Union dues & question on local

[The Driver]

This has been nagging me for a while. Here's the story: I'm an off-the-street full-time package driver who obtained seniority in May this year. But I initially got hired seasonally last October and let go this mid-January.

I have looked and looked but nowhere can I find where I've ever paid union dues on my paychecks. All I see deduction-wise are taxes & 401k deductions. No initiation fees and no dues have ever been deducted as far as I can see. Any idea what's going on here?

Secondly: how do I determine what local I belong to? My city has a few locals and I can't see how to tell which one I should be in. My state is not a right-to-work state so I should definitely be a member, somewhere. I have full health insurance through TeamCare but that didn't seem to tell me which local I'm in.

What the heck?

 

[bleedinbrown58]

This has been nagging me for a while. Here's the story: I'm an off-the-street full-time package driver who obtained seniority in May this year. But I initially got hired seasonally last October and let go this mid-January.

I have looked and looked but nowhere can I find where I've ever paid union dues on my paychecks. All I see deduction-wise are taxes & 401k deductions. No initiation fees and no dues have ever been deducted as far as I can see. Any idea what's going on here?

Secondly: how do I determine what local I belong to? My city has a few locals and I can't see how to tell which one I should be in. My state is not a right-to-work state so I should definitely be a member, somewhere. I have full health insurance through TeamCare but that didn't seem to tell me which local I'm in.

What the heck?

Your avatar is....friggin awesome! Talk to your steward..."he's the one who knocks." lmao

 

[The Driver]

Yeah, I'll run this by the steward next time I see him. Maybe I needed to fill out the right paperwork after I made book and never did. Thanks!

Cool avatar, eh? "You're g-damn right it is."

 

[bleedinbrown58]

Yeah, I'll run this by the steward next time I see him. Maybe I needed to fill out the right paperwork after I made book and never did. Thanks!

Cool avatar, eh? "You're g-damn right it is."

"Better call Saul!!"

 

[Bubblehead]

Yeah, I'll run this by the steward next time I see him. Maybe I needed to fill out the right paperwork after I made book and never did. Thanks!

Cool avatar, eh? "You're g-damn right it is."

I would do it quickly, as you are going to owe for the entire time you have been working.

 

[MikeWhite614]

Don't even bother talking to a steward, they usually can't do anything right. Call your union hall instead, I had a similar issue with no union dues being taken out of my checks and I talked to TWO separate stewards about it who both told me they would fix it, they never did.

I had to call my union hall to get it fixed and thanks to the stewards, it went on for a lot longer then it could have and now I owe a bunch of dues to the union.

 

[The Driver]

Don't even bother talking to a steward, they usually can't do anything right. Call your union hall instead, I had a similar issue with no union dues being taken out of my checks and I talked to TWO separate stewards about it who both told me they would fix it, they never did.

I had to call my union hall to get it fixed and thanks to the stewards, it went on for a lot longer then it could have and now I owe a bunch of dues to the union.

The other problem is that I have no idea what local I belong to. Guess I'll check the boards at work or ask the steward about that.

 

[Bubblehead]

Don't even bother talking to a steward, they usually can't do anything right. Call your union hall instead, I had a similar issue with no union dues being taken out of my checks and I talked to TWO separate stewards about it who both told me they would fix it, they never did.

I had to call my union hall to get it fixed and thanks to the stewards, it went on for a lot longer then it could have and now I owe a bunch of dues to the union.

He said he doesn't even know what local he is in, so perhaps starting with his steward is the prudent move here?
"Throwing out the baby with the bathwater" might not be his best bet.

Is it really fair to condemn all stewards from your perceived bad experiences.

 

[MikeWhite614]

The other problem is that I have no idea what local I belong to. Guess I'll check the boards at work or ask the steward about that.

Which hub do you work at? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[MikeWhite614]

He said he doesn't even know what local he is in, so perhaps starting with his steward is the prudent move here?
"Throwing out the baby with the bathwater" might not be his best bet.

Is it really fair to condemn all stewards from your perceived bad experiences.

What if I have rarely every had a good experience with stewards?

My last union contact, my steward stood there like an idiot and I you not, did not say a single word the whole contact, just stood there.

My FT supervisor and I worked out the issues ourselves.

-edit- Is that misrepresentation?

 

[The Driver]

Which hub do you work at? If you don't mind me asking.

I'd hate to be identified so I'll have to decline. A major midwestern hub, though, Central Plains Division.

 

[MikeWhite614]

I'd hate to be identified so I'll have to decline. A major midwestern hub, though, Central Plains Division.

That's fine, just use google, it's your friend.

Best of luck, I hope you get this matter resolved before it blows up like it did for me. lol

 

[Bubblehead]

What if I have rarely every had a good experience with stewards?

My last union contact, my steward stood there like an idiot and I you not, did not say a single word the whole contact, just stood there.

My FT supervisor and I worked out the issues ourselves.

-edit- Is that misrepresentation?

There is another long time poster on this site who thinks his little corner of the world is representative of the entire union/company/country/world.
All I'm asking you to do, is to consider that it might not be that way everywhere.
That it is possible that there are many capable and helpful union stewards out there, that spend their own uncompensated time trying to help their fellow co-workers, union brothers and sisters.

Or you can continue down the road you are on, as a new poster on this site and proceed to get your head caved in.
Consider this me trying to be a steward to you, the new guy.

 

[MikeWhite614]

There is another long time poster on this site who thinks his little corner of the world is representative of the entire union/company/country/world.
All I'm asking you to do, is to consider that it might not be that way everywhere and that it is possible that there are many capable and helpful union stewards out there, that spend their own uncompensated time trying to help their fellow co-workers and union brothers and sisters.

Or, you can continue down the road you are on as a new poster on this site and proceed to get your head caved in.
Consider this me trying to be a steward to you, the new guy.

What about the misrepresentation?

Also I have another great story for you, this is a 4th separate union steward. This lady told my sort manager, that she saw me throwing packages. So I got chewed out by my sort manager that day, thanks to my union steward whistle blowing on the same person she is supposed to represent.

How is that logical? I pay part of her damn salary, and she goes and tells the manager I am a bad worker essentially.

Also why does my hub have so many bad stewards? I dunno, maybe there are good stewards out there but not at my hub for sure.

 

[sortaisle]

Never mind the arguments on here Walter, the best people to ask wouldn't be your steward but oddly enough any of your fellow drivers or hell even your supervisors know who your local is. If you're in the MidWest, you likely work in an RTW state and that's why you haven't been harassed about it. But please by all means, join the union because representation costs money and the union gets their money from dues. Some folks on here are jaded about it. I've had my issues with my union before, but when I look at the playing field out there I can't argue against what collective bargaining has done for me. Good luck and congrats! The job is hell on your body and mind but for the right person, a comfy life and great retirement can be had.

 

[bleedinbrown58]

What about the misrepresentation?

Also I have another great story for you, this is a 4th separate union steward. This lady told my sort manager, that she saw me throwing packages. So I got chewed out by my sort manager that day, thanks to my union steward whistle blowing on the same person she is supposed to represent.

How is that logical? I pay part of her damn salary, and she goes and tells the manager I am a bad worker essentially.

Also why does my hub have so many bad stewards? I dunno, maybe there are good stewards out there but not at my hub for sure.

Why were you throwing packages?

 

[MikeWhite614]

Why were you throwing packages?

That doesn't justify anything.

Also I was cleaning a trashed trailer that some new hires backed out and had egressed badly, I was simply lobbing the bad packages over the egress. It's not like I was in a trailer smashing up boxes, the logistics system does that for me.

 

[The Driver]

That's fine, just use google, it's your friend.

Best of luck, I hope you get this matter resolved before it blows up like it did for me. lol

There are three different locals for my city. All of them have package as a part.

 

[MikeWhite614]

There are three different locals for my city. All of them have package as a part.

God this forum... I meet the requirements to post links, yet I still can't do it...

Go to the general teamsters website and click on the locals tab. I hope that helps you find your local.

 

[The Driver]

God this forum... I meet the requirements to post links, yet I still can't do it...

Go to the general teamsters website and click on the locals tab. I hope that helps you find your local.

Like I said. Multiple local #s for my location. Already did that.