Integrity
Binge Poster
Disagree.The union doesn't care about us.
Disagree.The union doesn't care about us.
Where are the true leaders of today that arent officers?! The rank and file blue collar workers. Well?A combination of apathy, cowardice, and impotence. At least from my experience, this is what I've seen.
Apathy - Some individuals are perfectly content with the current situation or maybe even don't realize that the Union exists.
Cowardice - A lot of people just want to "do their job and go home," without putting a target on their back. So they don't file grievances, or really get involved with the Union at all.
Impotence - Some members have seen certain ironclad grievances fail or disappear one too many times to care anymore. They believe, best case scenario, that the Union is just weak. Worst case scenario, that there is active collusion between Union officials and management to sweep certain issues under the rug and possibly disparage others who make any noise.
As much as I hate to say it, the last one is what I hear the most from people. And I'm not entirely sure whether they're wrong to feel the way they do.
Amen brother!Where are the true leaders of today that arent officers?! The rank and file blue collar workers. Well?
The honest ones that get punched in the gut and stabbed in the back but keep fighting to fix the locals they work out of even when slandered by union officers?
The people who fight the management and the BA at the risk of their jobs?
That is why the union is weakened in some areas and why members give up or opt out. Where are the Jimmy Hoffa Sr's and the ones that arent afraid to fight for their families and neighbors?
Show me a union that is fearless and I'll say it's about time.
We've become soft and you know it.
The panels see it every session as the company pounds their own workers finances into bankruptcy to prove who is boss even if the employee isn't guilty. Where is the outcry? Where are the "brothers" who fight for each other?
I'll tell you where they are they're sucking up to management and destroying the strength of their work groups. Cowards and butt kissers. What a legacy they will leave. Makes me puke.
Your answer is null and voidDisagree.
We've got ourselves burdened into oblivion with loan debt and can't afford to sit out of work for 8 weeks to fight for our own dignity. Some of us have dug our own holes, some inherited medical issues but still we've mostly done it to ourselves.Amen brother!
I see see much more "apathy" and "cowardice" here than "impotence".
To have a majority of impotence there would be many more people that actually know the contract. Most can't even tell you what their next raise will be.
I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying...Are you saying if there was a strike, you would cross the picket line to work because of your own personal reasons?We've got ourselves burdened into oblivion with loan debt and can't afford to sit out of work for 8 weeks to fight for our own dignity. Some of us have dug our own holes, some inherited medical issues but still we've mostly done it to ourselves.View attachment 277929
Heck no! Didn't the last time either. I'm saying that the members have gotten so far in debt that they're afraid to fight for their rights already won in the cba because they're afraid to be put out of work.I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying...Are you saying if there was a strike, you would cross the picket line to work because of your own personal reasons?
Gotcha...unfortunately the company knows who they can bully because they have that mentality. I wish our union was stronger and there was still solidarity, but times are changing for sure.Heck no! Didn't the last time either. I'm saying that the members have gotten so far in debt that they're afraid to fight for their rights already won in the cba because they're afraid to be put out of work.
Changing because we no longer fight for anything.Gotcha...unfortunately the company knows who they can bully because they have that mentality. I wish our union was stronger and there was still solidarity, but times are changing for sure.
Where are the true leaders of today that arent officers?! The rank and file blue collar workers. Well?
The honest ones that get punched in the gut and stabbed in the back but keep fighting to fix the locals they work out of even when slandered by union officers?
The people who fight the management and the BA at the risk of their jobs?
That is why the union is weakened in some areas and why members give up or opt out. Where are the Jimmy Hoffa Sr's and the ones that arent afraid to fight for their families and neighbors?
Show me a union that is fearless and I'll say it's about time.
We've become soft and you know it.
The panels see it every session as the company pounds their own workers finances into bankruptcy to prove who is boss even if the employee isn't guilty. Where is the outcry? Where are the "brothers" who fight for each other?
I'll tell you where they are they're sucking up to management and destroying the strength of their work groups. Cowards and butt kissers. What a legacy they will leave. Makes me puke.
I'd tell them "I can file labor charges on you" though. No crooked steward would ever have peace in our building.Believe me, I hate seeing people get stepped on all the time. I hate it even more when they're not willing to stand up and fight.
Unfortunately the stewards in my building were lazy, so they're really the ones who gave the local a bad name. The BA was good. It got to the point where I just went over the steward's heads and contacted my BA directly when I had issues. The stewards tried to talk me out of filing grievances one too many times for me to take it anymore.
"You can't file grievances because of no soap in the restroom."
"You can't file over toilet paper."
"You can't file grievances if supervisors work less than 15 minutes."
I'd tell them "I can file labor charges on you" though. No crooked steward would ever have peace in our building.
You gotta give those crooked stewards something to think about when their heads hit the pillow even if it's a bluff.Well, I guess I just never got to that point. I guess I never saw the need to go that far as long as the BA acknowledged they were wrong and was more than willing to help me file directly. Things got done a lot faster when I called him than when I went through a steward, that's for sure.
You gotta give those crooked stewards something to think about when their heads hit the pillow even if it's a bluff.
You're right, it will take an act of God to get members to give a full minute or 2 of their lives to vote on a contract that will effect the next 5 years of their lives. I still can't understand why it's so difficult to vote, but for whatever reason, people (part timers most likely) just can't find the 2 minutes.Going back to the main point of this thread real quick.
I think its obvious that getting the members to vote is not as simple as it sounds.
A good steward can motivate many. Multiple good stewards motivates scores of members to get involved. Our last election had about a 50% turn out in voting (eligible members) and we actually expected more like 60-70%. Motivated people vote in high percentages and it may be easier to give up when things look bad but honest, strong willed people have resolve that can make things happen.Going back to the main point of this thread real quick.
I think its obvious that getting the members to vote is not as simple as it sounds.
A good steward can motivate many. Multiple good stewards motivates scores of members to get involved. Our last election had about a 50% turn out in voting (eligible members) and we actually expected more like 60-70%. Motivated people vote in high percentages and it may be easier to give up when things look bad but honest, strong willed people have resolve that can make things happen.
People dont know what they can have because they don't ask and keep on asking until things change. They dont persevere.