International Brotherhood of Teamsters

^^ That's the scary part , however ou shouldn't be living your life depending on that pension or even Social Security . You never know what's going to be there !!

 

Guess I might as well toss in as well.

If you are in a union and you perceive a value to it, awesome and great for you.

Never been a union member myself... Worked white collar for a few companies that had them and wasn't really impressed at all.

In fact, one union voted to dissolve, or what ever term is used to vote out a union. Another company had a couple small unions but others groups within that same company voted them down because those union workers actually got worse deals than the individuals. And they saw a few guys getting the same as others but didn't deserve the same pay.

At an electrical company there were a few guys stirring the union pot and got enough guys to get a vote on it... But the majority knew they had a good working relationship with management and really didn't need, or even want, a third party envolved. So that union idea died quick.

My dad was in a union but he was never pro union... And my first wife was required to be in a union too but I never thought it was worth it.

I fully admit that there was once a time and place for unions and we have benefited from their actions... But now with so many government oversight organizations it's harder and harder to see the need.

In fact, one could argue that unions have now themselves become "big business".... Ironic.

Plus I hear a few unions are having to change their awesome retirement plans because they are about to implode ... Leaving no one with that benefit. Until Uncle Sam bails them out which is yet another frustration as a tax payer.

Or as mentioned above, hear about a company ending up closing the doors or moving to another country.

Like it or not, labor is now in many ways in competition with lower wage paying countries... So great, a few people made good on an awesome retirement but now those jobs are in China... Who won?

And then politically, I find myself possibly backing candidates different from those supported by unions... So that would be yet another friction point, for me.

If you like your union awesome.
If you want to work for a union shop great.

If you don't then that's ok too.
As for me, I'm fine without one.

Stay Safe,
MD

 

Oh ya, seems totally fair to me... LOL
Sign me up... Well, for the senior position.
Not the one soaking wet in 110 degree weather.

 

Back in the late 80s early 90s my dad was in the local 282 hauling steel to nyc with his own truck leased onto a small flatbed company . My dads not pro union but he made bank for the 7-8 years it lasted. I know back then it was all mob ran. When my dad left the 282 it was under govt. trusteeship it was so corrupt. If you weren't union you were dropping the load in jersey and teamsters would bring it across the Hudson.

Thats about all I know

 

That behaviour and mentalaty, athough prevelent, is not representitive of every union shop. I can take it or leave it. The contract dictates more than the union does. Our shop only has a few "sleepers" left. And they are feeling the pinch. (Good imo) our insurance sucks (contract controlled) our pension is non exsistent. (Central states) and not getting paid on merit is anoyong. However we get o/t after 8, garunteed hours, more per hour than our non union shops, good maintance on the equip. Good vacation... so it goes both ways.

 

never been paid better
Never had a better family health plan

 

I have a close friend who retired from ABF Kernersville. Poor #######, pension is $2700 a month and he draws his social security on top of that. He's only getting over $4500 a month....not a bad retirement by any standard.

 

I would retire quick ... Before another Pension Plan implodes... Not many will have the same experience as he does... Kind of like Social Security... Some made out good on it but I doubt I will every see a decent SS check.

 

Pensions quickly become an anchor around a companies neck.... Just think of an older company having to pay out all the pensions, or fund a pension plan, trying to compete against a startup without any pension expense... Due to not having any retirees yet... Or because they offer a 401k plan instead.

Not judging just a fact of competition.

 

Not a huge fan of the teamsters but I understand the logic in joining. Dues are $72 a month. Typically dues are 2.5 times your hourly rate. Health insurance is either free with the 80/20 plan or $11 a week with a 90/10 plan, that is if you're single. For family it's around $40 a week. Pension is very good, $105 a month for every year you work there. So 30 years equals $3150 monthly plus you social security when you hit qualifying age.

The bad. They do a horrible job of representing us. From my understanding, my business agent has been to our terminal but I've never seen him there in the 5 years I've worked there. Grievances are rarely filed because they get brushed under the desk at our local and are rarely heard. Our local collects over 10k in dues a month just from our terminal and does nothing to represent us with the dues although all the employees at the local seem to be driving Escalades or Mercedes'. It's a corrupt organization like our government, just on a smaller scale.