[jenloveschip2001]

My husband has put in his job application to work for TVA in Tn. He is in contact with a boss at TVA and he tells him that it is pretty much a sure thing that he will get the job but because of it being a union job they take there time about hirring. This boss called just last week to make sure that he was still interested and said probally just a couple of more weeks. I know nothing about how unions work so I thought someone here might know about how a union works, the positives and negatives of being in a union. I know the pay is better but thats all I know.

 

[MissSeetonFan]

I am pretty much anti-Union. Mostly because the few times I have had experience with them, it has hurt us the worker and the company or university. The first time was when my husband became a graduate assistant. That meant mandatory enrollment in the teacher's union that was over graduate students. That meant a mandatory deduction of union dues from an already small paycheck. They kept telling us that they were negotiating for us to get us better paychecks and better benefits. All it meant was a reduction in the number of graduate assistants hired because more money for those already there meant less money for extra positions, which the university needed more. The pay raise didn't equal the amount of extra work because of fewer workers.

Some unions are okay. But most I've had experience with have not been. Some people are very pro-union and may have some good points on the other side of the argument.

 

[missyali]

I am pro-union. I have had both good and bad experiences with my union, as with anything in life. I think it is what you make it. Here in Ohio, you'd think that the unions were responsible for every bad thing that ever happened in the history of the Earth thanks to our governor. It is an individual decision and what works for you.

 

[pollypurebred39]

I second the union. I grew up in a union family. Every plant and mill that was not run by a union around here treated their employees like crap, and guess what? They could because there was no union to make them do the right thing. I'm of the opinion that EVERY job should be union, it protects the worker from slave labor and unfair work practices.

 

[l8eebugg]

Pro and Con

For the most part I am pro union. I was raised in a union home and as a teacher..it is not an option..at least in my opinion. A union should ensure that the working conditions are good, pay is fair, insurance good and to protect your rights in case of a dispute. In a school environment there sure seems to be a lot of politics. If it wasn't for the unions I am sure the turn over would be great due to administration's personal favorites. Some union are better than others, if the workers are in a union..he needs to join or he will treated as a "scab". Not good, union people stand together and believe if you have the pay and their protection you should be a member.
Hope this helps.

 

[frugal-fannie]

I am anti union. My father was a Union Steward(I do not think employee safety needs a union just a lawsuit. I feel they are not necessary- only another political government that can be corrupted. Working in Hospitals I have had Union and non union shops. and one was voluntary and some mandatory -the union representatives took themselves off to Hawaii to vote- Free vacation on union members pay SEIU. They do not really care about members only power. Why is the SEIU getting involved with Egypt labor and visiting the United Nations. I doubt it is to protect American Jobs. Why donate a million dollars for gay marriage. In Ohio my dad's Union shop just closed down and moved to another state. Same with the Auto workers- You get too expensive and you can not be competitive- so you loose your job.

 

[frugal is fun]

In my experience the union doesn't have anything to do with the hiring process. Where I work certain positions are union but the union doesn't get to decide on new hires, that's Management's job.

There are pros and cons to all unions. I'm just glad I'm not in one.

 

[McD]

I adore hubby's union. They are the ones that go to bat for hubby and his coworkers to negotiate fair pay raises, working conditions, etc. They are the ones that are trying to make sure Z is paid for his lunch break since 3/4 of the time he is not able to take a lunch break, and of that remaining 1/4, he has to leave early to respond to calls about half the time.

The people that are fighting that change are people that don't get paid lunches....but are guaranteed an uninteruppted hour away from their jobs every day.

We do pay union dues, but they are not forced to join the union. If they chose not to join the union, they would still get the pay increases/benefits that the union gets them. We decided to pay the union dues and we deduct them on our taxes.

 

[annymoll]

Against.But if you need protection because you plan to abuse drugs, be tardy, not show up and loaf at work, the Union will be there for you, until you finally hang yourself.Go to work and do your job. People have done it in non Union plants for years.OSHA is there to protect the workers from unsafe working conditions.This was not the case at one time in history,at that point Unions were needed.Times have changed.In the next town over there are five factories.They all pay within pennies of each other, only one is Union. I think they will become a thing of the past, the same way all those factory Union jobs are becoming.

 

[jenloveschip2001]

Wow thanks for all the responses. I have to admit I'm a little scared now. My mom told me on the phone that she didn't know alot about union but she told me about how bad it can get if they go on strike. My husband was in the military and he was told that TVA loved hireing vets. Also the way I understand it is that he can also buy back his retirement for the army. That means he would have 6 years towards his retirement. His pay would go from $19 an hr to $33 an hour for the same job. If he gets this job then I have to figure out what to do with his 401 k from his current job and that is a whole other thread I guess. Has anyone here ever bought there retirement back from the army? I wonder just how much it will cost us.

 

[McD]

I am in the process of buying back my time. It's not purchased from the military per say, but purchased through the company that handles your pension or retirement plan.

 

[frugal is fun]

Wow thanks for all the responses. I have to admit I'm a little scared now. My mom told me on the phone that she didn't know alot about union but she told me about how bad it can get if they go on strike. My husband was in the military and he was told that TVA loved hireing vets. Also the way I understand it is that he can also buy back his retirement for the army. That means he would have 6 years towards his retirement. His pay would go from $19 an hr to $33 an hour for the same job. If he gets this job then I have to figure out what to do with his 401 k from his current job and that is a whole other thread I guess. Has anyone here ever bought there retirement back from the army? I wonder just how much it will cost us.

don't worry yet, for one your DH hasn't gotten the job yet and two like in most things in life there are good things and bad things. I say if he gets the job, accept it and then hope for the best.

 

[pollypurebred39]

Jen, that's wonderful! $33 from $19 and 6 years applied towards retirement! Amazing what a difference a union makes. I really hope he gets this job.


Praying for the best possible outcome for your family Jen.

Oh, and yes, strikes can be really rough, but you've got the tools from the FV to weather the strike storm. An EF and a well stocked pantry will see you through. That was a given growing up, everyone planned for it.

 

[FrugalKate]

Unions have outlived their usefulness.

Long gone are the days of child labor and "sweatshops". We wonder why no one will buy American made cars? First off they are just not reliable, even though they are supposed to be made by "top notch union workers", second the more expensive cost of them is because they have to pay approx $87 an hour between salary and benefits to the workers to make them...that cost gets handed down to the consumer in case anyone didn't notice. Today a good chunk of the unions are rife with corruption and reward the top guys/gals and representatives while they could care less about the actual members paying those dues!

My sisters are both married to Union workers - one an electrician and the other a "tin knocker" (sheet metal worker) ..they've both been out of work for the best part of 2 years now....their bosses however have 1. bought a new house, 2. bought a second home, 3. bought new cars and 4. went on wonderful cruises and vacations while my sisters worry and wonder how the heck their gonna feed their kids and keep a roof over their heads while their husbands sit around or try taking as many odd jobs and non union gigs that they can while they worry about being kicked out of their unions if caught - And yet they are still "required" to pay those union dues!

If the outright greed and corruption were to end at a lot of these unions I would gladly go back to the pro union beliefs I grew up with. And in case anyone should wonder I spent 21 years of my former career in a union, was even a representative and eventually the last 7 years of my career an elected official of the union.

 

[mndtrp]

I'm anti-union. They claim to assist in getting raises, making sure things are "fair", and will protect you in the case of layoffs. While this may all be true, they also breed laziness, corruption, fear, and negativity. People feel "safe", so why work harder? On the other hand, filing grievances is so easy to do, you start to be afraid of making a mistake when simply talking to someone. If the union decides they aren't happy with the terms of your contract, THEY decide if you go on strike. If you are happy with your job and pay, well, you could go to work as a scab. While I've never experienced it, I have talked with many people who were treated EXTREMELY poorly by their coworkers and so-called friends that stuck with the union throughout the strike.

Unions are not useful in the United States any more. There are so many more laws and regulations available these days, that jobs don't need the "protection" unions claim to offer.

I know a woman that was very, very pro-union when she worked for one. She would vouch for them every time she could. When it came time for retirement, they screwed her out of her retirement pay, along with the benefits she was supposed to continue getting for some time.

Good luck.

 

[just-me-in-tn]

I live in TN and actually work for a union in admin. It's a good thing. Great benefits. Don't let it worry you - most unions are NOT like Teamsters, and most people who have negative views of unions are used to the ones that make the news for causing trouble. MOST are not that way at all.

With TVA, I'm assuming he would be with IBEW. They are fine. Nothing to worry about.

Keep in mind, though, that in TN he is NOT required to be in the union to work in a union position or to work for a union company. So, he has time to think it over if he wants. He may get a lot of slack from the union members, though, because he will be making the same pay and receiving the same benefits as the union workers and he would not be paying in any dues to support the union,which is highly frowned upon in union companies. Just a matter of fairness - if you get the perks, you should support the ones who get you the perks type of thinking.

Union dues are low and will automatically come out of his check if he joins. If you itemize your taxes, those dues are tax deductible.

 

[lottaLove]

I was part of the retail/department store union when I was a cashier in high school. I saw absolutely zero value in having a union for a job that carries with it no benefits, no pension, and pays so little. I was making 6.85/hour working 4-20 hours per week, and they were taking almost 10/week in dues. It doesn't sound like much, but if you only work 4 hours that week, you end up working pretty much for free after taxes and union dues are taken out.

 

[layman75]

I can't stand unions. I grew up in a union household, every few years they would talk the workers into voting in union insurance and a few months later drop it because it was too expensive so we wouldn't have insurance for a year.

UAW threatened to personally sue me because the company I worked for was 1 day late sending out the union dues check and I was the unfortunate person that answered the phone.

Mom was a teamster (as a school cook???) and was the union rep. They did not one thing about the physco boss and would actually tell her who was complaining so the person could be penalized. This lady would stalk employees, call lawyers and doctors for private info, would refuse them their personnel days (guaranteed in their contract) and would place paid spies in the kitchens whose only job was to report back any gossip. What did the union do - turn on the employees while taking 33% of their checks.

We have not had one decent experience with them. My uncle's union went on strike, his family came close to losing their house, he wasn't allowed to work and that strike fund didn't exist because some one stole the money out of it. So 3 months with no income at all.

 

[pollypurebred39]

Wow, so much negative to report about unions and my experience growing up in a union family and a mostly union town was extremely positive. Most people out here would kill to get a union job, very little union jobs left out here now. My son's store is talking union, it would change everything for him. He is overworked, in an understaffed company, constantly working split shifts that do not even give him a decent night's sleep between shifts, and is grossly underpaid while the company makes huge profits. In fact, the CEO of his company makes more in one minute then my son will ever make in a lifetime of working there. They have a policy (a whispered one) to get rid of all workers over minimum wage (and they're are doing a bang up job of getting rid of people) and to hire new regular staff at a wage freeze of minimum wage. In fact they've gone so far as to make all new managers and pharmacy techs (yes, the people who went to school and now have to pay back student loans) have a wage freeze of just 25 cents over minimum wage. Now just how do you pay back student loans on those wages? Having a union would stop this workers are disposable pee-ons and here only to serve the greedy rich attitude his company has.

 

[nodmicks]

I was raised in a union household. Dh has been union the last 10 years. I have nothing but good to say about the teamsters and the iron workers union.

Dh used to train drivers for their class a semi license. He was actually fired years ago for insubordination. He refused to let a very frightened and not yet safe driver drive the semi in Minneapolis MN during rush hour traffic. The scared to death to drive driver was someone the company wanted pushed through and licensed ASAP regardless of safety.

That never could have happened in the union. The difference in pay for dh being a teamster or not being one is over $13 an hour + all free benefits. Thank you teamsters!