Unions …. Any truck driver eventually will bump a union dock. I hate to even estimate how many docks I've bumped over the years. So I think I have a pretty good idea of what goes on in the minds of union members. I also can tell you that union members in the south seem to have a little different perspective on things then members from the north. Or maybe it's just the difference of the people from different regions of the country. Anyway, I like to let people make up their own minds about things. So I'm just going to tell a few of my experiences with union members that I've had over the years as a truck driver that visits their docks from time to time. I'll let you decide for yourself if unions have become too powerful for their own good or for the good of the country. Bear in mind that I whole heartedly believe that people should have the right to stand up for themselves. But ….
When I'm all unloaded and checked out, and all that is left is for the receiver that is holding his pen and my bills in his hand has to do is put his signature on the paper so I can leave. The bell rings for lunch. He simply puts his pen down and says "I'll see you after lunch" then walks away. I had to wait for an hour for him to come back, sit in front of me until the second hand reaches exactly one O'clock. Finally the bell rings again. Then and only then will he speak to me and finally put his signature on paper so I can leave. That's the union mentality. It's all about them … screw the rest of us.
On a dedicated run for automotive that I did for a while. Several things here. They would shut the plant down because they would run out of parts from time to time on the line. One reason was that I would be sitting just outside the gate with the needed parts. Union rules would not let me enter the plant no more than fifteen minutes early. So while the management was calling my cell phone, begging me to come in, union members forbid it and were paid to stand there, looking over the fence at the needed parts, collecting their paychecks for doing nothing.
Another plant, a worker did not show up one day. A pallet of parts needed to be moved from the dock to the line so the plant could continue working. The union members sitting on their forklifts reading news paper said it was not their job. Management could not move it because it would take a job away from union members. So the plant shut down with everyone still collecting their pay. To fix the problem, A forklift operator had to be called in at a minimum of four hours pay to take fifteen minutes to move the pallet. Awesome way to run a company I thought.
One thing I found I liked was how union members love to do not only their jobs, but someone else's also. One plant had half the people sitting in the break room most of the time. Each worker would work not only their section of the line, but also their buddies while they sat in the break room. Then they would swap out and the other guy would sit in the break room. In effect, the plant paid for two workers when in actually, only one worker was needed.
The things I seen on American automotive union docks is why I personally have come to the conclusion that I will never buy another car made by American union workers. You want to know why a car cost as much as it does. Go sit at one of these union plants for a couple of days. I bet you won't pay for those games either.
Now, as for the teachers unions doing all this protesting. Knowing the things I've personally seen union do on the docks I've visited over the years. And knowing that since the unions have gotten involved in our educational system that our children have dropped in their average test scores. It’s no wonder in my opinion why. Like I said, I whole heartily agree that the worker has the right to stand up for their rights as a worker. But when they become so powerful that they actually damage the system they are working within, then it’s time to pull the plug and bring the same reality non union members have to live with to the union world. Simple fact is that we as a nation cannot afford to support spoiled little brats any more. I want a chance at retirement to. I will not stand to pay for union members to rape us any longer while I sit here going broke being forced to pay them …. to sit on their asses.
