Post by brenteskridge on Feb 1, 2012 1:13:23 GMT -5
Last night I was watching the evening news that I recorded when they starting reporting how the Indiana House had passed the "Right to Work" bill and it was heading to the Indiana Senate for their vote. It was very dishearten to hear this news. I really don't think the average American realizes the attacks that are happening to working class citizens (lower and middle class) and their unions. Think about this for a minute. Last week, our President had his annual State of the UNION address to the American citizens. Union being the key word here. America is a Union !!! We pay our taxes, just like we as union members pay our union dues. We elect our representatives in Washington, just like we as union members elect our union officials. How would the GOP feel about passing a Bill that would allow Americans that don't want to pay their taxes, shouldn't have to, but will still be considered American citizens and get all the same rights as those Americans that pay there taxes. What do you think this would do to our country? According to the "Right to Work" Bill that was passed last week in the Indiana House, this is what will happen to all union shops in Indiana. We will have members that won't pay there union dues but will still continue getting the same representation and benefits as those who do pay their dues, and the union will lose its strength because there isn't enough money coming in. There will be grievances that the union will file because a member has been done wrong, or hurt by a company, and the companies will challenge the unions by denying any resolution to the grievance, and make the unions spend what little money they have to hire an impartial umpire to settle all grievances. If you don't know what an impartial umpire is, an umpire is a retired judge that cost a lot of money that's hired to settle a dispute between a company and a union. If unions don't have money, than they can't hire and umpire, and fight these huge companies, and in return we would have to start withdrawing valid grievances. Than our members lose faith in there union because they don't feel they wouldn't have a voice anymore. This is exactly what the GOP would love to see happen. Shout those loud mouth unions up!!! We really need to educate our families, friends, church families, and anyone talking about RTW. We also need to take just a few minutes and call every Indiana Senator and tell them to VOTE NO ON RTW.
What do you get from a union was asked. You get a lot from your union. Yes, most of the time we walk around and ask how your day is. To some that just seems like a common everyday question but for others it is a time to vent if you feel the need to. I guess for me it is an important question because of my time doing this job, I have had the opportunity to help our members with issues outside of work and I have helped families stay together. That is a great sense of pride that I feel. Even at this point of the game I am in the works on trying to get a program set up once a week at the hall for day shift and night shift to be able to go to where they can meet with other members and sit and discuss issues that are bothering them and just need a support group to get help. I am talking about family issues, personal issues of any kind. I myself find joy in helping anyone that I can or anyone that ask for help. Truth be told, you all help me out more than you know. My family means more than anything and I was blessed that complete strangers took the time to help me out. I just want to be able to give that back to those that want help.
I love my union but I don't them all the time either. I as many of you all are pissed off at the IUAW but that doesn't mean that I want the union to be gone. Now Ford would love to see the union out of here because they would drop our pay to 10$ in a heartbeat. As in anything in life, there are good things and there are things that we don't like but we keep fighting for what we want and what we deserve. I too wish we could get rid of King and Settles because they don't have our best interest in mind. They sold us down the river and they are going to do the same on the next contract. We the people can and should voice our concerns with a NO vote if they do that on this next contract. I know it is 3 years away but I don't expect the next one to be good. I see it as being a contract to where they try to ask us to give up money on the hour. I could go on and on but I think I have typed to long as it is so I will wrap it up.
What do you get from a union was asked. You get a lot from your union. Yes, most of the time we walk around and ask how your day is. To some that just seems like a common everyday question but for others it is a time to vent if you feel the need to. I guess for me it is an important question because of my time doing this job, I have had the opportunity to help our members with issues outside of work and I have helped families stay together. That is a great sense of pride that I feel. Even at this point of the game I am in the works on trying to get a program set up once a week at the hall for day shift and night shift to be able to go to where they can meet with other members and sit and discuss issues that are bothering them and just need a support group to get help. I am talking about family issues, personal issues of any kind. I myself find joy in helping anyone that I can or anyone that ask for help. Truth be told, you all help me out more than you know. My family means more than anything and I was blessed that complete strangers took the time to help me out. I just want to be able to give that back to those that want help.
I love my union but I don't them all the time either. I as many of you all are pissed off at the IUAW but that doesn't mean that I want the union to be gone. Now Ford would love to see the union out of here because they would drop our pay to 10$ in a heartbeat. As in anything in life, there are good things and there are things that we don't like but we keep fighting for what we want and what we deserve. I too wish we could get rid of King and Settles because they don't have our best interest in mind. They sold us down the river and they are going to do the same on the next contract. We the people can and should voice our concerns with a NO vote if they do that on this next contract. I know it is 3 years away but I don't expect the next one to be good. I see it as being a contract to where they try to ask us to give up money on the hour. I could go on and on but I think I have typed to long as it is so I will wrap it up.