Non Union company

ky1276 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 12:29 PM

I'm new here and I haven't worked in a union enviroment before and I have been reading the pros and cons of unions and I am curious about joining the teamsters but work for a non union company. I know I'm not the only one who would like to go union but don't know how to go about doing so. The company I'm working for is small I'm guessing at best 100 people and there not real worker freindly but I have to stick with them as to get experiance. If I had experiance I wouldn't have even considered working there. But I think if they were union it would be a good place to work. Forgive me for my ignorance I don't know alot about unions or the teamsters. My grandfather was a teamster but he is gone so asking him isn't a option. So any help or ideas would be great

stldude44 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 05:57 PM

KY1276,
First, welcome to Truckingboards.

It's very hard to organize nowdays due to many things. Alot of people don't understand the benefits of being Union as they've probably never been Union and have been brainwashed and intimidated by their Companies to never even say the word out loud. The Companies know that most people live week to week and aren't willing to stand up to maltreatment like our Fathers and Grandfathers did, but it's coming. Corporate America for years has been making every effort to drive down the working man and will never be satisfied no matter how much they take away. Alot of the younger generation has been taught not to care about anything but themselves and that plays right into Corporate America's hand. They want to deal with a bunch of individuals, many of whom allow themselves to be browbeaten and sacred into not taking any action and believe they should just be thankful that they have a job. They rationalize that they still have a decent job when their Companies raise the employee contribution to heathcare while the Company posts record profits. If the Company changes their retirement or 401k contribution they just accept it.....all because when you're non Union you have no choice.
My advice to you would be to get your experience and get a Union job the first chance you get. Your family and you will be much better off in the long run. No individual can stand up to these Companies.....but with the power in numbers that the Union has, we can all stand up together. We may not get exactly what we want, but neither will the Company, and they won't be allowed to push us around and make changes as they see fit to like they do at the non Union Companies on a daily basis.

ky1276 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 08:36 PM

Thanks for your reply and welcome Stldude44 I am new to driveing and I want to do a good job. I hear good and bad about unions but thats just like anything else out there, there is always something good or bad about everything. So it's looking like I will have to stick it out with this company and get my experiance. Considering its local and thats what I have to have due to wife being in school and me not wanting to be away from her or my daughter. Well it could be worse I guess maybe down the road a union job will be a good option.

Root Access · #4 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 10:24 PM

Welcome to the boards ky1276, stldude44 couldn't have done a better job explaining that. Just keep a good record and you will have a union job in no time.

Toxic · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2006, 06:40 PM

Welcome to the boards ky1276 stldude44 said it very well....

DETrob · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2006, 01:36 AM

AMEN to You brother stlouis dude. That is what happened to me. I was a conway employee for two years and was brainwashed against the union. Then one of my fellow conway co-workers who was in a union for 18 years and he also was stuck at conway woke me up. I got forced into a crappy bid and recived a insulting pay raise. that was enough I went home started putting in aplications online for UNION ltl co. and low and behold, 6 hours later YELLOW gave me a call. I have been at YELLOW since July. I can tell you with great honesty that this is the best job I have ever had. I am treated with respect and I get paid for the work I do. The best part I am thankful for is that I am glad I did work for CON-WAY so I can see how bad a company treats you. The first day of orrientation at CON-WAY is 8 hours of union bashing. I belive CON-WAY is very affraid of the unions because It will force them to be fair to all the drivers at CON-WAY. They tell their drivers they are getting the best pay package in the industry, more bull crap. my first weeks check at yellow was 65% high than my two years at CON-WAY. I can go on and on. but I am very thankful for my friend for waking me up out of the haze I was in under the mis information about the unions. My father retired 6 years ago from a union job and has never said anything bad to me for or against unions.There are too many good workers at con-way who deserve a good paying union job.It will not be long before con-way starts to import drivers from Mexico and the Middle East to replace them and pay them lower wages. WAKE UP CON-WAY DRIVERS THIS COULD BE THE ONLY WAKE UP CALL YOU GET BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. PROTECT YOUR JOBS, AND PROTECT YOUR FUTURES. GO TO International Brotherhood of Teamsters and find out the facts, like I did.