Thursday, August 31, 2006

The decline of Union usefulness

The agency I work for has two classes of employees. There are full time employees with rights and there are term employees. Some of the term employees have been on the job longer than permanents and many out produce the permanent employees. On September 30 and the week that follows around thiry five excellent employees will be terminated because their four year terms have expired. They will collect unemployment until the next term.

I just became eligible to take the test for a permanent position. However, even if I am one of the lucky 15% that pass I would still remain a mere candidate. Should I fail I would not be able to take the test for another year. The test itself is no predictor of job performance as people who have been graded incompetant have passed
and people who have been judged superior have failed.

A viable union would at least give these employees two points for every year served on the job. A friend of mine who is a disabled vet would get an additional eight points in addition to his ten point preference. Another friend would start with sixteen points, she has worked eight years and qualified three times for the same job. I would get a mere two points but that is often the difference of being hired or
being unemployed.

Our Union has done absolutely nothing for the terms. Our local political hack Bernie
Sanders has not lifted a finger to save his constituents jobs. He has been seen at concerts with Willie Nelson, so it is a matter of priorities.

Next week around this time I will recieve the results of my test. Even if I failed it was an honor to be considered. Moreover, if by some miracle I passed my odds are still fairly long. I would also have to remain silent or lie, because several of my coworkers are really nasty. It seems they like to tilt the playing field by snitching
on their fellow candidates. This is an evil tactic and management should disqualify people who behave in this manner. When several of my friends were promoted I immediately went over and congratulated them. However, my behavior is apparently not the norm.

What has the Union done to help the terms? 0 However, I gladly pay my dues, because I was always brought up to respect the institution. Sadly, the institution has forgotten its original purpose.

19 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Beak,
if by some miracle I passed my odds are still fairly long. I would also have to remain silent or lie, because several of my coworkers are really nasty. It seems they like to tilt the playing field by snitching
on their fellow candidates.


I hope that you pass and still get considered.

I cannot abide infighting and snitches. Or gossips either, for that matter. One reason why I quit my job in two different schools.

The Merry Widow said...

That kind of nastiness contaminates the entire workplace and eventually a job you love to do becomes loathsome! When I worked for Harris Corp., my last position was in a division that had infighting at the higher levels that trickled down, I shudder remembering the way my supervisor tried to blame a $45,000 mistake on a coworker and I! Fortunately, we very much followed the CYA playbook and weathered what could have been termination or no raises for us! We could verify everything with time, date and witnesses! That is a poisonous atmosphere and when I left to get married, I was delighted to give my 2 weeks! Hang tough, Beaker, you have qualifications and a work ethic! You would be able to find something suitable with so many praying for you!

tmw

nanc said...

not to worry, beak - you are topnotch at whatever endeavor you attain. remember this, most people do not like a winner. you have plenty of grace and are a winner in our eyes. i've never gotten anywhere by thinking i could squash my opponent with underhanded tactics.

Anonymous said...

Sorry beak... I find the very idea of a public sector labor union repulsive.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

FJ is a page ahead of me. I find the very idea of unions repulsive.

nanc said...

unless they're run by the family and are good on their promisses, i agree with farmer also. today's public entity unions are but a joke. i've HAD to be in two.

nanc said...

"promises", not "promisses"!

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Unions comprise around 12% of the workers in America. Of that 12% of all workers, 85% of them are in public sector / government employee unions.

Union dues are tax-deductible, meaning someone else pays taxes for unions. Unions contribute money politically, mostly to Democrats, and these donations are also tax-deductible, meaning someone else pays taxes for unions.

What this means in layman's terms is that the Democratic Party is the largest corporate welfare recipient in the United States.

We pay them to screw us.

nanc said...

i feel like i've now been prostituted - shower time.

for pete's sake - it was MANDATORY! we were slave traded!

Dan Zaremba said...

Beak,
I wish you all the luck you need.
You've got your brains and just let us hope, that with those two ingredients combined you get through this burning hoop.

The Merry Widow said...

That's one of the reasons I like Fla., it's a Right To Work state! So unions, except for federal and the nea don't have much power!

tmw

Anonymous said...

The purpose of unions is to ensure equality of outcome, not opportunity based on ability. The star and minimal slacker afforded the same protections and rewards.

nanc said...

we're in a right to work state also, tmw - people work harder when they have to make it on their own without the aid of an inert organization.

The Merry Widow said...

I remember back in the '60-70's, there were some real nasty things going on. The Right To Work was working it's way through the state legislature and the unions were being thuggish, especially against small construction companies, equipment being damaged or destroyed, families being threatened, but Floridians stuck to their guns, sometimes literally, to win the right to tell unions NO! I am especially proud of those brave men and their families and employees who stood up to the unions! We had homestorched with wives and children inside, it wasn't pretty! But the thugs didn't win! Now in Orlando, I do support the police unions in their fight against(dumocrat) mayor Buddy Dyer! He's a crook and scheemer from the get go! And he has stabbed the police in the back, more than once.

tmw

Kathy said...

The irony is that it's bad for business to listen to snitches. Like they're credible? Like they aren't doing it because someone else is more competent and they want to tear him or her down? The bosses who listen to snitches are playing their own little ego-gratification games at the company's expense.

I used to run a waterfront. I'll never forget the one and only time a lifeguard (who was "modelling" at a Playboy club on the side) came in to see me and said, "I don't know if you realize this, but some some people around here are not . . ."

His butt never hit the chair! And he never finished that sentence, either. I was totally stunned and pissed that anybody would think I am that stupid. My own boss had been a top personnel executive for a very suuccessful international corporation in its heyday. He wouldn't have allowed that either.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Missouri's a "Right to Work" state too. I've had my tires slashed and windows broken for crossing picket lines before though. Unions are nothing more than proto-terrorist organizations, and if you trace the history of labor unions back, you'll find the violent, anarchist origins of them.

If you don't like your job, go find another one.

The Merry Widow said...

Mr. B.- Yeah, unions do have a violent past(present and future), and they are also nasty to those in their ranks that don't toe the union line! Hmmm, sounds like a certain political party, to me anyway! Ready made adversarial material for communism.
Good morning, G*D bless and Maranatha!

tmw

Anonymous said...

Hello Beaker,hello to everyone else,how are you all? Dreadfully sorry I don't get over here more often. Hey beak,where is it the 'Uptown'' is complaing about me? Can't have this happening. Where is the wretch anyway? Johnnymac.

beakerkin said...

JMac

Not doing too well. The back biting and knifing of coworkers in the back has allready started. I find myself responding to allegations from people competing for the same job.

You could put a stick in my eye and I would never fink out anyone.
In reality I would rather loose a spot than behave like this real sad.