• magnetosphere@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    They make union dues seem like a big deal, but not unionizing will cost you even more. A union will pay for itself when they negotiate a raise.

    You have much fewer guarantees on pay, benefits, and work rules without a union on your side. Amazon can, and does, change policies at will. A union keeps them in check.

    Bringing complaints directly to your supervisor or manager will solve nothing, and in the process, it will get you on their shit list. Sometimes, anonymity is priceless.

    • Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You have much fewer guarantees on pay, benefits, and work rules without a union on your side.

      I disagree. Without a union, I CAN GUARANTEE you're getting screwed.

    • Kilamaos@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I'm very pro union. But not all unions are good. My father's union is so bad he might actually be losing money. They just roll over for management to fuck them, barely negotiate anything at all. Last time, they 'negotiated' an increase in pay, and the increase was actually SMALLER than the increase in union dues.

      Oh, and they only defend the worst of the worst. Litteral thief, stealing, caught on camera, multiple times ? Well defend you tooth and nails. 'Til the management litterally had to get police involved for them to back down.

      Unions in general are good. But for some specific unions, ymmv.

      • magnetosphere@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        100% agree. Some of my “favorites” are police unions, when they go to bat for obvious criminals. You or I would go to jail under the same circumstances, but those assholes don’t even get a reprimand, and still have authority over others.

        • Vespair@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Unions are meant to protect the people from overpowered companies. The police union instead protects an overpowered force against the will of the people.

          The police unions are absolutely antithetical to the idea of unions as a whole

          • magnetosphere@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            Good point. I made the mistake of thinking that because “union” is in the name, it’s the same thing. It most definitely is not.

      • Reddfugee42@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Not all anything is good. That's not how real life works. There's only statistics. And statistically speaking, unions are the better choice.

      • jimbo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Oh, and they only defend the worst of the worst.

        Naw, more likely people only hear about the most dramatic examples. The every-day, my boss is picking on me stuff rarely gets much attention and is generally resolved quietly.  

        Litteral thief, stealing, caught on camera, multiple times ? Well defend you tooth and nails. 'Til the management litterally had to get police involved for them to back down.

        The severity of the accusation shouldn't disqualify someone from their union defending them. Also, for a criminal matter, why didn't they go the police to begin with?

        • Kilamaos@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          When it's a low amount in theft, it's more trouble involving police than just letting them go. It's also on their record, barring them for future job and putting in legal problem

          So it's better for everyone involved. Unless union want to literally defend a thief

      • jimbo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That's because too many union members treat their union like a service being provided to them instead of something they're providing for themselves. A union is what the members make it, and if people aren't participating then yeah, it will probably suck.

      • Not_Alec_Baldwin@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Costco is (afaik) not unionized, though the company is union friendly (there may be unionized stores?). They are publicly traded. And workers are paid better than a living wage and have a bunch of benefits.

        The company chooses to do this despite their shareholder responsibility, and I will never shut up about it.

        Once you're getting a fair shake, if the company establishes trust, you can get rid of the union. And the company can save the money they spend trying to ruin your lives on something else instead. Not all companies are trash.

        But most are.

        It's absolutely vital for governments to promote workers' ability to unionize and provide employees with rights to protect them from corporate greed.

    • Mothra@mander.xyz
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      1 year ago

      My area of work doesn't have unions.

      That last paragraph is absolutely true. I've experienced it first hand.

    • Redderthanmisty@lemmygrad.ml
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      1 year ago

      I pay around £15 per month in membership fees at my Union. But if it weren't for them, I'd have lost my house when the energy companies hiked their prices, end everyone else did the same to compensate.

      Was it garaunteed that they'd win these negotiations? No.

      Would I have been better off begging to my managers? Fuck no.