I wasn’t sure whether to bring up a topic about collective bargaining unions and their benefits and disadvantages. This is a topic much, much bigger than this post, and strong defense can be made in support of both a unionized and non-unionized workforce.
I do think a discussion here would be of help – especially for prospective employees who may be unfamiliar with the methodology and reasoning for the need for unions and the protections (or sometimes lack thereof) that they provide. Education on the development of unions in general can be found here and here .
I’ve worked on several sides of the issue and really can only discuss it from my point of view. And – spoiler alert! – I lean more towards the unionized workforce than the non-unionized side.
So why would I support a left-wing political machine especially when I consider myself more of a Conservative Republican? Because at my level – the regular city worker – I have had my rights and benefits protected, my job dignity and job security upheld, as well as general support and relatively clearly defined rules of engagement – as well as a support team from shop stewards, industrial hygienists, lawyers and arbitrators, and others that make up the union on a local level.
You see, many of these people are not needed when times are good. Even the need for a union would not be there if all one had to do is go to work, do a fair day’s job, get a fair day’s wage, and be treated with respect and dignity as a fellow person in polite society. But greed and power work its way in and then things go awry.
From the management perspective, a restriction is felt when working with unionized employees because of the wrong interpretations of contracts and agreements, maliciousness and lack of performance of some union employees who think that the union protects their incompetence and poor performance, and the time consuming tediousness of tracking and documenting progressive disciplining of those malcontents.
In my early working years I worked for several non-unionized organizations. In most cases, things were good. I enjoyed the periodic annual raise as well as some cost-sharing benefits, and the periodic merit raises. However, even though I am highly technically trained and was hired for my particular skill, we always had the visit from the local headquarters where the area manager reminded all of us about “how if we are instructed to sweep the floor, clean the bathrooms, shovel snow…” etc. that we better follow management’s direction or face disciplinary action or termination. How’s that for motivation.
Anyway, he would leave and business would go on as normal. Everything was excellent – I was moving up, getting some overtime, working on exciting projects and with the latest equipment. Then one day my shop manager got a promotion and a “new guy” was brought in.
Well, the new guy was generally technically knowledgeable, but had a different management philosophy. Not being from this industry, and never working in a customer service environment, he had trouble understanding why all the customers he speaks with are “pissed off”. He couldn’t grasp that these people purchased thousands of dollars of new equipment that had service issues. He kept assuming that it must be the technical staff. Lack of performance, lack of speed in resolving customer issues. None of that was actually the case. Sometimes we’d have a factory defect, but many times it was configuration issues, or needed to be integrated into legacy equipment, or perhaps was sold with the wrong features or accessories. Some customers just had service contracts and needed periodic repairs.
Well, as the saying goes, “the beatings will continue until morale improves”. Many were fired. Others hired to replace them were then fired. Many times I would listen to a coworker’s phone call home telling their significant other or friend they lost their job. I had my neck on the chopping block several times. I was fired three times – and rehired within 15 minutes each time because, as the “new guy” says, he “was maybe a bit hasty…” Hasty with my career, hasty with my family, hasty with my loss of pay.
The headquarters area manager would come out to see what was going on – but would leave thinking the new guy was just “cleaning house”. The area manager once asked for my opinion on what was going on, and I explained it in the most politically-correct way I could. His response – “Well it could be worse – you could be out on the street cold and hungry”.
With a wife, mortgage, and child soon to be on the way, there was no time for “the street”. It was time to go.
One of my coworkers said he didn’t know why I stayed here for so long anyway and didn’t already go to the city. At that time it was new to me; work for the city. It seems the city always had trouble advertising for positions and I didn’t know much about working there, the requirements, the tests. But, I did a bit of homework, found out about Radio Repair Mechanics, and the rest is history…
So – fast forward and now I was working for the city. Some new and different situations…
Although merit raises don’t generally exist for unionized titles, promotional opportunities do. So, one could stay in the title they’ve been hired for – and get the periodic citywide increases. They could also look for promotional opportunities within their own agency or with another city agency. Even a promotion into another collectively-bargained union title – and retain the protections that come with it.
As far as protections, I’ve had to invoke the help of the union a couple of times in my career because of some questionable demands. As a manager I was also responsible for making sure that the union’s requests regarding certain practices or situations were answered appropriately and consistent with approved agreements.
There are several challenges to unions taking place. Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Association is a hot one now. Although I agree with the issue that a member should not have to support the unions political interests that conflict with that of the member’s, and that a member should only have to opt out on paying political support fees once and not annually, I don’t think getting rid of the unions altogether is the answer. The local protection at the working person’s level is needed – needed to prevent the abuse from greed and power. I know several acquaintances in private industry whose jobs are in jeopardy – even after working 30 years and performing well. It seems they can bring in younger workers at a less rate and just the company’s perception that a “younger person” might improve business – although that is illegal to do. Another company hires employees – moving them back and forth between company employee and outsourced consultant – letting them go and bringing them back as needed. I have several asking me for information on city jobs just so they can gain stability and predictability. That stability and predictability is because of the union.
From my experience, those working in “Right To Work” states seem to have lower wages and less worker protections then that are provided by union-secured benefits. A civil servant I know working in Virginia, a “Right To Work” state, chronically runs into unfair practices and job manipulations without any support of any union or collectively bargained group. Another gentlemen I’ve recently dealt with wanted to apply for a job and come in for an interview but, although working for his private-industry company for 10 years, was afraid to ask for a day off in fear of retribution by his manager. This is a “high-tech” company that is well known in the industry. High tech but low employee respect, I guess…
So, without digging in deeper to the nationwide challenges, I believe that working for a collectively-bargained, unionized workforce has provided the best in job protection, job stability , and best pay when looked at from the local level.
Questions and Comments welcomed below.
