DO you have to join the union?

Question

taking a survery of what people say feel free to say whatever

Answer 1

No you don't have to join a Union, but in many industries there is a distinct advantage to being Union.

FYI, contrary to popular opinion - Closed Shops have been illegal since 1947. Union Shops, on the other hand, are legal. There is a difference. Closed Shops being part of the union is a condition of employment. Union Shops you either join the union a certain number of days after hire, or you pay a % of union dues. It depends on the CBA between the Union & the Employer.

Here's something that some people may confuse with a Closed Shop. There are Employers that are Union Signatory Companies - meaning they VOLUNTARILY use the services of the Hiring Hall for their worker force. Example: Say you are a welder and you want to work on the building site for the new power plant in your area, the Contractor who got the bid is a Union Contractor. Since they are a Union Contractor, their welders are dispatched out of the Hall. In order for you to work on that site, you have to be a member of that Craft Union. In my area, there are a great many benefits Union Contractors have that allow them to bid larger jobs than non-union. Basically unlimited supply of trained, tested, & certified workers; lower labor admin costs; basically no training costs, minimal hiring expenses (just the initial paperwork stuff), etc

There are thousands of blue collar workers who have Health Insurance, Pension, and safer working conditions due to their Craft Union. Contrary to popular belief, Labor Laws & OSHA regulations don't mean squat unless there is someone who makes sure companies follow the rules. I have TONS of real life examples, email me if you are naive enough to believe that a company won't cut corners on safety. If a worker is solely dependent on the employer for their job; they're less likely to argue about going into unsafe work areas. It can and has gotten many people killed on the job.

Unfortunately, Labor Costs are the first expenses to go on the chopping block when companies are so focused on their bottom line that they forget who actually does the work.

Answer 2

My family is full of Union electricians...and they did not have to join the union, but the pay is superior to non-union pay. I was hired by Child Protective Services 10 years ago, and they have a union. I did not join, because, without the union, I negotiated the top pay level for myself before I was hired, and really didn't see how they were going to improve my wages. If they negotiated a raise for other workers at the same pay grade, my pay went up too. When the pay was not enough to keep me, I moved on to a better job with better pay...no union help necessary. I never really observed the union help any specific worker who had conflicts with management, but I did observe that they confiscated money from the paychecks of the members each month.

I briefly worked in the electrical union after high school. What I observed was...the worst workers...most lazy, least productive....most focused on lunch, breaks, and time to leave...got the same pay as people who were fantastic. That never seemed fair to me.

Answer 3

It is up to the employees whether or not they join a union. Sometimes it is for the better, sometimes for the worse. The first guy posting gets better wages and benefits without a union. He has a good employer and no need for a union so why should he join one. My dad worked in with his crew under a union. They were having trouble with a conveyor belt over heating so they shut the heat sensor off. His crew didn't go down. The non unionized crew that went down perished in an ensuing fire. Happened about 23 years ago. Good reason to join a union. So I say again, it is up the the workers and it all depends on who you work for.

Answer 4

If there is a union that you do not join there is a good chance that you will be stuck in the middle of a rock and a hard place. If they strike you will eather have to cross the picket line or use your sick/vacation time. I had a friend who was a teacher and they were about to strike right when he started working there. He wasnt in the union yet and he didnt know what to do if they did accually strike.

Answer 5

Depends if it is a union shop or a "right to work" state.

If it is not a union job, no problem, no union.

If it is a union job in a pro-labor state, yes you do.

If it is a "right to work" state then no you don't. But you are "ethically"a thief if you don't. The state has made it legal for you to steal the benefits of a union and collective bargaining for your wages and benefits and you aren't paying for them. AND if enough "thieves' refuse to join, the union (and the wagesm etc) goes away.

kinda like the state making it legal to jack into the cable box without paying. Soon the company would close down.

Answer 6

Not if you don't want to but here are the pro's if you do,

If money matters -- as it does to many workers -- joining a union can formidably increase the size of your paycheck. According to the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)'s web site, "union workers' wages are 28 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts." Union members also typically enjoy affordable and quality health benefits. Union employees may also receive greater job security and a guarantee of more equitable treatment by an employer where disciplinary matters are concerned. And even though pensions have all but disappeared for nonunion workers, the AFL-CIO states that "fully 69 percent of union workers" have guaranteed pensions.

Union employees usually have access to a high level of employee support programs and enjoy more structured raise schedules.

Answer 7

No you do not have to join a Union!
But your life may be better if you do!

I am starting to think the way corps are trying to compete with the global market, that Unions should be coming back into focus again very soon at least I hope they do.

Just from where I work seems like we going back to slave labor again, Just so they can compete!

Answer 8

We are smart in our office and do not have a union. I have better pay and benefits than I ever have had working in union shops.

Answer 9

Unionism is the only potent weapon of the workers against the monopoly of the capitalists.

Answer 10

it depends on whether it is a closed shop or not. if it is a closed shop, then you have to be a member to be employed. if it's not, then you can belong or not.