Unions?

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by lookout123

I grew up in a UAW family (dad was a steward for 20+ years). I've seen lockouts and strikes, the union defend employees that should have been fired years earlier, rules meant to protect the employees twisted to screw other employees.

I also worked for a company that was strongly anti-union but had union employees in some states. This company made public the details of every contract signed through collective bargaining side by side with the non-union employee plans. In every single category the company made a point of giving higher pay, better benefits, and greater incentives to the non-union employees. The company's point was "we have X amount of dollars sest asided for compensation, if we don't have to spend some of that screwing around with union leadership you will benefit".

I think generally the unions are beneficial in factories and labor oriented trades, but pointless in most other areas. Public sector unions, imo, are a scam. The large union leadership has lost touch with the employees they "protect". They are politicians intent on gathering more power to themselves.

Some interesting points. But I do wonder if that company didn't have the union paradigm with which to compare; if unions simply did not exist, would they still have offered better pay and set aside money for compensation?

[lookout123]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Some interesting points. But I do wonder if that company didn't have the union paradigm with which to compare; if unions simply did not exist, would they still have offered better pay and set aside money for compensation?

Well, the comp plan was in place before union negotiations began so I'd have to say yes. If it was just to combat unions the pay might be lower in non-union states but that isn't the case.