Teamsters Union trying to muscle their way into my company

Stinsok · #1 05-30-2010, 07:06 AM

I work for a national food service company. The Teamsters have been running corporate campaigns against our company (as well as others) basically saying we are bad (if we were union it would all go away.) Recently, some employees have been visited at their homes by these people. No one is sure how they got their names and addresses. It is thought that someone is taking pictures of license plates, and tracking them down that way.

If they show up at my house and know who I am, I am darn sure going to have their names and addresses before they leave. I don't care if I have to fight them for it. It's wrong!

sleepytime · #2 05-30-2010, 07:52 AM

Just tell them that you are sorry, but your policy requires that them to give their name and address. People usually don't know how to respond to that, it's not in their script.

MEKer · #3 05-30-2010, 07:57 AM

Sorry to hear of this. Show me a truly honest union that is truly concerned with its members instead of power acquisition and I'll eat a concrete cake.

Even small unions have the backroom deals and are beholden to bigger ones.
Yeah, they are really "transparent" too, aren't they?
And too many fall for it like dummies, usually based purely on self-interest without any desire to know the true agenda--because there is ALWAYS an agenda.
The minute ANY subterfuge, force or impingement on acceptance of constitutional rights is involved---it is telling you THIS IS BAD.

LiquidMidnight · #4 05-30-2010, 08:00 AM

What part of the organizing campaign are you in? Has a stipulated election agreement been signed between the Union and Employer? Has the Union petitioned the NLRB? If it looks like you're heading towards an election, the Employer is required to provide the petitioner with an Excelsior list of all of the employees in the proposed bargaining unit, which has addresses.

Chopper · #5 05-30-2010, 08:01 AM

@##$$%%^^^%%$#@#$%^&*()(*&^% UNIONS

mike_v_s · #6 05-30-2010, 08:01 AM

I worked at the phone company several years ago. When we started, our training class was visited a number of times by the union representative so they could do recruiting, promotion, etc. Towards the end of the 2 month training class, they made a very public display of handing people back their membership information and then calling out the names of those who had not paid up.

While I had considered signing up at the time, being publicly named in an attempt to intimidate or embarrass me was pathetic and enough to really sour me on the whole idea. If that's what a group has to do to increase membership, they don't have much to offer.

Mike

LiquidMidnight · #7 05-30-2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEKer

Sorry to hear of this. Show me a truly honest union that is truly concerned with its members instead of power acquisition and I'll eat a concrete cake.

Even small unions have the backroom deals and are beholden to bigger ones.
Yeah, they are really "transparent" too, aren't they?
And too many fall for it like dummies, usually based purely on self-interest without any desire to know the true agenda--because there is ALWAYS an agenda.
The minute ANY subterfuge, force or impingement on acceptance of constitutional rights is involved---it is telling you THIS IS BAD.

I deal with unions every day in my day job. Some are horrible and some are excellent. Some management is horrible and some management is great. Labor relations, like everything else in the world, is not black and white.

Jay Ralston · #8 05-30-2010, 08:11 AM

I personally cannot stand Unions for this exact reason. When I worked construction back home, a company that my Uncles company merged with was forced to go Union. Their shop was constantly getting broken into and having equipment destroyed by Union guys. They were also coming to job sites and picketing and then trying to pressure employees into joining even though the company was not Union. After our company merged, I had to join the Union and I hated every minute of it. All they did was talk bad about non Union companies. Finally my Uncle broke off from the merger a year and a half later and I was able to quit the Union. I would often ask them why it was that other family members of mine were people that they considered a rat or a scab simply because they were non Union? I said those guys make the same money that we do, they are not under paid. They work hard for their money, they do quality work, they pay their taxes and are all around good people. I would then tell them I can't figure out how that makes them all of these bad things. I was then told they were taking Union jobs. I told the Union guys what they were doing was more like Communism. There was no freedom of choice or of thinking differently. I also found out that part of my dues were going to the Democratic party. I fortunately found a loophole in their own rules though that made them send at least my own person part of my dues to the party that I mainly vote for. Oh man, did that tick them off.

Here is how I look at it. If a person likes being Union, I will never talk bad about them. That is their choice and I respect that but as for me, I personally cannot stand them and will never be in a Union again unless it is forced upon me and even then I'm going kicking and screaming and will openly not support it.

skwee · #9 05-30-2010, 08:23 AM

I have been on both sides of the union issue. When I worked as a grunt in a big box store, the union screwed me, because I was having to pay dues, but as a part-time employee, I couldn't get the union benefits. As a professional singer, the singers' union benefited me HUGELY, because new contracts needed to be negotiated, and we got some real protection from pay cuts, job losses, and major time increases. (i was part of the artist negotiating team). In the end, if you are full-time you are way better protected with a strong union presence in this country.

Steve · #10 05-30-2010, 08:29 AM

People as individuals are almost always reasonable, cool, helpful, caring, and just want to do their thing in peace.

Whenever they group together in some sort of collective identity, (and it really doesn't matter what kind of group) things tend to go downhill quickly.

The whole purpose of the us against them mentality is to take from, or force something on, the "them" in order to make things easier for the "us".

It's an ugly facet of human nature.

Schools and herds work well for animals. For self aware beings...not so much.

IMHO

mike_v_s · #11 05-30-2010, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skwee

In the end, if you are full-time you are way better protected with a strong union presence in this country.

I'd think that highly depends on the situation. I've seen people end up worse.

Mike

Unrepresented · #12 05-30-2010, 09:40 AM

Teamster here.

Quite satisfied with my ability to have my rights as an employee predetermined.

I have a clear list of expectations that both myself and my employer must adhere to. The union dues are unpleasant, but my corresponding pay even with dues is still higher than equivalent pay rates at the non-union competing corporations.

Corporations are by definition immoral beings. They're there to exploit first and foremost. I'd prefer to have my back covered by organized labor if I'm going to be dealing with such a beast.

Deluge Of Sound · #13 05-30-2010, 09:43 AM

Isn't only about 13% of the American Workforce unionized?

Unrepresented · #14 05-30-2010, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Isn't only about 13% of the American Workforce unionized?

Something like that. Isn't our middle class disappearing at an equivalent rate?

Stinsok · #15 05-30-2010, 09:48 AM

Seems to me, the only real purpose they serve is to increase membership and collect dues.

hdracer · #16 05-30-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

Teamster here.

Quite satisfied with my ability to have my rights as an employee predetermined.

I have a clear list of expectations that both myself and my employer must adhere to. The union dues are unpleasant, but my corresponding pay even with dues is still higher than equivalent pay rates at the non-union competing corporations.

Corporations are by definition immoral beings. They're there to exploit first and foremost. I'd prefer to have my back covered by organized labor if I'm going to be dealing with such a beast.

BS!!!!!!!!!! Did you get that out of your little "Talking points" book? Unions as the most corrupt organizations there are.

Deluge Of Sound · #17 05-30-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

Something like that. Isn't our middle class disappearing at an equivalent rate?

Its about the same, yeah.

FWIW, I'm with you, on paper, at least--I don't work in a unionized profession, and I have no experience dealing with them.

I just find it funny when a) Primaries come around and one specific party attempts to court them and b) when people in general make a big deal about "THE DREADED SATANIC UNION CULTS!" because its such a minority of the workforce.

LiquidMidnight · #18 05-30-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Isn't only about 13% of the American Workforce unionized?

Around 7% of the private sector is unionized. Around 37% of the public sector is unionized.

john_martin_sai · #19 05-30-2010, 09:51 AM

They're the 'modern-day' SHAKE-DOWN' & 'PROTECTION MONEY' specialists.

Deluge Of Sound · #20 05-30-2010, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdracer

BS!!!!!!!!!! Did you get that out of your little "Talking points" book? Unions as the most corrupt organizations there are.

Just curious, what do you think the role of a corporation is, if not to provide as much profit for the owner/stockholders?

It would seem that if you can pay your employees less/not have to give them benefits/etc., you would increase profit for the people on top.

Therefore, the corporation is looking to get the most work for the least cost out of its workforce.

Doesn't that fall under the phrase "exploitative?"