One of our fellow bloggers found himself in a bit of a quandary lately, facing the decision as to whether or not to accept a job offer that came with a vague (but no doubt real) expectation that he join the union representing those in that position.
He asked for inputs. Several answered, mostly with very little good to say about unions.
No surprise there. Union membership has been falling for years for a number of reasons, ironically because, in many ways, unionization paved the way for wages and benefits that now companies feel compelled to pay because it’s expected. The unions are victims of their own success. Many companies are run by people smart enough to know that if you take care of your people, unions can’t gain a foothold as easily as they once could. I know. I used to work for one. I left ‘cause I’d rather be flying, not because the people who ran the company were jerks…most (the very senior ones, especially) were model leaders.
He asked for inputs. Several answered, mostly with very little good to say about unions.
No surprise there. Union membership has been falling for years for a number of reasons, ironically because, in many ways, unionization paved the way for wages and benefits that now companies feel compelled to pay because it’s expected. The unions are victims of their own success. Many companies are run by people smart enough to know that if you take care of your people, unions can’t gain a foothold as easily as they once could. I know. I used to work for one. I left ‘cause I’d rather be flying, not because the people who ran the company were jerks…most (the very senior ones, especially) were model leaders.
Ready for a generalization? Here you go: In a nutshell, the fact that a company is unionized is an indictment of its management—you pissed off the rank and file enough for them to organize. Unfortunately, that adversarial relationship often remains after the initial unionization. It’s my guess that many of the more well-known unions do nothing to prevent that and in fact reinforce it to preserve their role and presence in the company.
If the union’s entrenched and you have to join to get a job, you join if you need that job. That’s the terrain you’re faced with in that battle. If the union is run by scumbags, maybe the pill is just too damn bitter to swallow and you walk…but that’s easy for me to say. If your back’s against the wall, there’s always the option of taking the position temporarily while continuing to search for other opportunities—a thoroughly legitimate and ethical tactic.
I’ve been a union member for 4 years, having joined the Air Line Pilots’ Association (ALPA) after getting hired by the airline I work for. A new experience, to be sure, having been in “management” (officer), in the military no less, for 26 years.
Frankly, it was a simple calculation—ALPA is a big deal in the airline business, a world where the labor/management relationships vary between “civil” and “civil war.” So, rather than stick out like a sore thumb by saying, “nah”—the union membership count in my company is 97% of all pilots—I joined, like most of my military colleagues. Besides, the union publishes a list of “non-members” in their quarterly magazine that you can, literally, cut out and fit into your standard Jeppesen trip book. There are some, not many, but some, who memorize that list and when they fly with The Other, the cockpit is usually quiet for the whole trip. Very quiet. This makes for some interesting rides between, say Narita and home. Thirteen hours with two guys who basically sit there staring straight ahead can get a little tense. This doesn’t happen that often but it does happen.
All that said, however, the ALPA organization in my company is, like the rest of them in the various airlines, pretty much reflect the general “personalities” of their pilot force overall. Given many of our crewmembers are former or still-active military, that has a dampening effect on the more man-the-barricades types that you’d expect from your typical union. And even “typical” is a bit of an inaccurate generalization, as most are…kinda like “typical white person.” On the other hand, if you fly for a commuter or one of the companies that are constantly cutting labor costs to survive and resort to threats, e.g., “call in sick and we’ll fire you,” the relationship is about like it is between Putin and Saakashvili right now. Tense.
But, in our case, the relationship between our company and the union is pretty good. Both want the company to succeed. Both are trying to get the most out of the other while giving up the least in turn. It’s a natural, and in our case healthy, tension. I flew with the Chairman of the Negotiating Committee this month and he had neither horns nor a tail. He’s been a Councilman in his hometown (can you say “management”?) and ran his own successful executive head-hunting business for several years. In short, a mature adult who isn’t keen to kill the golden goose that is our company. He is, however unquestionably committed to getting us the best deal we can when our contract comes up for renegotiation in 2010. Now, are there a$$holes in management that make the union a necessity? Ahyup. Alas, we have our fair share in the union as well. (Met two in four years…it was all I could do not to reach over and slap the second one.)
Anyway, getting back to more general union observations, 99.99% will always endorse Democrats for office. (Follow the money.) Plus, most union leaders at the national level are die-hard organizers that get a chill down (up?) their leg every time they hear Barak bloviate. ALPA at the national level is no different. If you’re a political conservative, having to join a union may feel like you’re a uniformed Marine in the middle of a Code Pink rally. Tense. FWIW, you may have some wiggle room. Our local ain’t gonna endorse anybody—they were smart enough to ask us first.
Finally, there are some things even I won’t stand for. This is one of them. It’s a direct assault on individual liberty and a fundamental democratic principal on which the country was founded. I would fight that thing tooth and nail in my union. Tilting against a windmill? Maybe. But one worth tilting against.
So, to wrap it all up. If the union has a stranglehold on your company and you need the job, there’s no shame in joining the local to get a chance to feed the family. Some unions suck. The fact that they are hosers AND take some of your pay to “represent” you sucks even more. Others, in a few select industries like mine, are pretty important in making sure one makes a decent living. I’ll admit I’m lucky to be there. It’d be nice if unions weren’t necessary or, if they were, were committed to supporting both the people who they represent and the company that hires their rank and file. It’d also be nice if companies were run by folks who see labor as an asset, not a necessary evil. It’s not pretty, it just is.
If the union’s entrenched and you have to join to get a job, you join if you need that job. That’s the terrain you’re faced with in that battle. If the union is run by scumbags, maybe the pill is just too damn bitter to swallow and you walk…but that’s easy for me to say. If your back’s against the wall, there’s always the option of taking the position temporarily while continuing to search for other opportunities—a thoroughly legitimate and ethical tactic.
I’ve been a union member for 4 years, having joined the Air Line Pilots’ Association (ALPA) after getting hired by the airline I work for. A new experience, to be sure, having been in “management” (officer), in the military no less, for 26 years.
Frankly, it was a simple calculation—ALPA is a big deal in the airline business, a world where the labor/management relationships vary between “civil” and “civil war.” So, rather than stick out like a sore thumb by saying, “nah”—the union membership count in my company is 97% of all pilots—I joined, like most of my military colleagues. Besides, the union publishes a list of “non-members” in their quarterly magazine that you can, literally, cut out and fit into your standard Jeppesen trip book. There are some, not many, but some, who memorize that list and when they fly with The Other, the cockpit is usually quiet for the whole trip. Very quiet. This makes for some interesting rides between, say Narita and home. Thirteen hours with two guys who basically sit there staring straight ahead can get a little tense. This doesn’t happen that often but it does happen.
All that said, however, the ALPA organization in my company is, like the rest of them in the various airlines, pretty much reflect the general “personalities” of their pilot force overall. Given many of our crewmembers are former or still-active military, that has a dampening effect on the more man-the-barricades types that you’d expect from your typical union. And even “typical” is a bit of an inaccurate generalization, as most are…kinda like “typical white person.” On the other hand, if you fly for a commuter or one of the companies that are constantly cutting labor costs to survive and resort to threats, e.g., “call in sick and we’ll fire you,” the relationship is about like it is between Putin and Saakashvili right now. Tense.
But, in our case, the relationship between our company and the union is pretty good. Both want the company to succeed. Both are trying to get the most out of the other while giving up the least in turn. It’s a natural, and in our case healthy, tension. I flew with the Chairman of the Negotiating Committee this month and he had neither horns nor a tail. He’s been a Councilman in his hometown (can you say “management”?) and ran his own successful executive head-hunting business for several years. In short, a mature adult who isn’t keen to kill the golden goose that is our company. He is, however unquestionably committed to getting us the best deal we can when our contract comes up for renegotiation in 2010. Now, are there a$$holes in management that make the union a necessity? Ahyup. Alas, we have our fair share in the union as well. (Met two in four years…it was all I could do not to reach over and slap the second one.)
Anyway, getting back to more general union observations, 99.99% will always endorse Democrats for office. (Follow the money.) Plus, most union leaders at the national level are die-hard organizers that get a chill down (up?) their leg every time they hear Barak bloviate. ALPA at the national level is no different. If you’re a political conservative, having to join a union may feel like you’re a uniformed Marine in the middle of a Code Pink rally. Tense. FWIW, you may have some wiggle room. Our local ain’t gonna endorse anybody—they were smart enough to ask us first.
Finally, there are some things even I won’t stand for. This is one of them. It’s a direct assault on individual liberty and a fundamental democratic principal on which the country was founded. I would fight that thing tooth and nail in my union. Tilting against a windmill? Maybe. But one worth tilting against.
So, to wrap it all up. If the union has a stranglehold on your company and you need the job, there’s no shame in joining the local to get a chance to feed the family. Some unions suck. The fact that they are hosers AND take some of your pay to “represent” you sucks even more. Others, in a few select industries like mine, are pretty important in making sure one makes a decent living. I’ll admit I’m lucky to be there. It’d be nice if unions weren’t necessary or, if they were, were committed to supporting both the people who they represent and the company that hires their rank and file. It’d also be nice if companies were run by folks who see labor as an asset, not a necessary evil. It’s not pretty, it just is.
It's a real step backwards. And it's shameful that the Dems are signing on for it.
Even so, what do I think of unions? Same thing I think of communists, only worse.