My first paycheck after joining the Union

km3

Well-Known Member
Or deduct it from your next paycheck. Did they make you pay the entire initiation fee all at once or something?
 

rod

Retired 22 years
That's nuts if they took everything out of his first check. Even if he only worked a few days they should have just taken a percentage. I had more than one helper quit on me after they saw their first check. That's like every once in a while my wife works at a jewelry store. Thank god she isn't a jewelry type of person because even with just picking up a few trinkets for our Granddaughters she ends up owning them money.
 
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BananaCat

Active Member
That's nuts if they took everything out of his first check. Even if he only worked a few days they should have just taken a percentage. I had more than one helper quit on me after they saw their first check. That's like every once in a while my wife works at a jewelry store. Thank god she isn't a jewelry type of person because even with just picking up a few trinkets for our Granddaughters she ends up owning them money.

No, they were really light that week and only had me come in one day to work. Looked at my bank account this morning and it looks like they didn't withdraw any from it. This next week I got 2 days in. Hopefully I'll get a paycheck here sometime. It's a bummer working for free.
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
There's a major problem with whacking part-timers with initiation fees in the hundreds of dollars when they're grossing $180-200/week tops. A new hire's first or second interaction with the union (first being new hire orientation with a steward) shouldn't be seeing half of their paycheck go up in smoke after working one of the most physically difficult jobs out there.

My local waives initiation fees for new hire PT'ers and it's something I think every other local in the country (if financially sound) should consider doing.

That being said, this story doesn't pass the smell test. No one should be getting hit with dues and initiation fees until they've attained seniority and once seniority is attained, they're guaranteed their 3.5 hours a day.
 

upschuck

Well-Known Member
That being said, this story doesn't pass the smell test. No one should be getting hit with dues and initiation fees until they've attained seniority and once seniority is attained, they're guaranteed their 3.5 hours a day.
Ours starts taking out 30 days after hire date, if they have worked 1 day or 20. Not right, in my opinion.
 

Jkloc420

Do you need an air compressor or tire gauge
Oh the union takes their fees out asap. My first paycheck 15 years ago was zapped soon has they could. 15 years later sometimes i swear they take union dues out 3 times a month. Could just be my mind playing tricks on me.
 

realbrown1

Annoy a liberal today. Hit them with facts.
There's a major problem with whacking part-timers with initiation fees in the hundreds of dollars when they're grossing $180-200/week tops. A new hire's first or second interaction with the union (first being new hire orientation with a steward) shouldn't be seeing half of their paycheck go up in smoke after working one of the most physically difficult jobs out there.

My local waives initiation fees for new hire PT'ers and it's something I think every other local in the country (if financially sound) should consider doing.

That being said, this story doesn't pass the smell test. No one should be getting hit with dues and initiation fees until they've attained seniority and once seniority is attained, they're guaranteed their 3.5 hours a day.
I think it needs to go further than that.

Why is there an initiation fee at all?
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
I think it needs to go further than that.

Why is there an initiation fee at all?

I'm under the assumption that it covers the administrative costs of enrolling a member in the union.

Initiation fees are perfectly reasonable and understandable for someone working a union job with a union pay scale and union benefits. Someone making $20+/hour off the street with union health and welfare benefits within 90 days shouldn't gripe at having to pay $150-200+ in initiation fees.

Not so much for a part-timer making minimum wage (in many states) with no benefits and no paid time off for a year.

Quite frankly, it's just a lucrative cash cow with PT turn over that a lot of locals (especially those but not entirely limited to those in closed shop states) aren't willing to give up. New hires come in, pay their $100-200 in initiation fees, quit in less than 30 days then wash, rinse, repeat.
 

realbrown1

Annoy a liberal today. Hit them with facts.
I'm under the assumption that it covers the administrative costs of enrolling a member in the union.

Initiation fees are perfectly reasonable and understandable for someone working a union job with a union pay scale and union benefits. Someone making $20+/hour off the street with union health and welfare benefits within 90 days shouldn't gripe at having to pay $150-200+ in initiation fees.

Not so much for a part-timer making minimum wage (in many states) with no benefits and no paid time off for a year.

Quite frankly, it's just a lucrative cash cow with PT turn over that a lot of locals (especially those but not entirely limited to those in closed shop states) aren't willing to give up. New hires come in, pay their $100-200 in initiation fees, quit in less than 30 days then wash, rinse, repeat.
It's a scam.

If what you say is true, why do they hit you again when you go from part time to full time?

There should be no extra cost, you are already a member.
 
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