Amazon workers just voted to join a union

[mbills2223]

People should be incentivized on their individual performance, not some collective bargaining or how long they’ve been with a company.

People aren’t incentivized on performance at most places to be honest…and most are incentivized only on tenure with a company.

 

[Jaybird1980]

What is a fair work environment to you?

One where you get a fair wage, not told to do things that will kill you, and not made to work a ridiculous amount of hours.

 

[Ingomike]

One where you get a fair wage, not told to do things that will kill you, and not made to work a ridiculous amount of hours.

Are the last two not regulated by government?

 

[Jaybird1980]

In the past employers were allowed horrible work environments that unions changed, though things have improved to the point where they're no longer needed.

I can promise you that that is not the case. I have been told to do things that would lead to my immediate demise on many occasions and have seen several coworkers told the same things. I am certainly glad we have a union to back us so that when we refuse we can still have confidence in keeping our job. I have also seen the effects of coworkers that end up severely injured when they are coerced into complying.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Are the last two not regulated by government?

Who is out there regulating it? I averaged 1300-1500 hours of overtime and that was usually around 40% of the OT that was asked. The company wants a mandatory 70% acceptance and why do you think we don't have to accept 70%? The answer is because we are union.

If you think the government is going to protect you from 70 hour work weeks 7 days a week you're mistaken.

 

[Jaybird1980]

At the dawn of the 20th century. A time when men died daily in factories making cars and the like. There were no work regulations, no OSHA. That has all changed, the federal regulations are likely better than the early union contracts.

The unions were needed and successful beyond their original goals and now cost their members and society…

See post 44 for my response to this. The fact that people think the company won't get an employee killed in these days just shows they have never been told to do something that would kill them, and then threatened with termination when you refuse.

 

[Steel and wood]

As a shop steward and on the negotiating team we wanted a 12 percent increase the company offer was 3 percent we compromise took it to the guys they said ok. We did not threaten the company and the company did not threatened us. Both sides compromised. Just that easy

 

[Jaybird1980]

As a shop steward and on the negotiating team we wanted a 12 percent increase the company offer was 3 percent we compromise took it to the guys they said ok. We did not threaten the company and the company did not threatened us. Both sides compromised. Just that easy

3% is pretty good. We were usually in the 1.5-2% range. We did get 3% on one contract for one year and the company fought tooth and nail for quite awhile until it came to the weekend before the strike, and that was during the same year the company made highest profit ever in it's entire existence.

 

[wtburnette]

I can promise you that that is not the case. I have been told to do things that would lead to my immediate demise on many occasions and have seen several coworkers told the same things. I am certainly glad we have a union to back us so that when we refuse we can still have confidence in keeping our job. I have also seen the effects of coworkers that end up severely injured when they are coerced into complying.

I'm open to the possibility that certain industries may benefit from unions. I don't know, but I don't think warehouse workers and a lot of other companies actually need to be unionized.

I will say I agree that a lot of employers are full of , but most issues are things that can be dealt with. For my industry (IT and now Information Security), OT is absolutely nuts at some companies and rare at others. If you don't like the OT you can go to another employer. I've managed to work 25+ years with very little OT put in, while friends in similar positions average 60 - 70 hours a week. I left Anthem because you were expected to work 50 - 60 hours a week in order to get ahead. This even applied to hourly workers, though they could not put in to be paid for that OT. It was an unspoken rule that was pretty widely enforced. I left and went to IU Health where I haven't had to work OT more than a couple of times in the last 5 years.

 

[Ingomike]

Who is out there regulating it? I averaged 1300-1500 hours of overtime and that was usually around 40% of the OT that was asked. The company wants a mandatory 70% acceptance and why do you think we don't have to accept 70%? The answer is because we are union.

If you think the government is going to protect you from 70 hour work weeks 7 days a week you're mistaken.

No 70 hours is worked by many and is not unusual. Never understood those that do not want to work…

They should get a job that doesn't require so much work…

 

[bwframe]

Just look what the unions have done for the auto industry? How many of us are driving this or last year's model?

If Amazon would unionize, would we be overpriced back to the anti-gun Walmart that we have avoided for years?

.

 

[Ingomike]

See post 44 for my response to this. The fact that people think the company won't get an employee killed in these days just shows they have never been told to do something that would kill them, and then threatened with termination when you refuse.

So where are the non-union bodies? I can see in a place like Act’s mill but deaths are not that common and if they were we would know because if it bleeds it leads…

 

[tmcindy]

I'm a truck driver and work for a union outfit. Yes, there are pros and cons. I think the pros way outweigh the cons however.

 

[Creedmoor]

As a shop steward and on the negotiating team we wanted a 12 percent increase the company offer was 3 percent we compromise took it to the guys they said ok. We did not threaten the company and the company did not threatened us. Both sides compromised. Just that easy

3% wasn't a bad bump at all, I cant think of maybe once I got 3% raise. Like Jaybird, I averaged about 2 %

 

[Jaybird1980]

No 70 hours is worked by many and is not unusual. Never understood those that do not want to work…

They should get a job that doesn't require so much work…

Maybe you didn't read what I wrote or chose not to believe it. I have averaged 70 hours every year, that's not good enough for the company they want more. I have never seen a year where asked OT was below 3000 hrs. That on top of the 40 work week. That's a lot more than 70 hours a week.

All jobs are not equal, 70 hrs at one job is not the same as 70 hrs at a different job. Implying that I don't want to work is classic.

Skilled labor should not have to work 70 hours a week to make a living.

 

[Jaybird1980]

So where are the non-union bodies? I can see in a place like Act’s mill but deaths are not that common and if they were we would know because if it bleeds it leads…

They're in the offices enjoying the AC. The mills are not the only dangerous work environment out there. The reason the deaths are not that common is because of the union. We would definitely have a higher count if it wasn't for that.

 

[Creedmoor]

Just look what the unions have done for the auto industry? How many of us are driving this or last year's model?

If Amazon would unionize, would we be overpriced back to the anti-gun Walmart that we have avoided for years?

.

Are we sure that its all the Union employees that have made cars and trucks so expensive?

I would bet that the wants of endless options along with Federal mandated engineering has more to do with todays cost than the auto workers pay.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Are we sure that its all the Union employees that have made cars and trucks so expensive?

I would bet that the wants of endless options along with Federal mandated engineering has more to do with todays cost than the auto workers pay.

And government regulations. But God forbid the people who are building the multi ton automobiles travelling at 60+ mph down the roads be skilled labor and earn a decent wage.

 

[bwframe]

But I thought the unions are for big government regulation? Don't their dues help to assure this?


.

 

[Ingomike]

Just look what the unions have done for the auto industry? How many of us are driving this or last year's model?

If Amazon would unionize, would we be overpriced back to the anti-gun Walmart that we have avoided for years?

.

So a guy I knew got a union job at a auto industry parts supplier. First night second shift, they showed him how to put pieces in a press, stamp then then put them in a parts tub. He ran parts for about 4 hours, then not seeing anyone he went looking and spotted a bunch of guys playing cards and eating in the breakroom. He ate a bit then took a nap, woke up and asked when lunch was over.

Was told all those lounging were done and they called a steward to talk to my friend, they went back to his station and he showed them the 8 tubs of parts he made in 4 hours. The steward was upset, called for a fork truck to get the tubs out, he never made another part that week, the fork truck would show up and set down a tub each night from the first 4 hours work.

Yep, that is good for everyone…