I heard that Continental Ramp workers are to vote on the TWU this month.
It seems from the news article they may want a union because they felt they had no voice at the table when Continental wanted concessions.
Well getting a union is a good idea, BUT if you want a union, you do not want the TWU.
If you get the TWU you will likely give up more than you would without a union and you will pay two hours gross pay for that.
The TWU has been the industry leader in concessions for over 20 years.
The TWU is a company union. That may be why the company's resistance to the TWU is mild. I mean they have to make it seem like they dont want them but more than likely they have not been that agressive. After all, better to see you guys go to a company union like the TWU than to join a union that will really fight for you. "Heaven forbid they end up in the IBT or form a new union!"
The TWU will take your money and do nothing for you. Just look at American Airlines where the TWU gave AA the biggest concessions packge in history, more than either UAL, USAIR or even non union Continental or Delta asked from their employees.
Delta workers saw what the TWU was about and rejected them a few years back. The TWU spent $2 million trying to get dues from them.
The TWU wants your dues to fund their pay and perks.
Your dues will help fund the very generous pension that TWU International officers recieve-one where retirees from the International-not the dues paying members like you but officers that you can not vote for and their appointees who control the TWU, recieve, a defined benifit plan that gets increased 5% a year for the cost of living. Retired TWU International officers recieve greater raises than TWU members recieve. In order to fund that the TWU needs more dues payers.
The TWU is desperate for new dues payers to fund their pay and perks.
The average TWU member makes $15/hr. Less than the wage of the average non-union worker. In order to fund their perks they concentrate on just getting more and more people to pay dues. They do not fight for better pay and benifits for their members, again, look at the largest member of the TWU ATD-American Airlines, and look at what they gave back two years ago! The TWU gave the company EVERYTHING THEY WANTED! They spent the dues payers money in an effort to scare the members into accepting the concessions. Despite the huge dues funded campain by the TWU to scare the members into massive concessions it only passed by a slim margin.They set the standard for what your company is looking for from you!!! Why would you want to pay them two hours gross pay per month to give the company everything they want anyway?
The concentration on just getting more people to pay dues is why you will find a wide array of low paid workers in the TWU, from fishing reel manufacturers in Oklahoma, to the lowest paid baggage handlers in New York, to casino card dealers on Las Vegas. The TWU will allow anyone to fund the pay and perks of the International, and they will promise you anything to get you in.
Its easier to get the TWU in than to get it out.
Once you get the TWU in, its harder to get them out. So dont think "Lets get the TWU then just replace them if we dont like them". Organizing is tough to do. Changing from the TWU to another union would require you to get over 50% to sign cards calling for another union. In the meantime the TWU and the company will enlist the help of the NMB to block the vote by inflating the list. In other elections the TWU and its host company have included the names of dead workers, retired workers, management and even people who never worked for the company to stop the vote for a new union. The NMB usually helps keep more militant unions out of the industry.
Once you get the TWU in you cant go to another union in the AFL-CIO. So for fleet service workers it means that once you get the TWU in, you are stuck with them. The only way to get rid of them would be to start and fund a completely new union-a tremendous undertaking.
While I would think that getting in a union is a good idea picking the right union is just as, if not even more important if you want true representation. The TWU will not represent your interests. I was a Local officer under the TWU, elected by my peers. I saw first hand what goes on in this corrupt organization. While Locals within the union struggle to fight for their members the International uses their power to pursue their own agenda. The TWU removed me from my position. I stated to them that my primary duty is to the members I represent, not to the International. In their letter stating why I was removed from office they stated that my "admission (that I put the members first)violates my oath which requires loyalty to the International".
I am presently sueing the TWU for reinstatment and the right of my coworkers to be represented by who they chose-but the legal process takes time.
Again, by all means, GO UNION-just not the TWU.
It seems from the news article they may want a union because they felt they had no voice at the table when Continental wanted concessions.
Well getting a union is a good idea, BUT if you want a union, you do not want the TWU.
If you get the TWU you will likely give up more than you would without a union and you will pay two hours gross pay for that.
The TWU has been the industry leader in concessions for over 20 years.
The TWU is a company union. That may be why the company's resistance to the TWU is mild. I mean they have to make it seem like they dont want them but more than likely they have not been that agressive. After all, better to see you guys go to a company union like the TWU than to join a union that will really fight for you. "Heaven forbid they end up in the IBT or form a new union!"
The TWU will take your money and do nothing for you. Just look at American Airlines where the TWU gave AA the biggest concessions packge in history, more than either UAL, USAIR or even non union Continental or Delta asked from their employees.
Delta workers saw what the TWU was about and rejected them a few years back. The TWU spent $2 million trying to get dues from them.
The TWU wants your dues to fund their pay and perks.
Your dues will help fund the very generous pension that TWU International officers recieve-one where retirees from the International-not the dues paying members like you but officers that you can not vote for and their appointees who control the TWU, recieve, a defined benifit plan that gets increased 5% a year for the cost of living. Retired TWU International officers recieve greater raises than TWU members recieve. In order to fund that the TWU needs more dues payers.
The TWU is desperate for new dues payers to fund their pay and perks.
The average TWU member makes $15/hr. Less than the wage of the average non-union worker. In order to fund their perks they concentrate on just getting more and more people to pay dues. They do not fight for better pay and benifits for their members, again, look at the largest member of the TWU ATD-American Airlines, and look at what they gave back two years ago! The TWU gave the company EVERYTHING THEY WANTED! They spent the dues payers money in an effort to scare the members into accepting the concessions. Despite the huge dues funded campain by the TWU to scare the members into massive concessions it only passed by a slim margin.They set the standard for what your company is looking for from you!!! Why would you want to pay them two hours gross pay per month to give the company everything they want anyway?
The concentration on just getting more people to pay dues is why you will find a wide array of low paid workers in the TWU, from fishing reel manufacturers in Oklahoma, to the lowest paid baggage handlers in New York, to casino card dealers on Las Vegas. The TWU will allow anyone to fund the pay and perks of the International, and they will promise you anything to get you in.
Its easier to get the TWU in than to get it out.
Once you get the TWU in, its harder to get them out. So dont think "Lets get the TWU then just replace them if we dont like them". Organizing is tough to do. Changing from the TWU to another union would require you to get over 50% to sign cards calling for another union. In the meantime the TWU and the company will enlist the help of the NMB to block the vote by inflating the list. In other elections the TWU and its host company have included the names of dead workers, retired workers, management and even people who never worked for the company to stop the vote for a new union. The NMB usually helps keep more militant unions out of the industry.
Once you get the TWU in you cant go to another union in the AFL-CIO. So for fleet service workers it means that once you get the TWU in, you are stuck with them. The only way to get rid of them would be to start and fund a completely new union-a tremendous undertaking.
While I would think that getting in a union is a good idea picking the right union is just as, if not even more important if you want true representation. The TWU will not represent your interests. I was a Local officer under the TWU, elected by my peers. I saw first hand what goes on in this corrupt organization. While Locals within the union struggle to fight for their members the International uses their power to pursue their own agenda. The TWU removed me from my position. I stated to them that my primary duty is to the members I represent, not to the International. In their letter stating why I was removed from office they stated that my "admission (that I put the members first)violates my oath which requires loyalty to the International".
I am presently sueing the TWU for reinstatment and the right of my coworkers to be represented by who they chose-but the legal process takes time.
Again, by all means, GO UNION-just not the TWU.