hungry hunter Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Sorry for the low raises, but I didn't get one at all last year or will there be one this year. My brother is a big wig with the IBEW and all he preaches is union. they have good points and bad points. Got one question for the pro union guys. If ya go on strike does the union boss pay your bills? In my profession Law Enforcement) we are always told yall don't make enough but nobody wants higher taxes. There ain't no right or wrong answer. Good Luck and hope ya got a job when its over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 hungry hunter said: Sorry for the low raises, but I didn't get one at all last year or will there be one this year. My brother is a big wig with the IBEW and all he preaches is union. they have good points and bad points. Got one question for the pro union guys. If ya go on strike does the union boss pay your bills? In my profession Law Enforcement) we are always told yall don't make enough but nobody wants higher taxes. There ain't no right or wrong answer. Good Luck and hope ya got a job when its over. When your on strike your not making any money....but neither is the contractor. Most times, not always, when one union strikes on a job other unions will not cross a picket thus shutting the job down until a resolution is reached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhunter39 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 I'm a teamster from local 142 Gary Indiana the first thing is unions are only as strong as it's members while the working man brings home x amount of dollars per pay , their ceo's and such are bringing home roughly 2 to 3 times that , plus bonus's . plus a company car , I'm also sick and tired of hearing be lucky you have a job , it's a bad economy , if it's such a bad economy why are ceo's and such keep getting pay raises ??? and the working man gets laid off , i know why , so the ceo's can have their pay raises . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Well, as a side note, I think the term rat as used to describe ppl like my dad who's been an electrician all his life, or my uncle who built one of the largest elect contractors in the southeast from a small 12x12 storage building is offensive. My dad was in the IBEW for a while and worked very little. He said it stood for "I Been Every Where", lol, so he went to work with my uncle and is not paid anywhere near 45/hour, but makes a good living for our area, and has not missed a check in 35 years. I did bash the UAW, but would never speak derrogatory terms about them. If the union works for you great, but doesn mean the rest of us are scabs or rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 redkneck said: If the union works for you great, but doesn't mean the rest of us are scabs or rats. We are all just family men trying to make a living. The term Rat was born from contractors who were cheaters on prevailing wage jobs and played a catch us if you can game. So cheaters are often called Rats. I have been on a few picket lines in NYC where the large 14' inflatable Rat was set up. It is quite effective:). Scabs are people of the same trade who replace union workers who are on strike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Adjam5 said: We are all just family men trying to make a living. The term Rat was born from contractors who were cheaters on prevailing wage jobs and played a catch us if you can game. So cheaters are often called Rats. I have been on a few picket lines in NYC where the large 14' inflatable Rat was set up. It is quite effective:). Scabs are people of the same trade who replace union workers who are on strike. Fair enough. And guys dont take it the wrong way, I wasn't insinuating that anyone here personally was calling anyone a rat, I just think there's often a mentality of degrading the other side, and I know it's on both sides. Man, have we beat this thread to death yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Yup, if you don't work in my industry and aren't union, you aren't a rat. If you are a welding inspector and are non union then your a rat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 The_Kat said: WRONG! The retirement they are paying into the works pension is part of their wages! For example...I make 32$ an hour base pay. This is what comes to me on my check. For every hour I work my contractor pays in 7$ to my medical fund and 7$ into my pension fund. So in reality I make 46$ and hr but only see 32$ on my check. The rest is benefits WHICH YOUR WIFES COMPANY AGREED TO! So they are paying the workers the pension that they are supposed to pay them. Which brings up a great point. All unions pay into what is called a central pension fund. Tons of people lost over half of their retirement and are struggling to find a way to meet their retirement needs now. Many members of my family lost hundreds of thousands with their 401k's. Union members didn't lose a dime! Their retirements are safe and sound! I bet thats just horrible huh! No your wrong! I have all the paper work here that shows what they need to pay these scumbags. Yes they agreed to pay this because that is what the head nitwits of the teamsters wanted in ALL trucking companies! This was apart of the strike negotiations. Why should they have too pay for a scumbag that doesn't even work for that particular company?!?!?! So because of this so-called union, my wife might loose her job now. That's is what is horrible! Mean while we could loose our home. Thanks, due to this stupid union! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I guess I'm am confused on what your saying. Can you explain the situation one more time please. Are you saying they are paying a retirement benefit to someone who never worked or was vested in their union? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 The_Kat said: I guess I'm am confused on what your saying. Can you explain the situation one more time please. Are you saying they are paying a retirement benefit to someone who never worked or was vested in their union? No I will explain again. Go back and read it! In this day and age, unions are only benefiting the upper management of the union itself! Yeah you guys see the picture now! But in the long run eventually, it will be the downfall. Kyle, I didn't mean to get into any kind of argument here. We are sweating the loss of my wife's job because of the teamsters wanting this money for upper management's retirement! It was in all the local papers about what they are doing to her employer! Say what you want to, but you will never convince me that unions this day and age are any good for the economy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Guess my union is special Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 My union is far from perfect and they have been let known that by our membership and changes were made. I have to say it again...construction unions are way different that any other type of unions. You have to perform and do your job or you won't work. There is no protection because you belong to a union. My local is cracking down on rogue members who get terminated for absenteeism, lateness, safety violations, smoking in non smoking areas and being non productive. After 5 bad layoffs, they suspend your membership and tell you to find a job somewhere for 6 months and when that 6 months is up, show them your paystubs and that you can keep a job and they will re instate you and refer you to a job. Union or no union, many people took their lumps if they didn't perform. LifeNRA...I hope yours and your wifes situation works out as best as possible. Your wife may very well be having a horror story with her union, and her employer...but for every bad story...there is also good one. I'll keep you guys in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Adjam5 said: LifeNRA...I hope yours and your wifes situation works out as best as possible. Your wife may very well be having a horror story with her union, and her employer...but for every bad story...there is also good one. I'll keep you guys in my prayers. Ditto. Like I mentioned earlier, we all want the same in life.....prosperity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultratec1 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 Look what the union did for the auto industry. Some unions are pretty good and then there are some that want everything under the sun. I love it when union guys call non-union workers scabs but then will go out and do side jobs outside of the Union. Happens ALL the time. Oh well I'm just happy to have my job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowhunter56 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 The greed in this country better stop, before it's too later, or it may already be too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted June 8, 2009 Report Share Posted June 8, 2009 So here is the Happy ending. Got the news this morning from a Tile guy on my job. Not to steal Franks thunder... Local 7 got their contract settled and got 12% raises over 4 years...Not bad. In the VERY competitive NYC construction market. You guys did good, especially when they were looking to you guys for give backs. Congrats on the deal. Not every single industry or business is hurting. The work must be there for Local 7 to get what they were after. If it was not they would have priced themselves right out of the market and essentially cut their own throats. Think about the NYC tile, Marble and Terrazzo business...it is in the billions. The money apparently was there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Awesome news......get out there and earn it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 We did well on our contract and we are worth every penny!!!!! Time to break my rear and earn. Thanks for all the support guys.!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.