My Only Knock On Unions

All I'm saying is despite what happened to me, I think we're better off without unions. This coming from someone who might have benefited from a union.

 

Well, until "get a clue," I was willing to STFU.

If it were that simple, great. But there's a lot more to it than that, like underperforming workers getting an equal cut in whatever goodies are left.

 

I can live with "underperforming" workers getting stuff under the union contract. A rising tide raises all boats. I can tell you for sure, having worked at union and nonunion papers (and getting a 40% raise when I went from nonunion to union) that having a union is a lot better for 99% of workers. They get better pay, better benefits and most pertinent to this discussion, better protection when things start to go south (i.e. layoffs). My favorite thing is people who bitch and bitch about the unions, choose not to join and pay dues, complain about everything the union doesn't do right but happily suck up all the raises, severance, et. al, that the union negotiates for them.

 

Self-serving, hypocritical, not that much difference.

And I know it sounds like one, charm, but it wasn't meant to be a shot at you.

 

Without the threat of a union what the fuck do you think people would be paid?
There a bad unions and great non union employers but I'd like to see how great these non union employers would be if there wasn't the threat of unions.

 

I understand where you're coming from, and I don't want to out myself too much.

But I can assure you, I know of former union employers who become nonunion employers and don't screw their employees over.

And to pre-empt the next answer, please don't tell me something like, "Well, I'm glad you know the only one." What I KNOW is that if I'm working for one, I'm not a lone wolf in this big ol' country of ours.

 

I can definitely agree with that.

That said, the overall effect of unions in this country has historically been very, very positive.

 

I wouldn't argue that at all. There are no absolutes.

 

I respect you more than you know for simply saying that. It's a rare breath of fresh air here.

(Next on SportsJournalists.com: Simon argues for the presence of absolutes ... EVERYWHERE.)

 

I'd say unions aren't nearly as necessary as they may have been in the past. Teacher's unions, in particular, are the biggest waste of humanity on earth. They pretty much collect dues to protect shitty teachers and spend millions during an election year.

 

I don't work for a newspaper, but we are a Guild newsroom. I got the ax in a restructuring but also two weeks' severance for each year I was here, thanks to the union. We also get modest contract raises each year, that while less than annual cost of living increases are better in my pocket than management's.

On the flip side, the non-journalists in the local think union membership somehow protects them from getting nuked. They are disabused of that notion after a quick Google News search on 'givebacks', etc.

 

I think one of the most comical -- and bullshit -- argument against unions are that "they protect under-performing workers" and it usually comes from one of the, what I call, martyr-complex douchebags -- and we all have them at our shops -- they swear they work harder than everyone else, that they have so many more assignments than everyone else, swear they are busting their tails while others are not -- and it is bullshit.

For one thing, I've worked at union and non-union shops and there is very little difference in terms of keeping dead weight around. I mean, seriously, you have to be a real dumb ass to get fired from this profession, even at non-union shops.

For another, the "under-performing workers" are usually a figment of imagination and it is usually a term used by some cocky newbie and aimed at a veteran who they swear they can do a better job than them and they want them to retire so they can take over their beat........

Get.Over.Yourself.

As far as unions, believe it or not, I don't have a strong opinion one way or another on them because I think they have a place and their impact is very well documented but I do think they are overrated in some instances and there are some places where employees are better off working in a non-union shop.