Democrat's Apathy For Unions Is Suicide

[NM_Birder]

112. Probably is a regional thing to an extent.

We might just be in different construction markets, I think. But the trend is common all over the country, otherwise the Unions would not be losing membership, and would not be so obviously desperate to turn guys against thier employers, in favor of the union. What really, is the benefit of being a unionized carpenter ? Shit from what I see it ain't the training, it ain't the ability to work steadily, and it ain't the ability to choose what you want to do. "Go here and do this, for that long", "and save some cash because you won't be employed for the whole project". " I'm sure another one will come along soon". I went a different way, and it paid off.

I see a home depot receipt show up on an expense report, there had better be a damn good reason for it. That and "Lowes" are not the level we play at, we employ an entire division to be sure what my guys need is delivered to the sites. That could be the disconnect with other people, I have high dollar guys performing at a high skill level, ......runners catch on, they anticipate, they grow, and they advance, or they stomp around and complain about not being given enough slack until the super has had enough and tells them to go join the union. I will be the first to admit, we don't run a daycare, there are no group hugs to motivate. I expect A LOT, I expect results, and if I don't get results I get someone who will give me what I expect. It can be a hard experience, it's not social hour, if people don't perform how they are required to, there are a wide range of consequences. people can be seriously injured, killed...... in some cases,..... the supers are responsible for lives, costs, quality and progress ......... these are top level guys, and they train thier 2nd hand guys, and so forth and so forth. I treat my guys like family, because they ARE family. I don't have to wait and see what the union taught them, when a seasoned guy comes to the office and says, "this ones ready to bump up" i know i have a keeper, and he has the training i know he has to have to be what I need him to be. union guys are a roll of the dice, and typically in my past experience, attitude was the first thing shown instead of skill. i don't have room for guys that are adept at telling what they know, but then are marginally capable of performing, and virtually unable to supervise and direct a large operation.

We build all over the country, I was nomadic for a long time with the company, and believe it or not have an old journeyman card stuffed in a drawer somewhere. Shit the carpenters union used to send me on a 3-4 day vacation, nearly every year. But that was in the past, the union is NOT what it used to be. I agree, there are a LARGE number of people who have what THEY call "construction companies", but really are little more than low bid job thieves that give away a job, steal the profit and close down, all to soon, only to pop back up like fucking mold with a new name. i am thankful, those are a rare problem in the arena I work. I don't price compete much anymore thankfully,...... the larger the risk, the more massive the responsibility, the less some clients are willing to gamble on the outcome. The sharp end of THAT stick is , those are not the clients that accept excuses readily, and one good belly flop can end the relationship.

Listening to the news blather about how construction is booming blah blah blah, doesn't tell the flip side to that. Building construction costs are constantly going up, margins are razor thin, loyal, skilled guys are worth every penny. Employing day labor guys is not only an unforgivable waste of money and time, The clients we build for are not paying premium prices for a body number showing.

LANL and Cannon both had Design build projects that were both the high watermark of my government projects portfolio, but that was years ago. it was also back before I lost confidence in unionized check collectors. I've worked at SNL, LANL and Cannon, on a variety of construction projects, from hangars, RD facilities, "storage" etc. i don't miss it, and my hair stopped going grey as soon as i left it.