Text 23063, 88 rader
Skriven 2011-11-24 11:09:24 av Roy Witt (1:387/22)
  Kommentar till text 23054 av Nicholas Boel (2407.fidonews)
Ärende: See what I mean...read the bottom line
==============================================
23 Nov 11 20:11, Nicholas Boel wrote to Roy Witt:

 NB>   Re: See what I mean...read the bottom line
 NB>   By: Roy Witt to Nicholas Boel on Wed Nov 23 2011 03:38 pm

 >> Actually, to answer his question from a contractors viewpoint, there
 >> are many factors that make up the difference. Bidding on a job like
 >> you're doing requires contract knowledge, submitting wage statements
 >> for employees that will be used on the job site, etc.. An independent
 >> contractor who doesn't have to pay union wages to his workers, even
 >> though he will meet or beat a union pay scale.

 NB> The only time a non-union company meets our pay scale, is on a
 NB> prevailing wage job

That's odd. I quit a union (IAM) pay-scale job to take a non-union job at
the same amount of wages. Their benefit package was identical too.

 NB> (no, we are not a 'right to work' state... yet),
 NB> and that's because they _have_ to. So now I ask again -- So where
 NB> does the non-union cost of all that get factored in?

If you work for a company that wants to discourage unionization, they will
pay equal to any union shop and offer an equal benefit package as well.

 >> Meanwhile a union will only have to negotiate a contract based on
 >> union pay scales and services that a union contractor is provided by
 >> his union affiliation.

 NB> The "union" only negotiates out-of-town contractors, usually on
 NB> bigger sized jobs (power plants, wind mill farms, stadiums, etc) My
 NB> company bids their own work, negotiates their own prices for the work
 NB> being done, and does all the dealings with the customer. Is there
 NB> some discrepencies here? You brand all unions the same, yet they're
 NB> all very much different in how the inner-workings actually work.

I can only relate to those I have or my friends have experience with. A
gas station I worked part time at while an apprentice contracted with the
county to provide gasoline and lubrication services...what did Eddie do to
get that contract? I don't have a clue. But I know he was in that station
a long time and never lost that contract, even though there were multiple
stations vying for that contract when it was offered for bid, every year.

 >> I wouldn't. I buy American made products and only buy that which is no
 >> longer made here when or if I need it.

 NB> That's good. People like us are probably in the minority, sadly.

I was taught by my parents to buy American. That doesn't mean that I had
to buy American if I didn't want to, but I want to.

 NB> You do know that non-union factories and shops are, just as much,
 NB> oursourcing their work to other countries, right?

Yeup. Micro Switch, the company I apprenticed at has a facility across the
border from El Paso in Mexico. My late uncle was sent there, c1968, to
facilitate the opening of that plant.

 NB> There's much more money to be made (for the company itself, not
 NB> caring much about their employees.. since they can pay the new
 NB> employees in another country a few NOK or whatever a day, crank out a
 NB> cheaper product, and sell it for the same price here in America.

I think Micro was taking advantage of NAFTA, which was supposed to be
advantagess to the employer who wanted cheap labor which in exchange the
Mexican people got employment. Something that would have kept the Mexicans
in Mexico, had it been a success.

 >> Unfortunately, you can't not go on strike or you will break your union
 >> contractual obligations. When the union votes to strike, you tow the
 >> line or you get treated like a scab by your comrades.

 NB> While this is true, I'm guessing it's been over 30 years since
 NB> Ironworkers have striked. At present, I don't see any reason to,
 NB> either. The future is looking much the same.

Your union probably realizes that asking for more pay and benefits
wouldn't do anything to help working conditions for you, plus keep jobs in
the country.


                R\%/itt


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