All I know about unions I learned when I was forced to join one.
We of course had to hire only union labor for all contracting jobs. We had to update a couple of bathrooms in a state run group home. The job for partially tiling two showers, some minor electrical work and two new toilets ended up costing the state 37K.
Here's why.
The plumber needed to access the pipes in the wall but said he couldn't cut the drywall because that was done by another union. He collected a 4 hour minimum for 10 minutes.
Called the drywall guy. He came and cut a few holes in the wall in about 15 minutes. he collected his 4 hour minimum and left.
Plumber comes back repairs pipe and installs new shower control in about 45 minutes. Collect his 4 hour minimum and leave.
Drywall guy comes back and patches holes in wall in about 30 minutes. Collects 4 hour minimum. And then every time he had to sand and mud again (usually 3 times) he got paid a 4 hour minimum.
Electrician comes in to move a switch. He tells us he cant cut the holes in the dry wall.....
Get the picture? This is why state jobs done by union slobs always cost 4 and 5 times the estimate. If I did that job myself it would have cost a couple grand and I would have been done in a couple days. Instead it took 2 months and cost 37K.
It's the biggest ******* scam going.
I, for one, get the picture.
When I worked for James River Corp in NH I had a friend who worked in the Office. She and I had dinner one night and she told me the story of the bulletin board that took three days to be hung in her office.
Day 1 - Three guys came and measured.
Day 2 - The same three guys came with the bulletin board and measured some more. They actually brought tools with em. Didn't use em but they were there.
Day 3 - The guys came back. Measured some more and actually hung the bulletin board.
Susie laughed and said, "Claudette. You and I could have hung that board in 10 minutes." Yeah we could have.
I am no fan of Unions. They actually cost me that job with James River. I was a dues paying member but I got kicked to the curb for someone without my training but higher seniorty. In the Union Seniority is all. The teachers in WI with the lowest seniority, no matter how good they are, will be the ones to get layed off. If it comes to that
Unions are good as a buffer between workers and management. They are good to make sure you, as a worker, don't get hosed by the company you work for. There are all kinds of laws on the books right now to protect you from just that happening as well. WI has laws dating from 1905 which do just that.
It certainly isn't like it was back in the beginning of the century when workers were abused big time.
Do we need unions?? I'm still on fence about that one.