Union vs. Non-Union

[majek5]

Here is my predicament. I have a job as a union electrician doing residential work. My boss has decided to go non-union. So do I stay with him, leaving the union, or join the ranks of the unemployed for who knows how long, and stay union? I have no complaints working for this guy, been with him for 5+ years. But if I leave the union and go with him, all my eggs are in his basket. If anything happens to him, or he decides to say the hell with it, now I am out if the union and out of a job. I don't think this will happen, but... Anyone with any advise is welcome and appreciated.

[907DAVE]

There are MANY issues with Unions.

I will not get into my view on this............... but you got to eat. Do whatever puts food on the table.

[Jackpine]

I'll simply ask this question: "What has the union done for you while you've been working for this man?" If you can come up with some positive responses, it will guide you one way. If you say, "Not much.", it sends you the other way.

Unions can certainly be a positive force. They can also be a parasite. Which have they been for you?

- Jack

[Longshot270]

Jack is right. Down here we have the pipe fitter's union (basically a welding union) and that would be a good one to be in because very rarely do they not have a job to do(from what I've heard). But if things are really slow in your union then go with your boss and assume the economy and everything will get better. My dad has been lineman for a co-op down here for years and the utility companies have been hiring less people and just contracting smaller businesses instead to do the same exact work.

[88Racing]

Being a 17 year member in LU 669 I was in almost the same predicament you are in three years ago. The boss was going to flip sides due to some poor advice from his "buddies".
He finally seen what it was going to cost him and us.
During that turmoil my wife and I experienced a miscarraige also. So I put my name in on the travel book until the boss got his act together and was hired within a day at another company. I completed their work and by that time my boss had seen the light and I went back to work for him.
So there is still some trust issues that are lacking in the shop to this day.
If I would have followed him in his plan to go nonunion there would have been some penalties(fines) I wouldn't ever have been able to overcome.
These trust issues were present at last months negociations also and it was a trying time not knowing nothing.
It's a hard decision. I know.........

[majek5]

I have been "traveling" in surrounding locals for the last 12-13 years, better pay and just as close. But now with the unemployment crisis, that is not an option. The "book" for my home local has not moved in almost 2 years. All of this makes for a lovely situation to be in!

[cajunboy2208]

Does the guy know that you are in a union?
In Louisiana, we dont have such a thing for us electricians, and it sucks. I have been out of a job for over a month, and nothing is opening up anytime soon. Been living on unemployment, somehow.

[88Racing]

Originally Posted by majek5

I have been "traveling" in surrounding locals for the last 12-13 years, better pay and just as close. But now with the unemployment crisis, that is not an option. The "book" for my home local has not moved in almost 2 years. All of this makes for a lovely situation to be in!

During these economic times "buying" a job or submitting a "horehouse" price to get work seems to be a good idea at the time.
Also he's looking at competitive market wages in your area and getting squeemish due to the fact his profit margin is getting tighter because you have an agreed upon set wage.

[cowboy_dan]

The one and only union shop I worked in, the union got in the way more often than not. Quite often they wouldn't let a very knowledgable and experienced operator work in another department to fill in because someone in that department had more seniority. But, the 'senior' guy had ZERO experience on that machine, or with that part. So, we ended up delaying production of that part for 2 days until the regular operator came back.

The only people's jobs that I have seen the union protect are ons who should not have the job.
We had one other 'operator' was notorious for sleeping on the job among other things. The whole department pretty much hated him because he made them look bad. At one point he swapped a ruby tipped CNC probe with a 1.250" end mill and hit Start. That ended badly. Smashed the probe and ripped the part in half. Over 20k in tooling and casting gone in that one.


If I was in the same situation, I'd want to have a heart-to-heart talk with the employer. Things like, what are his plans for the next 5-10 years, what is the money situation look like, etc. Then make my decision.
That said, it would take a very large risk on the employer's part for me to stay with a union.

[BlackSTX]

I guess you have many concerns that must be answered. I'm very mixed on unions, as I and many of my family members have been in and out of them and not all have had very good experiences with them. Much of this may be do to the corruption within our area, maybe not.

Knowing the economy isn't looking too promising for some time to come, I guess you really need to consider how loyal this guy will be to you if you stay with him, and how much work does he have lined up?
Yes, I'm sure if you drop out of the union you'll probably be screwed..... How will you be received if you try to go back?
None of this seems to make for an easy decision; just don't make a choice to quickly. Take the time and make a pro's vs. con's list, and do what you're doing here; get a multitude of input. Someone may have had to make this same choice and have some experiences to share that makes the choice clearer.

Best of luck in your decision.