Need union advice

admin

Got a question for those of you that have been around the welding industry for a while. We want a union where I work, how do we go about doing that? I work for a trailer manufacture there are 12 of us that weld in the plant, the rest of the guys in the weld shop cut metal, bend and break metal, paint the trailers, and wire. In the finishing part of the plant they put down the wood, sheet metal and so forth. What steps do we need to take to get a union in there so we have some one that will back us and fight for a fair wage for us.93 Bobcat 225GMillerMatic 135HF Tig 91811
Reply:contact a "metal working" union in your local area. sheet metal workers, iron workers or even the teamsters. google is your friend. be prepared for a lot of negativity and chit from your employer. above all be very careful about who you talk to on the job [company rats and the like]. be prepared to stand your ground for what you want. best of luck.Dave.
Reply:What kind of trailers do you make and what do you consider a fair wage?
Reply:If you want to earn a fair wage get a skill. Mig welding frames, cutting, bend, brake metal, deck and wire frames is on the level of fast food.
Reply:as neutral as I can be, and this is just personal opinion, bringing the union in is like asking the president to be your shop supervisor.hes gunna piss some people offhes gunna make some people a tad better off.hes gunna make it harder for your employer to stay competitive and in businesshes gunna ask a portion of your better wages just for being there for youwhen he decides you are unnecessary and lays you off, you go to the bottom of his list of people seeking work.hes going to make a lot more money than you.my brother works for a union and makes bank. the difference between his job and yours/mine is that his job is DOMINATED by union companies and customers have no choice. THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR ELECTRICITY BILLS! with welding/ fab, you can be unionized up to your ears, but the private company next door will make the same trailer at half your cost. who stays in business? unless you live in a local that is strong with companies all with the same union goals, it doesn't work.my best advice (and I wish I could follow it) is to find a trade/ local that is dominated with union membership. or to work out of the shop into another facet of welding like piping or shipbuilding as it seems to pay better.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:I'm afraid that Virginia is a Right to Work state, and you're all going to get fired
Reply:so yep I'm pretty much screwed, and who ever asked me what a fair wage is. I make $10.00 an hour if I show up on time all four days on time we work I get an extra $40.00 then we get a supposed production bonus that is normally around $20.00-$30.00 and all of that is taxed so I bring home less then $400.00 dollars a week. The owner doesn't look at the fact that me and my partner (who makes way more then me) can build half of our weekly quota in a ten hour shift and I get pulled to different areas to help other people. I say I'm worth about $13.00 an hour but that's just my opinion. I've seriously thought about goin to work at mc Donald's or some where but I enjoy welding too much.93 Bobcat 225GMillerMatic 135HF Tig 91811
Reply:http://www.pro-lineperformance.com/ here is a link to the company we make the trailers for, I make the 6X's and 7X's enclosed. The man that owns proline also owns the company I work for Victory Trailers.93 Bobcat 225GMillerMatic 135HF Tig 91811
Reply:Getting unionized will likely cause lot's of problems for those working there and lot's of disagreements.  Once you locate the organization that is interested in representing you they will circulate "interest cards".  This will tell the union if they are wanted in the place by the people.  It sounds like you probably got up to 30 peeps??  It may not be enough to stir the locals interest.  The employer will fight the action and some folks will definitely lose their jobs before it goes anywhere.  Have you considered working "piece work"?  But if they are already giving you a measly production bonus that is likely the best they will do for you.
Reply:Do any of the welders at your work site have any welding certification tickets of any kind? What makes you think your qualified to earn more money? That's the approach your employer is going to take. If the welders at your work site were required to get certified, will any of you pass a test?You guys can organize and join up with a union but that doesn't mean your going to obtain higher wages. Those have to be negotiated in a collective bargaining agreement (contract) between your employer and union. Sometimes you make gains negotiating a contract and sometimes you loose things. It's tit for tat and if your employer has to give something up, they usually want something else back in return. By the sounds of what the wages currently are at your work site, you aren't going to make big strides or gains by unionizing with this company. I've been a union worker for 20 years and I'd suggest you go else wear like the union construction industry if you want to start earning some real pay for what you do. You will have to get certified.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I agree, the though of having the union wage is great,, but I have seen a few places go union then shut down because "overhead" was too high....... not that the workers unionized TOOLS AND TOYSSMAW Mid States Inc. "MISSING LINK" 10-150 AMP Buzzer circa 1945ishSMAW Magic Wand 40-60 AMP Suitcase Buzzer circa 1939ishGMAW Hobart 210 IronmanOxy-Propane TorchMany other old and cold goodies"Rusty but Trusty"
Reply:Pretty well summed up by different members so far.The gist of it is that the employer will fight tooth and nail to keep it non-union.I remember one little rat chit job I had worked at around 1980 while I was laid off for a spell from my union job.The job was as a mechanic in a truck dealership.  It was a non-union shop.I got tipped off to the job by a friend who worked there (he and I had worked together at a different job in the 1970s).During the second week I worked there, I was given an assignment requiring the use of drill bits and I asked about where do you guys keep the drill bits.The foreman said mechanics have to furnish their own drill bits.  I remarked that I had never heard of a mechanic having to furnish drill bits.I had to borrow some bits from my friend.  It seems that my asking for drill bits was very amusing to some of the other mechanics and that night in the locker room one of their older mechanics tried to make fun of me because I did not have a set of bits in my toolbox.  My reply was that I should be expected to furnish a drill, but the company should furnish "consumable" drill bits.The antagonist then made a snide remark like "This ain't no union job like the one you are laid off from right now and they do things different here".I answered him with what I thought (at the time) to be a clever retort by saying "Maybe if there was a union in this shop you wouldn't have to furnish the shoe polish when you shine the boss's shoes".Next day when I came to work I was told not to punch the clock and was handed a pink slip.I talked to my buddy and he told me that the guy who I was debating in the locker room not only kept the boss's shoes shined, but also made sure there were no cobwebs under the boss's desk.My buddy said that the boss probably heard about the debate before I even got home that night and that the mere mention of a union (to the wrong person) was probably why I was let go.
Reply:A couple other avenues of approach that might get you faster results than trying a union and probably better for you since when it comes down to it you're probably going to be the guy standing alone.Ask for what you think you are worth. If you don't get it start looking for other work. It sounds like you have a good work ethic and if another job does not pan out for you I would start a slow down. There is no sense in you busting your work out to go help a slacker do his. Your employer benefits as does the slug but you lose out.
Reply:You live in Franklin County.  I live in Mathews County.  Both are about same distance north and south from Newport News Shipyard.  Shipyard is/has been hiring at a starting wage much higher than you are making.  Bus load of people commute from here to the shipyard every day and have for  as long as it has been around.  Am sure it is the same in your county.  If you have certs,why haven't you applied?  BTW: shipyard is union.BTW: If you have no certs, if your shop was to unionize, I doubt you would have much union protection in your current job (as a welder).  More likely as general labor.JerryLast edited by storeman; 07-11-2014 at 09:00 PM.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press
Reply:I'm hoping to be able to attend the local community college this fall or next spring to enroll in the welding class and hopefully get a few certs under my belt. If nothing else I'm going to talk to the local plumbers and steam fitters local union 10 and see what they can do for me.93 Bobcat 225GMillerMatic 135HF Tig 91811
Reply:Originally Posted by Anthony83I'm hoping to be able to attend the local community college this fall or next spring to enroll in the welding class and hopefully get a few certs under my belt. If nothing else I'm going to talk to the local plumbers and steam fitters local union 10 and see what they can do for me.
Reply:Originally Posted by Anthony83I'm hoping to be able to attend the local community college this fall or next spring to enroll in the welding class and hopefully get a few certs under my belt. If nothing else I'm going to talk to the local plumbers and steam fitters local union 10 and see what they can do for me.
Reply:When I was a paramedic we started out non-union. Then over a number of years, we were affiliated with the AFT, teamsters, and finally the IAFF. I hated being union. Everyone made the same pay regardless of the skills you brought to the job, how timely you were, etc. It just drove us to mediocrity. And all of the overtime went to the same 3 people based on seniority. Before the union I was able to negotiate some decent raises. After the union we were stuck at 2% a year, and no overtime. IT SUCKED! And for the privilege of being represented by the union, I gave up 3.5% of my paycheck for union dues, which were not tax deductible. After I left the company it came to light that our union president in the IAFF was taking kickbacks from the company, in exchange for going easy on the contract. The guy did 10 years in a federal pen. My dad was IAM for 40 years. I have several uncles that were IBEW for decades. I never saw the unions do anything but suck blood from us.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Like Louie said, unions aren't a cure-all, especially in a right to work state.Union masons in WY make less than their counterpart hourly, but their benefit package helps some.My wife's nursing union has worse healthcare than I do, honest. (I'm union now).Decades ago, a wise professor that was actually an a$$ said "chase the money while you're young, you can then retire where you want later".I moved 1200 miles for a $15/hr pay increase.Ironically, the closer we get to a socialist society the less labor unions are needed....but that's a whole nother subject.....And on a similar subject, but different, I personally know a hand full of retired union masons that clear over $5k/month, and that's nothing! Some retired IBEW workers are netting $10k!I don't know how families survive let alone thrive, on less than $20/hr.Tony, you need to get out of mfging. The money's in energy and construction.Last edited by dubl_t; 07-12-2014 at 10:50 PM.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:Prior to steamfitting, I worked for an aluminum jet boat manufacturer. We were paid very little averaging about 9-14 an hour. We all decided together that us welders were going to leave and we all got 5 dollar pay increases. The owner or CEO is entitled to make good money, but we shouldnt have to struggle while they drive lamborghinis and fly planes around. Stick to your guns.BillUA Local 598
Reply:I work in a shipyard and Im in the union.  Some of the comments / advice are good while others are completely wrong.  I'm not pro union because I come from a union family in a union state and I am far from one of those fat cat overpaid union guys mentioned.  Each union and each union hall acts and manages their operations differently with some good and some bad, my local just went through an in depth investigation at the international level because of several allegations of misuse and theft from one member and the accused were cleared of wrong doing.  USW is the best out of all the unions I've dealt with ( Auto, Teamsters, Telco, Food ) and you can contact them through this link.  http://myuswlocal.org/sites/us/8888/  Virginia is a right to work state so this means that if half the shop votes it does not mean that everyone has to join so keep that in mind.Welding Supervisor Department of Corrections.
Reply:I am an IBEW electrician driving a truck for 17.50 per hour. This is due to the fact my local is in Atlanta and there is not enough work to employ "travelers". So, even though I live in Richmond and own a home, I cannot get work in my area. Also You will have to carry a "tradesmans" license (a way for the state to get more money) to go with your certifications. If I was not a native with family in the obx, I probably would be in Atlanta where there is work currently, may go and work for a while, then come back home. Don't know. In other words, be careful what you wish for. I am well trained, educated and experienced but until work is clearing the "book" I do what I have to.RegardsDave
Reply:Originally Posted by Anthony83so yep I'm pretty much screwed, and who ever asked me what a fair wage is. I make $10.00 an hour if I show up on time all four days on time we work I get an extra $40.00 then we get a supposed production bonus that is normally around $20.00-$30.00 and all of that is taxed so I bring home less then $400.00 dollars a week. The owner doesn't look at the fact that me and my partner (who makes way more then me) can build half of our weekly quota in a ten hour shift and I get pulled to different areas to help other people. I say I'm worth about $13.00 an hour but that's just my opinion. I've seriously thought about goin to work at mc Donald's or some where but I enjoy welding too much.
Reply:I am a union welder, I sujest you talk to some other union welders that are doing what you are doing and see if they are better or worse. if you decide you want union and your company does'nt . move on a good welder can work anywere and make good money union or not