I've voted for brad Ellsworth because the letters I get from him are not form letters. Evan Bayh got my vote for govener other than that not one time since.

Good man!

I remember well the Kerry / IBEW-endorsed propaganda circulated in St. Louis 2003/2004. Going any other way was akin to outright betrayal of the Local.

 

[red_zr24x4]

U.A.#190 I've been in the union for about 12 years. I have NEVER voted democrat.
I don't agree that they support one party over the other, most members that I know(steelworkers) are die hard conservatives. I think they should have to contribute to both political parties so all members are recognized.

If I miss a day of work I don't get paid, I work 4-10 hr days, if it rains, I usually have to work Fridays for a make-up day.
I don't have to worry about the guy next to me being high, I work with natural gas, which is DOT regulated with random drug testing.

 

[urustyone]

No, but I am all for the unions protecting the publics wages. There has not been a pay increase in my industry for years.

 

[mikea46996]

Local #1693 Journeyman Millwright!!!

 

[Eprobertson1]

I am not a union member nor have I had the desire to be union. It is from the memories of the Teamsters screwing my father out of his pension. Yes he was a union steward and an active member. He ended up with a bad back and they told him to file his paper work and he was good to go. A few weeks later they decided that he needed more time as the time he spent with the steamfitters would not count, even though he was promised in writing that it would. My father has passed on now and this just added to his health problems. You try living on Social Security.
I know that there are some unions that do alot for the members, but there are some unions that are only in existence for the union officers ($$$$)

 

[Jack Ryan]

UAW Local 440

 

[Wabatuckian]

Unions are awesome, in theory.

I worked for one once, United Food Workers, and they didn't do jack crap except take money out of my check. They negotiated with management that we couldn't walk out, and they couldn't lock us out. Any other complaints we had were ignored.

I do further believe that the government should step totally out. Stop regulating industry. The CEOs try to screw their workers, and their workers should be able to drag the CEOs out of bed in the middle of the night and beat them with axe handles.

Should balance things nicely.

I do think that the GOOD unions keep folks paid well - a friend thought that the $9/hr he was making was AWESOME money until he got a family.

It should not be a requirement that you join the union to work at a place.

Josh <><

 

[2ridgebacks]

UAW local 862. Journeyman Millwright. I can appreciate the fact that the UAW negotiates my compensation and has been a part of much of the workplace safety legislation that has been passed. However, I call into question the ability to protect my job when they deviate from the contract to help keep an individual that has not fulfilled their end of the contract. Those actions jeopardize the well being of the group for the protection of the individual. As for the politics, I do not agree with any of the candidates that have been recently endorsed by labor. I don't know that I ever have, but I don't remember.

 

[Uralguy]

Local 292 Journeyman Millwright.

 

[matthock]

Not a union worker here. I'll admit, I have a relatively poor view of unions. Much of it is likely tainted by my view of teachers unions and the damage they're doing to the education system, though. I appreciate the original reason they were brought into being, but they seem to overstep their bounds and work towards the lowest common denominator far too often.

 

[redneckmedic]

IAFF 416

I think anyone who negotiates with the city or government for that matter needs to be represented... maybe the military could take a page out of our book?!? Fat chance, I would love to see a cadet ask his new DS if he had union rep during his push-ups!!!