Unionists (3 Viewers)

[loquasagacious]

Just out of interest who is a unionist?

For those who arn't, is this:
a) a matter of choice
b) you unaware of one for your industry
c) it never occured to you
d) you've never been asked to join one

For transparency I was a unionist at my old job and maintain membership however am not at my current job as there isnt an active union on site.

 

[Vladormarx]

quit the union so u dont have to pay fees because the union isn't doing anything 4 u because u dont work where u use to anymore

 

[elisabeth]

B, C, D

I'm not part of a union. What benefits are there of joining one for someone like me? (Not sarcastic. I'm asking) I'm only casual and get 8.62/hr which is a bit above minimum wage at one place and 7.98 at another.

 

[Idyll]

I'm not a union member by choice for a few reasons:

*Why pay the fees when I've never had a need for any of their services?
*My current employer's pretty good in terms of overall working conditions (or at least is from what I've heard), and the ways in which they're not so good aren't going to be solved by a union.

 

[Generator]

I will only join a union/association/federation once/if I manage to secure a full-time position, or if I have a part-time job I consider as being vital to my survival. Given that I am currently living at home and working as a part-time employee in a supermarket, there is no real need to 'waste' $5 a week or so for services that I do not need at this stage of my life.

 

[loquasagacious]

I've always been a leftist so even when I was just doing short shifts after school I opted to be in the union cost me $2.78 a week. I figure its one of the better ways to spend my money.

Vladormarx you only pay the fee in a week that you work hence I don't pay any fees now.

As for why join a union, on average the pay in a unionised workplace is higher and the conditions better.

And as alot of people here seem to be in supermarkets and other food outlet chains, your pay is in most cases negotiated by the SDA for you. The SDA has negotiated many new agreements this year including for all workers in: Big W, Dan Murphy's, Kmart, Sara Lee, McDonalds (ACT), Franklins, Noni B, Millers, Bunnings, Priceline, Myer/megamart, Woolies (including lique and petrol), Domino's, Pizza Hut, Dick Smith Powerhouse, Target, Hungry Jacks, Wendy's, and action supermarkets. New agreements for Coles and Bi-lo await approval by union delegates which will occur in early Feb next year.

The increase in minimum weekly pay rate (for a full time worker, which is reflected in part-time and casual wages) rages from $8 to $18.90 which seems well worth spending $3 to get.

Oh yeah you also score lots of discounts, I dont use them to much myself as they arnt for things I need/places I go.

 

[cro_angel]

i quit the union because adding up how much i had paid over 2 and a half years i could have bought myself some nicer things..
i was part of the sda and i quit like a week before the end of the financial year so i still got a membership card.. discount booklet and the occasional newsletter (for like 04/05). although the sda does negotiate pay and stuff (we voted on a new agreement a couple of months ago) i still seem to get the benefits without being a union member.
im only a casual and if i get fired the union isnt really going to bother fighting for me

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I'm a lefty but I have never paid to be part of a union at any of my jobs. I may though if I worked full time somewhere....

At one job I had the union guy tried to hassel you in to joining the union..... like, it was a casual job that I knew I would only be working at for a few months, why bother joining the union? If there was bad shit going on, I would start looking for another job, or speak to my employer about it....

I'm fairly neutral on unions. I can see the point of them (esp for public servants in in large companies), but I can also see how some unions make it uneccessarily inconvenient for the employer by whinging about crap....

 

[hessie]

I am not and will never be a member of a union. They give better conditions sometimes sure, but I know of a number of cases where union demands have caused the closure/relocation of several businesses (that were paid quite adequatley) leaving the employees out of a job. I beleve in fair conditions, but not excessivley so as to choke the business out of existance, as long as I get my pay and the work environment is safe, thats all i care about... if i have any concerns, i'd rather deal with it myself for nothing than pay some ass to negotiate it for me.

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I agree with you hessie, that is the side of unionism that I absolutely detest. Also, I hate how it makes it difficult for employers to sack employees who are shit workers..... I mean, you shouldn't have to employ someone who is shit at their job!

 

[Danoz The Great]

I'm with SDA, it's starting to give me the shits so I'm going to quit it.

I only joined because I didn't get shifts for 4 weeks and was told by Cath, one manager, that "Jenny (my departments manager at the time) says you aren't working up to scratch" - yet this Jenny was on leave at the time. I thought it was unfair. But that's the only hassle I've ever had at work, and Cath's a good manager, she's going to be store manager soon - so I'm canning my SDA membership soon.

 

[biggles04]

I've always been a union member.

I support unionism extensively and when I am Prime Minister you should expect to see a hell of a lot more of them and funding for all unions.

 

[loquasagacious]

i quit the union because adding up how much i had paid over 2 and a half years i could have bought myself some nicer things..
i was part of the sda and i quit like a week before the end of the financial year so i still got a membership card.. discount booklet and the occasional newsletter (for like 04/05). although the sda does negotiate pay and stuff (we voted on a new agreement a couple of months ago) i still seem to get the benefits without being a union member.
im only a casual and if i get fired the union isnt really going to bother fighting for me

So basically you are scum.

You decided yo opt out of the SDA but choose to do so at such a time as to still recieve discount offers for members and you seem to delight in saving yourself $2.75 a week (to spend on 'nice' things) but still recieving the benefits of being in a unionised workplace.

You essentially rely on others to pull your weight, did it ever occur to you to think what would happen if nobody joined a union, because they all relied on their co-workers to bear the weight.

Specifically you are scum because you act in full knowledge of the benefits you recieve yet you actively avoid doing anything yourself to recieve them, you are a freeloader and a burden on unionists.

On a lighter note Yay for Biggles!

 

[cro_angel]

What can the sda do for me as a casual worker anyway? If i get fired for some reason I wont exactly be fighting it because obviously I would have done something stupid (but i've been working more than 3 years and can work in 4 different departments so i dont think they will be pointlessly firing me). I think it's more relevant for full-time and part-time workers as they are bound to the place by a contract so they will most likely be stuck there alot longer than I will be.
Of course when i get a full time job i will join the relevant union but for casual workers there arent really any gains.
I didnt choose to opt out of the SDA at a time to still recieve discounts.. how was i meant to know they would still be sending me newsletters every few months. I chose to leave one night in my workplace when a bunch of people were like.. whats the point in being in the union and when we were told as casuals nothing really we left (I didn't even know i could leave the union before then). Also I havent even used any of the discounts in that book they sent, you can have it if you really want it.
I also don't really see how calling me 'scum' is necessary when so many others arent in the union for the same reason as me. Theres nothing bad at my workplace either.

 

[soha]

ive been a member of the sda for 3 years
i dont feel like they have done anything..i havent benefited from anything
they take $6.30 from me a week
i dont even know why i am with the union
when we had our induction some guy was rambling on about how we should join and as a scared 14 yr old new employee of woolworths i was like
err..o.k..so i joined
i mite as well leave..because i know lots of people who are doing fine without it

 

[Idyll]

Specifically you are scum because you act in full knowledge of the benefits you recieve yet you actively avoid doing anything yourself to recieve them, you are a freeloader and a burden on unionists.

after all, unions have never created problems or made wrong decisions

You have to admit that while unions had their role at the start of the 20th century, and are largely responsible for the working conditions we now enjoy in Australia, a lot of what they do is now obsolete.

I can't say I've heard of much industrial action going on on the news lately.

Union membership is falling, because people simply don't have a need to join the union.

 

[Ziff]

Who do you think argues your wage cases before the Industrial Relations Commissions (State or Federal) which ultimately sets minimum wage and your awards? Hmm... I wonder I wonder I wonder... It's not you is it?

 

[Idyll]

No, sorry to disappoint you on that one.

My working conditions are governed under an enterprise agreement (so sorry to disappoint you, but the annual safety net wage case doesn't directly affect me a great deal). Sure, it changes the absolute minimum I can be paid, but my wage is significantly above that anyway.

Besides, those whose wages are determined under enterprise agreements have been receiving greater wage increases (approximately 4% a year, if i remember correctly), than those whose wages are determined by award conditions (approximately 2% a year).

It's the new economy, deal with it.

People shouldn't be openly attacked for their decision not to be a member of a union.

 

[hessie]

Who do you think argues your wage cases before the Industrial Relations Commissions (State or Federal) which ultimately sets minimum wage and your awards? Hmm... I wonder I wonder I wonder... It's not you is it?

I would gladly negotiate my own individual agreement (which under a coalition industrial relations system is possible) rather than the award that is negotiated by the union. Those who don't want to can let the unions do it for themselves, but the point is its the employees and employers choice as to how they wish to set the conditions of employment.. as it should be, after all - it is they who are both effected and know their needs.

I have no problem with union negotiation and membership as long as the requests are sensible and the union does not have ultimate power (ie the ability to strike under any circumstances) but the point is excessive union activity starves the economy of jobs. No union activity and conditions may or may not deterioate detrimentally depending on your view of your employers. I am not a unionist, i am against their perpetual intervention but not against the need for their existance to protect those who are unfairly treated.

Union membership has been steadily declining and this means that as a whole the relationship between employees and employers is strong. There is no need for an employee or the union to be greedy, and continue demanding higher wages unless their is a cause for their need - this along with overregulating workplace conditions causes employers to fear the process of hiring an employee. And most small businesses will just not hire as a result.

 

[soha]

i dont have many problems at work
everything is a o.k
except..the only 2 problems i have is
1. this supervisor keeps stealing and im too scares to dob her in
2.these people keep bludging at work and they piss me off

what can the union do for me in that case?