Construction workers in Chicago are sick of the anti-union BS. We work hard, can be fired at

[Joesunionreview]

Construction workers in Chicago are sick of the anti-union bullshit. We work hard,
can be fired at any time and can die in a heartbeat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29cnccorners.html?_r=1">Hard Hats Don’t Deflect Union Workers’ Hardships

In a dank basement on Michigan Avenue, a 24-year-old apprentice plumber strained on a ladder, gripping a claw hammer as he struggled with a storm pipe.

Watching the young worker, Frank Zalud, a veteran union tradesman, called out in a voice of encouragement: “Hey! You winning the battle?”

“No,” replied Joe Beemsterboer, lanky and dirt-smudged, his voice cracking with a hint of emotion. “I am absolutely not winning.”

For workers in hard hats these days, it can seem like they are up against it.

A majority of Americans now say unions are bad for the nation, according to Gallup polls. And the loss of two big trade shows at McCormick Place, for which the expense of union help was blamed, is bound to provoke more grumbling about organized labor in Chicago, traditionally one of the most loyal of union towns.

At the office building construction site at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street, the talk among union workers the other day was tinged with bitterness. Many of the workers said they think they get a bad rap.

Story Continued at the NY Times
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[endless october]

1. unions are good for the nation.

those anti-union jackasses love their two day weekends and the fact that they aren't working in the Sinclairian jungle.

union workers work hard and demand fair pay and working conditions. it's hard to imagine why an otherwise rational person would be against that.

[Arctic Dave]

2. I never regret joining the IBEW. I get pissed that I didn't join it earlier.

I understand this guys frustration with the union worker caricature.

[Angry Dragon]

3. Some union bosses are no different

than corporate bosses, looking for the easy life. On the other hand without unions every labor worker would be working for peanuts. Companies are forced to at least attempt to give a living wage based against union wages and benefits..

There is one thing I find interesting is that most if not all federal and state workers have unions and the government always says that they can not do things because of the unions, but at the same time do nothing to protect the unions or workers at companies that get sold. Golden parachutes abound but nothing for the workers at the bottom.

[Joesunionreview]

5. I agree, a lot of union bosses are lax...

That is why we need a fresh movement, with some fresh faces, that will be up to the challenges of the modern age. Scoff-law leaders and members are a cancer to the movement. I have given talks on the modern labor communicator's tools. We need more and if you want to point fingers at the ones at the top, start pointing lower, it is up to the members to speak their concerns and hold their leaders accountable. The time for members taking their career as union workers for granted is over, I always say that "Union starts with "U" "

Now more than ever is the time that workers must educate themselves on what is happening around them, it starts with a few words with the person working behind the counter at the local pharmacy, we need to treat each other with respect. Us little people, union, non-union and management, have a lot more in common with each other than the elites from both sides who run this country. When the workers unite, look out!

[Omaha Steve]

4. It is good to see the Union Review back in our Labor Forum

Where have you been?

Great post btw.

OS

[Joesunionreview]

6. Heya Steve, good to see you too

Union Review, Richie's site has been going all the while http://unionreview.com/

My site, the aptly named "Joe's Union Review" has been dormant for a while, I was doing that thing called life, basically getting really busy with local issues, I'm also getting set for an election for the Trade Board (negotiating committee and monies allocation) of my Local, I would like to get elected.
http://anti-union.blogspot.com/

I have however been adding labor links to my FaceBook page for quite some time, but they get muddled with all the BS applications so I decided to start a Page dedicated to Union News which also crossposts with Twitter
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joes-Union-Review/177207914342?v=wall&ref=mf

Here's a great blog post about the article

http://www.jasongooljar.com/2009/11/29/absoluteley-criminal-stereotype-about-construction-workers-must-end/">Absoluteley criminal stereotype about construction workers must end…
This is utter nonsense. I dare Steve Thompson to attempt to do what these construction workers do every day. They probably built his roach motel of a cafe (Gage or whatever). Thompson comes of as a total elitist when he says that the pay they now get is “unreasonable given their education and training.” I’d bet he be shocked to learn that quite an amount of advanced education and training is on display daily at construction work sites.

In Arlington, VA when I wait for the bus on Columbia Pike I marvel at the hard work these guys put in to erecting a new building (too bad it’s for luxury apartments). I stare in wonderment at how one ensures something as massive as a crane operates correctly and safely.

Growing up whether in the heat of summer or the cold of winter, I often wondered how these construction workers could work outside. Working in construction is one of the toughest and most dangerous jobs there is. I’d put it up there with mining underground.

[justanaverageguy]

7. Unions need to do something to change

As someone who has owned a signatory company in the construction field, I can tell you without reservation and with "no dog in the fight" that I will NEVER again sign a union agreement as an owner/manger of a company again unless they do something to change.

It was by far the worst business relationship I have ever had, bar none. The Union leaders didn't give a crap about the guys working on the job site, and they certainly didn't give a crap about the success of my company. That's why, at least here in the south, union companies have a very difficult time competing and staying in business.

And I know this will come as a shock to some, but it had absolutely nothing to do with how much I had to pay the guys. In fact, the increase in my hourly labor cost after signing the union agreement was not that bad, except to the extent that jobs that were taking 4 weeks to do with my non-union labor force all of sudden started taking 6 and 7 weeks to do. And there was nothing I could do about it. I'd send a guy back to the hall and the next guy was just as slow. Yes, I dare say, some were just flat out lazy. Or the hall would send me somebody that was not really qualified to do the work. Have you ever tried to tell a BA that the guy that has gone through their Journeyman program is still not qualified to do the work? I would of course be able to figure that out if I were allowed to interview the guy first. But no, the union doesn't allow you to interview the guy first. They just give you a list of those members who aren't working and you have to pick from the list. Sometimes I might know something about a guy because of his reputation, but more times than not I was hiring blind. Would you want to hire someone without interviewing them first? Of course not. Let me stop you before you go there, NO, the job weren't taking longer with union labor because they were working safer. My safety program that was strictly followed and monitored before joining the union was every bit as stringent as the union safety requirements.

I could go on forever, but I've gotta get back to work. I just started a new company 6 months ago. Lot's of work to do.

[Omaha Steve]

8. Uuummmm

Which Southern State?

[justanaverageguy]

9. Pretty much the entire southeast

We did work from North Carolina to Mississippi to Miami, FL.

[Omaha Steve]

10. Those are all right to work states

Just because a company has a union contract, there is no way any company can be forced to hire from a union hall in any of those states. No dog:-) in this, but certainly anti-union beyond a shadow of a doubt! It is the right to work laws that make it hard for unions in those states. And they ALL lead in the lowest worker income per capita. Something anti-union managers forget to mention to workers (especially when an organizing effort is under way) every time.

http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm

Right to Work States

A Right to Work law secures the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union. However, employees who work in the railway or airline industries are not protected by a Right to Work law, and employees who work on a federal enclave may not be.

Click on a Right to Work state below to read that state's Right to Work law.



Copyright © 2001 The National Right to Work Committee. Used with permission.

[justanaverageguy]

11. You completely missed the point of my post...

I'm not anti-union. I am anti-one particular union. I freely admit. But, not unionization as a concept. It's like being anti-WalMart, but not anti-retail store. I can dislike Wal-Mart without hating all retailers. I can hate this one union and the way it operates without hating all unions and without hating the idea of workers banding together to improve their lot in life. There are plenty of union members that dislike the SEIU but love their union.

With that being said, according to my contract with the union, I could not interview members before picking them up off the bench. Do you deny that? I'm familiar with the right to work laws and that contract language is perfectly legal even in a right to work state. I'm pretty sure that is standard union contract language. Correct me if I'm wrong on that.

You are right, I could've legally hired someone not in the union. However, keep in mind what my contract with the union says and what it would've cost me:

- First of all it says I won't do it.

- I still have to pay TO THE UNION all the benefit cost, dues cost, retirement package cost, education cost for every hour that my non-union employee is going to work. The union will gladly take this money despite that the worker in who's name it was paid will never see any of it. Fuck him, he's not in our union.

- I'm going to have to spend time and money fighting the grievance that the union is going to rightfully file, because my contract say I won't do it. And even though I might win that grievance fight because I'm in a right to work state, it will still cost me in the end and further hamper my relationship with the union. And yes I wanted that to be a good relationship.

- Not to mention the discord that it will cause in my labor force because now I've hired a "scab" or "rat" or whatever other disparaging name the union has for someone who freely exercises their right to now join their organization and god forbid still wants to support their family.

- And let's be honest. I hire a non-union employee today to work with my union employees; how long do you think it will be before he is also a dues paying, card carrying union member? Pretty quickly I bet. And I would not blame him for doing so.

If it was as simple as you imply (although I think you know better) for a company in the south to just tell a union "fuck off, I'm hiring whoever I want" companies like UPS, the airlines, ect... would never hire a union employee in the south again.

You would think that in a right to work state where union companies have a difficult time competing against non union companies that the union would recognize that they have an interest in the success of the company so that union employees remain employed. But they don't. So now 2 years after I left the company (sold my half back to my partner) they finally went out of business. In large part due to the management burden the union placed on us. But great for me, my non-compete is null and void now!!! So I'm back in business baby!! and hiring non-union employees. Not because I'm anti-union. I just hate that particular one. I can't wait for them to call. I wonder why they haven't yet...ummmm.

Do you care to address the point of my post. That unions need to change. They need to be less adversarial and more cooperative.

[Omaha Steve]

12. Great answer

I take it you are telling the truth from your reply. Not all unions need to change. But it does seem you did business with one that does.

Just wondering why you signed a contract in the first place, since you had faster workers before? That is not a shot. Just a question.

(I'm in the middle of a movie. I'll have a longer reply Friday. My day off.)

[justanaverageguy]

13. Legit question

We joined for a couple of different reasons. First off I wasn't the majority partner in the business. My partner who came up in the industry in the Northeast and was himself at one point a member of the union always had the intention to become signatory. The ironic part of that is that he ALWAYS trying to cheat the contract by using non-union labor or offering the guys cash so that he wouldn't have to pay the union the fringe and benefit cost. I obviously had my issues with the union but I just don't do business that way. It was a real sticking point between us and was one of many issues that hastened my departure from the company.

Secondly, we needed the labor. Our industry is a heavily unionized one, even in the south. It's a highly technical field that requires years to develop the skills to become good at it, and some never do despite doing it for years. Qualified people weren't hanging out in front of Home Depot if you know what I mean. The problem was that we were in the midst of a nice building boom. All the good guys were already working for larger more established companies. So the really good guys were hesitant to jump ship to a newer smaller company. And then when we got the reputation of constantly trying to cheat the agreement (thanks to my partner) they really didn't want to come work for us. So we had to use the guys that were on the bench. With so much work going on at the time, if you were on the bench, there was a reason you were on the bench. Nobody else wanted you. You sucked. And they did suck. I don't think the guys I got stuck with are typical to what the union had to offer it was just the circumstance of the time. If it were today it would be a much different story. With building way down due to our economy there are a lot of people on the bench. Many of them very well qualified I'm sure. Of course I'd have a hard time figuring that out since I can't interview them first (can you tell that's a real sticking point with me? LOL!!).

I'm really enjoying the discussion but I have to run. I've got a meeting about a huge account in an hour. Hope you enjoyed you movie the other night. I hope you have time to reply soon.

[Omaha Steve]

14. I didn't forget about you

I too am enjoying this discussion. I hope others are too.

Yesterday wasn't anything like a day off. My 85 year old mom's furnace was found to be dying. She gets about $1,000 a month between Social Security and her pension. $3,000 - $4,000 for a furnace. Spent a couple hours looking for a deal and a government program that helps people in her circumstances. She has never driven a car. It was my turn to go to the store for her. Marta and I had lunch at Olive Garden. That was the only real down time.

From there we went to Ne. Mega Mart and picked up our new home theater sound system: http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR607&class=Receiver&p=i
Some unexpected hook up glitches extended our set up time. The cable-DVR box doesn't have HDMI. Called the cable company. All HDMI DVRs are on back order. It will be a week. So all the wires I pulled out had to be reconnected. Couldn't get sound from the PS3. Then we lost the TV picture. You get the idea. By the time everything was close to working it was bed time.

Today we have shopping after finishing with the sound system. We would like to watch a film with our new high def sound system. Football starts at 3 with the SEC title game. The BIGGer game for me is NU-Texas at 7.

I'll have a couple posts on the DU today and that is about it. I'm out of time. I will be back soon. :-)

OS