Coastie071

Were you inspired by, or have you heard of the pequeninos (sorry for the mobile link, I have no standard computer access atm)

In their fictional culture, when they "die" they grow into sentient friendly trees

Thanks for the AmA.

I was raised to believe that unions are one of the best things ever. My late grandfather worked for a railway union, and they took care of their own, both in rewards and punishments.

However I went to work for the UFCW, when I was younger, and got an awful taste in my mouth. While I don't judge unions as a whole from my experience, I'd like to cite a few examples, and see your response, or if you've seen similar things in your career.

• Effort. To quote Peter Gibbons, "you only have to work hard enough to not get fired". Compared to my peers I worked faster, harder, and put in many more hours. When I approached my manager for a raise or promotion I was told that any other positions weren't open to anyone under 21 due to union regulations, and raises were given to everyone based on time with the company, not merit. I double checked with my union, and he was correct. So I worked harder than my peers, only to be given the same raise, at the same time, that they were.

• Thoughtlessness: The majority of my coworkers took the union endorsement sheet to the ballot box, without knowing the tiniest thing about who or what they were voting for, or why.

• Wages. I believe everyone deserves a liveable wage. That being said, does a person checking groceries really deserve $26.00/hr base pay. That doesn't include sunday 1.5x time, 3.5x holiday time, or 1.5x time working after 2200. Doesn't paying workers that much screw over everyone in the neighborhood by driving up the price of food and other necessities?

• Strikes. I was on strike for four months. The union was paying members $4.00/hr to strike, which I decided to pass on (I was still living with my parents, and didn't feel like I should take from union coffers if I was still able to eat well). I don't really understand who the strike benefitted though. People still bought groceries, maybe at different stores so they didn't have to pass their usual cashier, but the industry was still getting money. Furthermore scabs were hired on, for less $/hr, for no benefits, and seemed to do their job just fine. No one in the state would hire any one of the grocery workers on, and families were put under severe stress. We were striking for higher wages (I thought they were high enough). At the end of the strike we were informed that union dues were raised at the beginning of the strike, and we had to pay back four months worth, plus interest. I quit on the spot.

I also work with shipyard workers quite a bit, and union rules have made those guys the laziest people I have ever met. Here's a breakdown of the average yardbird's day (there were of course superstars in the yards, but they spent more time carrying their co workers than being able to get a job done exceptionally well.)

0800: Clock in at front gate. Walk at zombie pace to work site.

0830: Arrive at job site, start setting up for job.

0930: Set up for job, decide to just wait to start since the 1000 break is coming soon.

1000: Break time! Break time doesn't start until they arrive at the break room, off the work site however. Zombie pace to and from work site, naturally.

1030: Back from their "10 minute break", commence work.

1200: Lunch break! Cue zombie walk to cafeteria, and back.

1330: Back from lunch. commence setup

1400: Setup complete, break time!

1430: Start work again.

1530: Start breaking down worksite to go home.

1600: Clock out.

I really want to like unions, I honestly do, but my experience with them has been nothing but nasty. They breed lazy workers, cost the public money, and seem to exist solely as a political machine.

I know it seems like I'm blasting you, but I want to hear the good side of unions related to my experiences. Thank you very much for your time, happy labor day!

God she bugged the hell out of me

True, I was just trying to be as vague as possible, and I think friendly is a mostly correct adjective

I'm lucky, I'm adopted, my sister is adopted, therefore my parents are virgins.

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go for my weekly brain scrubbing from when I walked in on them 14 years ago.