Legit had someone from my last job start going on a break room tirade about how “those damn unions just want your money” but strangely had no rebuttal when asked why giving them 2% of your paycheck is a bad thing when they negotiated your RAISE to be 15% and your health benefits add up to an additional savings of around 20%.
I’m SO SORRY you’re getting extra money and healthcare rather than the NOTHING you had before.
Nowadays I like to print up cards with unionizing information on them, facts vs myths, links to read up more, anti-union tactics, links to join unions, links to find HELP setting up a union, and basically anything I could cram into a business card. Now I leave about 10 of them any time I go into a non union store.
Given how previous management has reacted to “someone” leaving these in the break room, I’m sure I’ve caused a few sleepless nights.
For union dues, I’ll sometimes bring up strikes. People know that when unions strike, they aren’t working, and when they aren’t working, they aren’t getting paid. What they don’t realize is that most unions pay the employees during strikes, and that money has to come from somewhere.
Hmm. It’s been a thing for every union I’ve been a part of, but it makes sense it wouldn’t be ALL of them that do it. I’m sure some just simply aren’t large enough to do it like that.
That’s something to worry about in every arena that involves money, not just unions. It’s just a fact of life that there are crooks and liars in the world.
That’s true. I think that’s just what I’m trying to say. Unions are best for most jobs but are not great for all jobs. And they do have s lot of problems younger people might not realize. Some unions are bad for stiffing younger members giving work to older more experienced guys while younger guys pay the same dues. They can become the same shit different structure. So I’m not saying don’t unionize. But I am saying make sure the union serves its members and does not become just another thing that fucks you.
In the end I prefer things like cooperatives over unions but we’re a long way from there. But they also suffer the same old boys club. In the end I think we overlook that we’re all just evil corporation’s without power and money. In the end we should look at the culture itself because there’s a reason corruption is king
From the other side: I’m pro-union, but at my workplace I’m management.
One of the guys on my crew is terrible at his job. Just awful. Everyone hates working with him, he doesn’t get anything done on time, he’s either stupid or willfully ignorant, the list goes on and on.
The union, however, has negotiated that I can’t action for productivity. It literally doesn’t matter how badly he does his job, as long as he’s in his spot and something is happening, I can’t do anything. On top of that, this guy has seniority over most of the other guys on the crew, so I can’t even give him less hours without cutting the people who actually get shit done.
It’s incredibly frustrating, and the only thing I can do is watch his attendance like a hawk in the hopes I can get rid of him for being late one too many times.
The company is openly for its own interest. Corrupting the company would mean using the company for something other than seeking profit. A union, which is on your side, is the thing where corruption makes it go from serving you to not serving you. A company wasn’t serving you in the first place.
I know this might not apply elsewhere as I’m in Australia, but I always bring up that your union fees are totally tax deductible so you get it all back at tax time.
It’s the same people that don’t get socialised healthcare. Union fees are like a tax that’s used to pay people to do work for you, in the case of worker unions, people that negotiate working conditions, benefits, and wages, in addition to lawyers that can both offer legal advice and representation should you be in need of it.
Here in Sweden we have lots of different unions. We have a tenants union that negotiate rent increases, ensure that landlords do their end of the contract, and will help you with legal proceedings should it be required.
There are also various “customer owned” institutions, like my bank, insurance company, and the grocery store I get most of my groceries from. The goal isn’t necessarily massive profits, but enough to sustain and develop the services, with surplus going back to the owners, that is the customers.
It just makes sense. We all make use of schools as children, so funding that with taxes makes sense. It ensures everyone gets a good education, and at least one good meal per day. Same thing applies to healthcare.
My mother WORKS IN HEALTHCARE as the intermediary for the hospital network and the insurance companies.
She literally sees the Financials of people every fucking day.
And still she thinks socialized Healthcare would tank the entire US. I’ve shown charts, studies, anecdotal evidence out the wazoo (which is where anecdotal evidence usually comes from) But no, I can’t possibly be right about this, it would mean someone who got stabbed will have to wait on 600 people with the sniffles to be seen by a doctor in 6 months. Because I guess in socialized medicine, triage doesn’t exist? You can’t logic someone out of a position they didn’t logic themselves into.
Sure. People need to earn a living, after all. I’m talking more about general tendencies (unless you want to be extremely literal about that “always”) in how people take in new information. Messing with ego, preconceptions, tribal status or money are great ways to make that really difficult.
I don’t think the system would change that much, save for insurance companies not having a say in the healthcare a patient receives. It’s ridiculous that insurance companies come before the health of the patient.
Here in Sweden, if you have the sniffles, you don’t see a doctor. There’s nothing a doctor can do for you. If you get really ill, you go to the ER. Assuming you’re not actively dying, someone who gets stabbed will absolutely go before you. The ER doesn’t operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you come to the ER with the sniffles you’ll get to wait for a long-ass time, and at most they’ll send you home with some antipyretics and a suggestion to book a time at a clinic if your problems persist.
There are obviously issues. Gods do we have issues. In general though, the quality of care here in Sweden is ranked higher than that of the U.S.
Honestly I don’t see how it could be LOWER. I have a very dim view of the US Healthcare system, particularly where insurance companies are concerned.
Why do the surgery that only has a 93% chance of success that will give the person use of their legs, that costs $250,000 when a $300 wheelchair will get them from A to B.
Given that I have had to wait MONTHS for an appointment before, and my primary care Dr I have to schedule 2 months in advance, when people complain that they’ll have to wait longer than a week to see a doctor I wonder who they fucked over to get Healthcare that quickly.
Wait times differ greatly depending on where you are and what kind of care you’re seeking. I moved a couple of weeks ago, and decided to try and deal with my hot-flashes issue. Last Tuesday I opened an issue with my clinic, and I got an appointment for Thursday that week. In my old town I had a previously recurrent health issue that had me waiting for four months to see someone.
Sadly politics plays a part too. In the U.K. for example, if you’re a trans person and you’re seeking medical care your case will bounce around endlessly, and you might not ever see the care you need. Same procedures for cis-people can be organised really fast though. Philosophy tube made a really good video on the issue.
It’s also not uncommon for clinics to be understaffed, and the workers to be overworked. This obviously can also lead to issues. I’ve a friend whose cousin died because they didn’t recognise his type of cancer quick enough, despite him seeking help for it frequently. They honestly didn’t really look for it until they faked him passing out, prompting them to take him seriously.
And if the US educational system continues the way its going then you all are going to get more people who turn their noses up at unions because they lack the intellectual capacity to release that the short term loss in revenue will lead to long term benefits.
I’ve had to explain how tax brackets work to my parents multiple times. And my mother was a math substitute teacher for over a decade before quitting because educational work isn’t worth the bullshit for little pay.
I will always vote for increased education budgets.
Legit had someone from my last job start going on a break room tirade about how “those damn unions just want your money” but strangely had no rebuttal when asked why giving them 2% of your paycheck is a bad thing when they negotiated your RAISE to be 15% and your health benefits add up to an additional savings of around 20%.
I’m SO SORRY you’re getting extra money and healthcare rather than the NOTHING you had before.
Nowadays I like to print up cards with unionizing information on them, facts vs myths, links to read up more, anti-union tactics, links to join unions, links to find HELP setting up a union, and basically anything I could cram into a business card. Now I leave about 10 of them any time I go into a non union store.
Given how previous management has reacted to “someone” leaving these in the break room, I’m sure I’ve caused a few sleepless nights.
For union dues, I’ll sometimes bring up strikes. People know that when unions strike, they aren’t working, and when they aren’t working, they aren’t getting paid. What they don’t realize is that most unions pay the employees during strikes, and that money has to come from somewhere.
You’re literally partially making sure you still get PAID when shit happens.
Very good point, and I honestly wonder how common that knowledge even is.
Then again, almost all anti-union propaganda hinges on people not knowing enough about the subject to call it out. As with most propaganda.
Nevermind! I see what was said was that the unions can pay striking workers but it wont be the standard rate. So striking could cause lost wages.
Hmm. It’s been a thing for every union I’ve been a part of, but it makes sense it wouldn’t be ALL of them that do it. I’m sure some just simply aren’t large enough to do it like that.
I would be worried the Union management isn’t corrupt though.
That’s something to worry about in every arena that involves money, not just unions. It’s just a fact of life that there are crooks and liars in the world.
In every arena that involves authority.
That’s true. I think that’s just what I’m trying to say. Unions are best for most jobs but are not great for all jobs. And they do have s lot of problems younger people might not realize. Some unions are bad for stiffing younger members giving work to older more experienced guys while younger guys pay the same dues. They can become the same shit different structure. So I’m not saying don’t unionize. But I am saying make sure the union serves its members and does not become just another thing that fucks you.
In the end I prefer things like cooperatives over unions but we’re a long way from there. But they also suffer the same old boys club. In the end I think we overlook that we’re all just evil corporation’s without power and money. In the end we should look at the culture itself because there’s a reason corruption is king
From the other side: I’m pro-union, but at my workplace I’m management.
One of the guys on my crew is terrible at his job. Just awful. Everyone hates working with him, he doesn’t get anything done on time, he’s either stupid or willfully ignorant, the list goes on and on.
The union, however, has negotiated that I can’t action for productivity. It literally doesn’t matter how badly he does his job, as long as he’s in his spot and something is happening, I can’t do anything. On top of that, this guy has seniority over most of the other guys on the crew, so I can’t even give him less hours without cutting the people who actually get shit done.
It’s incredibly frustrating, and the only thing I can do is watch his attendance like a hawk in the hopes I can get rid of him for being late one too many times.
No concerns about the company management being corrupt and working against your interests, though?
The company is openly for its own interest. Corrupting the company would mean using the company for something other than seeking profit. A union, which is on your side, is the thing where corruption makes it go from serving you to not serving you. A company wasn’t serving you in the first place.
so get involved and make sure it isn’t? tell people if you think the management is corrupt so they can be tossed out on their ass.
I know this might not apply elsewhere as I’m in Australia, but I always bring up that your union fees are totally tax deductible so you get it all back at tax time.
It’s the same people that don’t get socialised healthcare. Union fees are like a tax that’s used to pay people to do work for you, in the case of worker unions, people that negotiate working conditions, benefits, and wages, in addition to lawyers that can both offer legal advice and representation should you be in need of it.
Here in Sweden we have lots of different unions. We have a tenants union that negotiate rent increases, ensure that landlords do their end of the contract, and will help you with legal proceedings should it be required.
There are also various “customer owned” institutions, like my bank, insurance company, and the grocery store I get most of my groceries from. The goal isn’t necessarily massive profits, but enough to sustain and develop the services, with surplus going back to the owners, that is the customers.
It just makes sense. We all make use of schools as children, so funding that with taxes makes sense. It ensures everyone gets a good education, and at least one good meal per day. Same thing applies to healthcare.
My mother WORKS IN HEALTHCARE as the intermediary for the hospital network and the insurance companies.
She literally sees the Financials of people every fucking day.
And still she thinks socialized Healthcare would tank the entire US. I’ve shown charts, studies, anecdotal evidence out the wazoo (which is where anecdotal evidence usually comes from) But no, I can’t possibly be right about this, it would mean someone who got stabbed will have to wait on 600 people with the sniffles to be seen by a doctor in 6 months. Because I guess in socialized medicine, triage doesn’t exist? You can’t logic someone out of a position they didn’t logic themselves into.
It’s always hard to get someone to realize a fact that would damage their paycheck.
I’ve actually talked to some health insurance drones that told me they’d gladly be out of a job due to universal healthcare.
Sure. People need to earn a living, after all. I’m talking more about general tendencies (unless you want to be extremely literal about that “always”) in how people take in new information. Messing with ego, preconceptions, tribal status or money are great ways to make that really difficult.
I don’t think the system would change that much, save for insurance companies not having a say in the healthcare a patient receives. It’s ridiculous that insurance companies come before the health of the patient.
Here in Sweden, if you have the sniffles, you don’t see a doctor. There’s nothing a doctor can do for you. If you get really ill, you go to the ER. Assuming you’re not actively dying, someone who gets stabbed will absolutely go before you. The ER doesn’t operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you come to the ER with the sniffles you’ll get to wait for a long-ass time, and at most they’ll send you home with some antipyretics and a suggestion to book a time at a clinic if your problems persist.
There are obviously issues. Gods do we have issues. In general though, the quality of care here in Sweden is ranked higher than that of the U.S.
Honestly I don’t see how it could be LOWER. I have a very dim view of the US Healthcare system, particularly where insurance companies are concerned.
Why do the surgery that only has a 93% chance of success that will give the person use of their legs, that costs $250,000 when a $300 wheelchair will get them from A to B.
Given that I have had to wait MONTHS for an appointment before, and my primary care Dr I have to schedule 2 months in advance, when people complain that they’ll have to wait longer than a week to see a doctor I wonder who they fucked over to get Healthcare that quickly.
Wait times differ greatly depending on where you are and what kind of care you’re seeking. I moved a couple of weeks ago, and decided to try and deal with my hot-flashes issue. Last Tuesday I opened an issue with my clinic, and I got an appointment for Thursday that week. In my old town I had a previously recurrent health issue that had me waiting for four months to see someone.
Sadly politics plays a part too. In the U.K. for example, if you’re a trans person and you’re seeking medical care your case will bounce around endlessly, and you might not ever see the care you need. Same procedures for cis-people can be organised really fast though. Philosophy tube made a really good video on the issue.
It’s also not uncommon for clinics to be understaffed, and the workers to be overworked. This obviously can also lead to issues. I’ve a friend whose cousin died because they didn’t recognise his type of cancer quick enough, despite him seeking help for it frequently. They honestly didn’t really look for it until they faked him passing out, prompting them to take him seriously.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
Philosophy tube made a really good video on the issue.
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
I will gladly pay a union.
Always worth it. Workers unite! ✊️
And if the US educational system continues the way its going then you all are going to get more people who turn their noses up at unions because they lack the intellectual capacity to release that the short term loss in revenue will lead to long term benefits.
I’ve had to explain how tax brackets work to my parents multiple times. And my mother was a math substitute teacher for over a decade before quitting because educational work isn’t worth the bullshit for little pay.
I will always vote for increased education budgets.
Pretty sure it’s been in that territory for a dozen years or two already. 😞
Can you provide a link to the cards so we can print them too?
When I get home, I’ll work on making a normal printable version!
I have a few hobby machines that do special things, so I have it scattered into a few files to make it go from one machine to the next.
Hoping that you find them.
I found the best comment on lemmy
Did your union negotiate you a 15% raise?
Did my union I joined when I got the job get me 15% more than the others already working there?
No.
Did I immediately get a little over 15% compared to similar job listing’s in the area, AND more than 18% more than my previous job?
Yes.