Monday, September 7, 2020

Happy Labor Union Day!


Like Memorial Day, Labor Day has devolved into a day to mark a limit of summer with barbecues and outings.

But it began as a day to mark support for labor unions, an organizing arm of the Democratic Party.

I am a benefitee of union benefits.

My skilled trades training and certification were based on union negotiation.

However, I almost was screwed out of skilled trades by a committeeman who was denying me points I had been assured I would receive, based on service related experience.

This to get someone he favored into the coveted position.

I went into his office and threatened to sue the union and him personally should I not be accepted.
It wasn't long after that I was informed of my apprenticeship.

After the plant closed and I was recruited for various positions over the years, I would occasionally be told that it was a union position, which I would decline.

When asked why, I would reply that I did not want to work in an environment where I work to my aspirations and be held back by a union contract, making no more than the least competent employee in my group. 

I once accepted an offer of Plant Manger (a position I had held before) only to find on arrival it was a union shop.

That meant I could not pick up a tool or assist in any labor.

I walked out the door and took another offer as a maintenance technician.

That's what I think of unions,

4 comments:

  1. Not everyone is corrupt, but damn near everyone is corruptible. The real shame of labor unions is that we even needed them at all, but I find no sterling example in anyone from either side (management/union).

    I stopped buying General Motors products after that exposé where GM plant workers went out to the parking lot to drink whiskey and smoke dope during their “breaks.” I don’t want my loved ones riding in cars assembled by drunks and dopers. Heck, I’m surprised that ANYONE buys a GM product after that episode, but then no one ever accused Americans of wisdom.

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    Replies
    1. GM is no different than the others in that respect.
      When I worked for GM, our department, that welded the bodies of Bonnevilles together, got a letter of praise from a customer whho survived a 70 MPH collision with a parked dump truck that somebody left parked in the middle of a dark highway. He opened his door and got out of the car unscathed.
      Every weld held, all the crumple points crumpled, the drive train slid under the body of the car as engineered.
      A proud moment for us.

      Delete
  2. The IBEW is as corrupt as it gets. At contract time the company offered $1 per for orifice metermen. only affected 4 men. Our union rep turned it down, said they didn't need it. He passed his test and was made a manager for th company.

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