What union is the best?

[kingsman]

Okay, so those of you who belong to unions, which union do you belong to and how would you rate your union?

1. awful

2. poor

3. mediocre

4. good

5. excellent

If you do not belong to a union, do you think you would be interested in joining a union?

[N. A. Corbier]

They'd have to convince me why I'm giving them money. Cold, hard, concrete facts, too. Not just promises about "improving the industry" or some crap.

[CorpSec]

No interest in joining a union. I am sure that unions really had a place back in the day, but I haven't worked a job yet where I have seen a need for one.

[davis002]

I too see no reason or real purpose to joining a union. I have yet to see any union that does anything earth shattering for you.

[Charger]

Years ago, before I got into the security field, I got a job at a grocery store. That lasted all of about 6 months before they let me go. Reason? I refused to join the union. That should tell you something about my opinion of them.

As others have said before me, unions had their time and place, but realistically they don't do a whole lot anymore. The various state/federal labor departments have pretty much taken over the role of 'babysitting' employers and making sure employees are treated fairly.. Which was one of the main purposes of unions...

[HotelSecurity]

I could not afford to be in a union. In 1992 my owner locked the union members out for 2 1/2 years. In 2003 for 101 days. No thanks!

[Bern Wheaton]

I use to belong to a union for 15 yrs. They did give me training in fields I would have to pay for like trucking school and elec. warehouse man. and plumbing trade, which they paid for for there members. only thing is you had to pay dues and bid on jobs using your card to get a job which was the A card you could get almost any job as long as you had knowledge of the job, the B card was as good as the A card and the c card will good luck .

The job back then paid real good ,except when you tried to get a non union job it was hard because on your resume the pay you got, the non union couldn't afford When I was in the union I was a roustabout and got paid $1500 every two weeks but we are talking in the 70's here, now tell me back then who in there right brain cell is going to pay you that much every two weeks!

I mean today if you see a guy with a stop sign and he stop traffic for a truck and works for a union he might make 25 to 30 bucks a hour. at least here they do. Now if a non union worker and a union worker came up and said I need a job who you going to pick when they both can do the same job and have the same knowledge of it?

And you do get allot of your medical paid by the union after a certain amount of hours work. There is always pro and con's to any job.

[Hank1]

To be very honest, I don't know much about unions. I never considered unions. I would have to a heck of a lot of research. Especially, before any monies are given. Plus, I hear more bad things about unions than good!

Be safe,

Hank

[doc368]

Union = organized crime....

[N. A. Corbier]

To be very honest, I don't know much about unions. I never considered unions. I would have to a heck of a lot of research. Especially, before any monies are given. Plus, I hear more bad things about unions than good!

Be safe,

Hank

Remember Securex? One of their Lieutenants tried to start a union. He was fired for unauthorized uniform accessory, FSOA collar brass, which stood for "Florida Security Officer Association."

Anyone who was a member of that "organization" was fired. Funny enough, they were all working for local warm body companies.

[Hank1]

Remember Securex? One of their Lieutenants tried to start a union. He was fired for unauthorized uniform accessory, FSOA collar brass, which stood for "Florida Security Officer Association."

Anyone who was a member of that "organization" was fired. Funny enough, they were all working for local warm body companies.

You know, I am proud member of CIS and it's efforts to improve the private sector such as 9mms, green and amber lights among others. What is troublesome to me are the "warm body", "mom and pop" companies that take advantage of the improvements but do nothing themselves to improve the industry of our chosen profession. It is sad.....

[N. A. Corbier]

You know, I am proud member of CIS and it's efforts to improve the private sector such as 9mms, green and amber lights among others. What is troublesome to me are the "warm body", "mom and pop" companies that take advantage of the improvements but do nothing themselves to improve the industry of our chosen profession. It is sad.....

I used to be an advisor to NAPSOA, and worked on the 9mm gimmick, even though I moved and wasn't around to reap the reward.


A lot of the warm body companies belong to NASCO, oddly, which is pushing for a lot of this stuff. So, you can at least give them that they're putting money where their meh is.

[ycaso77]

Belonged to a union for 20 years. Saw the Regional rep twice in that whole time. We did our own negotiating and everything else. Only time we heard from them was National Convention or dues time. Votes or cash was all they wanted. This was a very large National union out of Detroit that covered the US and Canada. Their bread and butter was the auto industry and we were almost a nuisance to them. Was it good? Higher wages and benefits with no help from them. So it may have its advantages, but I've never seen them do much.

[craig333]

Also was in a union for over 20 years. We'd see our international rep every couple months, more if had need of him. I was a shop steward for a couple years then chief steward for a couple more.
Got to do four contract negotiations. Very interesting stuff if you ever get the chance. I sure would not have wanted to do a negotiation without the international rep (and our local president was pretty good too).

As a chief steward I was also a voting member of the executive committee for the local. I can say 100% that though we may not have always done the right thing, we always kept the members needs in mind. And I can state unequivocably, there was no corruption at least at the local level.

I finally quit being a steward because of the committment (time, money, stress) necessary to do a good job.

One thing many people had/have a problem with is the unrealistic expectations they have of a union. I can't win your grievance if the company was in the right. I can't negotiate you more money than the company afford. I can't tell the company to do anything (that whole negotiation thing).

In the end the even the union couldnt help when they decided to close our plant (we were still profitable and they kept the east coast plant open) but we were able to negotiate a small severance. Not bad since we'd never been able get one in the contract.

So would I join a guard union? Depends. Not if its something I hear most people referring to. A real union with some strength behind it, sure.

And btw, the people I worked with who didn't like the union, were the brown nosers and backstabbers who thought they get themselves a better deal sucking up to the boss.

[N. A. Corbier]

Craig hits on something that many unions in the security field are promising, illegally. They cannot make a company DO anything. They can simply negotiate.