General Discussion

telclaven

(235 posts)

66. From personal experience

Tue Jul 2, 2013, 11:40 AM

Jul 2013

When I was one step away from living on the street, I got a job in a vehicle parts distribution center. I was working as a temp worker, filling in for surge (for what I never found out). It was a closed union shop, with Teamsters as the union. Was told I could work 30 days, then had to join the union and union dues were going to be $760 the first month (initiation dues plus monthly dues). NO WAY I could pay that. Very unpleasant experience, all around bad taste in my mouth. Was fired after 30 days. Back to panic about how to feed and shelter myself and dog.

Working doing airframe riveting work. Wasn't forced to join union, just 'encouraged'. Work hard, try to get job done. Pulled aside by the union shift lead and told I had to slow down as I was making other union men look bad. Working slow ment carrying over the job into overtime. Or, as they put it, "stop taking food out of union babies mouths." Wow. Um, okay. Don't feel safe working here any more.

So those were my two union stories. Anecdotal data is anecdotal, I know. But these are the things that made me question the utility of unions and what they actually did for ME, the guy trying to get by.

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Why are so many Americans fearful/resentful of unions? [View all] alp227 Jul 2013 OP

Because they are susceptible to propaganda. nt LWolf Jul 2013 #1

Precisely Sherman A1 Jul 2013 #3

Yes - Was Exactly My First Thought cantbeserious Jul 2013 #18

Especially any propaganda that portrays them as self-sufficient masters-of-their-own-domain. Squinch Jul 2013 #25

The media telling them what they should think liberal N proud Jul 2013 #27

+1 emulatorloo Jul 2013 #77

There is a problem in some places Jenoch Jul 2013 #2

When you make promises you keep them. Notafraidtoo Jul 2013 #5

I'm referring to local Jenoch Jul 2013 #6

I don't see what the problem is Bradical79 Jul 2013 #17

+1000 Sherman A1 Jul 2013 #10

I must disagree Sherman A1 Jul 2013 #9

Tough shit. These workers took concessions along the way in exchange for those pensions Doctor_J Jul 2013 #13

I agree. Dash87 Jul 2013 #30

The FAILURE of our Government to COLLECT taxes from Corporations/business/1% MichiganVote Jul 2013 #33

Thank you ellie Jul 2013 #38

Yes, and... GoCubsGo Jul 2013 #40

Thank you. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #62

Bull. Fucking. Shit. Gidney N Cloyd Jul 2013 #51

You know, I will talk to my locals nadinbrzezinski Jul 2013 #60

Once the retirement benefits are agreed on Enthusiast Jul 2013 #71

Gov. Corbett, is that you? Because you must've forgotten that WE PAID FOR THEM. WinkyDink Jul 2013 #74

That's something the Limbeciles seem to forget Doctor_J Jul 2013 #78

What a bunch of bs. Apophis Jul 2013 #75

Bullcrap. A talking point straight from the RMS. Doremus Jul 2013 #89

two reasons. years of repetitious propaganda & the fact that some unions are corrupt in HiPointDem Jul 2013 #4

Horror stories about incompetence being rewarded... Pelican Jul 2013 #7

I wish people would take a few minutes to think.. Notafraidtoo Jul 2013 #8

+1 n/t Laelth Jul 2013 #37

Cold War Propaganda plus media brainwashing Taft_Bathtub Jul 2013 #11

+1 Populist_Prole Jul 2013 #12

Like most of the devolution of the US, it can be traced to Big Media Doctor_J Jul 2013 #14

Their talking points are more extensive than bluedeathray Jul 2013 #15

Two reasons--It takes some balls to strike for decent wages and benefits, and.... dmosh42 Jul 2013 #16

Right wing/anti-Communist-Socialist/class warfare propaganda Nanjing to Seoul Jul 2013 #19

And a low IQ Eddie Haskell Jul 2013 #39

You can't trust reader comments. East Coast Pirate Jul 2013 #20

They know nothing about the history of labor. Ilsa Jul 2013 #21

You got it exactly Dantheman65 Jul 2013 #35

PsyOps and disinfo TransitJohn Jul 2013 #22

Raised WOBBLY here, and disappointed ... mntleo2 Jul 2013 #23

Your grandfather had good worker wisdom there.. Pholus Jul 2013 #26

Yes, this is why some resent teachers all right ... mntleo2 Jul 2013 #36

that is heartbreaking jollyreaper2112 Jul 2013 #28

Not only did this happen, they got rewarded and promoted! mntleo2 Jul 2013 #43

For the same reason that the pots in which you boil crabs don't need lids. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2013 #53

LOL! Something for nothing ... mntleo2 Jul 2013 #61

self centered, in that the inconvenience of the strike impacts them treestar Jul 2013 #24

I am confused because you seemed to be against the BART strike in you LBN thread maddezmom Jul 2013 #29

Yeah, I'd like some more explanation about that too. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #63

jealousy handmade34 Jul 2013 #31

Exactly right. GoCubsGo Jul 2013 #41

I am 64 years old. All my life radio and TV have aired about rurallib Jul 2013 #32

IMO: Unions need to evolve & improve their messaging. Also the propaganda think Jul 2013 #34

It needed to be said. I'd highlight a further problem. Chan790 Jul 2013 #47

Thank you for the input. think Jul 2013 #50

work on the message - exactly Locrian Jul 2013 #48

Just how are they going to "improve their message" when Big Business own ALL of the media Doctor_J Jul 2013 #79

I did mention social media. And yes it's very tough when the M$M controls the knobs think Jul 2013 #83

I can't speak for everywhere Sgent Jul 2013 #42

where Niceguy1 Jul 2013 #52

Propaganda, jealousy, and/or lack of information MillennialDem Jul 2013 #44

same reason people fear the bogyman markiv Jul 2013 #45

Reagan was Screen Actor's Guild president (a Union), and a Democrat markiv Jul 2013 #46

'be a good worker' -> that's what tech workers did markiv Jul 2013 #49

Same thing the VFX people in Hollywood are going through now. Chan790 Jul 2013 #54

In my industry abelenkpe Jul 2013 #55

I think mostly because so few people belong to one today ... frazzled Jul 2013 #56

People hate unions - until they join one leftstreet Jul 2013 #64

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2013 #57

Personally, I drive a couple Chevys Cirque du So-What Jul 2013 #67

Uh huh. Bye. Thanks MIRT uppityperson Jul 2013 #68

the right has done a good job at falsely portraying union workers as lazy. dionysus Jul 2013 #58

They are bombarded with anti-union propagada from the M$M n/t usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #59

You posted anti-strike editorial on your BART story in LBN. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #65

From personal experience telclaven Jul 2013 #66

Example of contrived anti-labor propaganda. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #76

Yeah I think he pulled that off of FoxNation or Glenn Beck Doctor_J Jul 2013 #82

Contrived? telclaven Jul 2013 #86

Here's the deal, one that you don't seem to recognize. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #87

Don't believe I said either of those quotes telclaven Jul 2013 #91

And I knew you would say that about the quotes. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #94

It's a word NoGOPZone Jul 2013 #92

you sound like someone whose worst expectations were fulfilled librechik Jul 2013 #81

M'kay, whatever telclaven Jul 2013 #85

Man if these morons think the workers are striking because they have a "good job with good pay"... Initech Jul 2013 #69

They have been subjected to the most massive propaganda campaign in all of history. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #70

Two reasons: corruption/nepotism, and the sense that "Unions got theirs and aren't helping me" Recursion Jul 2013 #72

Greed and stupidity would be my first thoughts. WinkyDink Jul 2013 #73

Highly successful propaganda programs, if not psyops. n/t librechik Jul 2013 #80

Unions have done a great job of raising working standards and wages for Americans, however... DrewFlorida Jul 2013 #84

Colonized minds roody Jul 2013 #88

I can't speak for the rest of the country but..... justanaverageguy Jul 2013 #90

because they have had bad experiences with unions?? HeroInAHalfShell Jul 2013 #93

Propaganda Marrah_G Jul 2013 #95