diggerop wrote:
"Greg G." wrote in message
...
diggerop said:

"Greg G." wrote in message
...

Not having grown up in a union area, I missed the **** they were
involved in and where much of the animosity towards them stemmed
from. Don't have a problem with workers organizing for a united
voice, but many unions, like most hired guns, seem to end up
thoroughly corrupt.


My grandfather was jailed for going on strike in his youth. A
decent man who was prepared to stand by his principles. Ultimately,
he went into politics. Instilled in the family that standing up for
what you believed in
was the only way to live.
Ironically, standing by my principles, led me in the opposite
direction. I was doing some contract work for an employer who paid
better than anyone in
the construction industry and treated his employees as if they were
family.
The construction union gained access to that particular site
through a sweetheart deal with the prime contractor.
Compulsory unionism had by then been outlawed. (HA! Sure it had.)
Some of my
employers people joined up, each for their own reasons. Myself and a
couple
of others opted not to.
So then the games began. After another week, I was the only holdout.
The daily visits from the union organiser included conversations
along the lines of, "We'd really like you to join us, we would
never force you to, just remember, you have a choice." Then the
crap started. Two or three times
a day, they pulled a stop work meeting. The entire site was
involved. Immediately before each stop work, the organiser would
come to me and let me
know that there was going to be a problem but he wanted to
personally assure
me that it had nothing to do with me not being a union member.
Riiiiight! The prime contractor asked my employer to remove me, he
declined and get this! - the union rep said if I was removed from
site they would strike over
that - because they supported a man's right to free choice!
After a week, I capitulated and joined up. If not, I believe they
would have
sent my employer broke. I then immediately resigned my position, -
that was
perfectly ok, - as a union member that was my right!
I've refused to work on any site that has union involvement from
that day on.
Looking back, I'm not sure who I'm angrier with, - the union for
their corrupt tactics, - or myself for my lack of balls in giving
in to them. I somehow suspect it's the latter. : )

diggerop

And this was in AU. or have you lived in the US?
Never joined or had the desire to join a union, even if they had been
prevalent in this area. Figured I could negotiate a better deal on
my own behalf anyway. Most of my employers in the past were small
businesses and I liked it that way. Like you said, more like family.
Had a few friends in the Brotherhood of Electrical workers and have
know a few pipefitters in the Navy shipyards but didn't keep up with
much of what went on there.

At one time, they served a purpose and helped improve conditions for
some mightily downtrodden workers. Self-serving thugs are not
something I cater too, however. Even the NEA is suspect at this
point.

Standing up for principles has bitten me in the ass more times that I
care to count, and I don't seem to ever learn from my... mistakes?
The minute ANY arm twisting starts I become immotile and my middle
digit seems to stand to attention on it's own. As for your final
quandary, I suspect it's that latter as well.

But of all the union and professional groups in existence, the worst
one I've seen yet are the "Brothers and Sisters of the Bar." Crikey!


Greg G.


This was in Aus. There certainly was a need for unionism earlier last
century, but then the pendulum swung the other way. (As it seems to
with most reforms.) By the time I hit the workforce, union power was
enormous. It had complete political power over the Labor Party.
(Still has large influence.) Many major industries were "no ticket -
no start" jobs. These included shearers,mining, forestry, rail,
building, maritime and waterside workers. (Stevedores)

Much of their power has been broken, partly by investigative
commissions into the massive corruption that existed and partly by
falling membership as Aussie workers incomes rose over the last
couple of decades and shortages of labour caused employers to offer
wages and benefits far above what the unions had established. - An
example is mining, where I have worked for many years and where my
wife still works. A union rep on a membership drive would a hard time
convincing workers to join up for better pay and conditions when the
people he is talking to are on incomes of $130 - $160,000 p.a. work 2
weeks on and two weeks off, get flown to and from the site in jet
aircraft, get everything provided at work, - food, clothing,
entertainment.
The most common expression a union rep would hear on a minesite these
days would go something like, "**** off, you parasite *******"
..... or even something impolite.... : )

Holy crap did _I_ ever go into the wrong field.


diggerop