Another one about unions (for those that didn't know)

I don't know how everyone feels about unions. I am a firm believer that they have their place. Well the government is making it possible for the union organizers just to walk onto your employers property and talk you into becoming union. Now I am a firm believer that there should be personal choice and democracy in this particular action.
I am sure by now everyone realizes that I am a union electrician. I am not hard core like everyone else is. I was just offered a temporary job by my organizer. When I told him that that would not work his response to me was that all construction jobs are temporary. Well that might be true about the overall job it is not true about the companies. When I go to work I am not employed by a job, I am employed by a company. One thing that does irk me is that I am told by the same organizer that if I go to work for any non-union electrical company I would be brought up on charges. OK!!! What are you going to put me in jail? Are you going to fine me? I don't really think so....the most that could be done to me is kicking me out of the union. Now I am not advocating against the unions but if you are interested in joining go over everything that they give you. It might really change your mind on joining.
I will let you know what it costs to be in the IBEW. It costs me $77.70 every 3 months and 5% of my pay every week. That is a considerable cost. On average a residential wireman would pay per year $2245.20. That is working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks. Your vacation comes out of your base pay. So you subtract $1.85 per hour to get your actual pay. Your base is only $18.60 per hour before the vcation pay is subtracted.
So people really think about it before you tell that organizer "yes". It might just be one of the biggest mistakes of your life. Also keep in mind that when you are laid off they want to try and get you into a non-union company to try and get the other people there to convert to union. Now I don't know about anyone else out there but when I find a company I enjoy I don't like being the kind of person that betrays my boss or company. It is a really messed up thing when you are working and your union rep calls and says you have to quit working and report to a union company. I can understand why a lot of people hate unions.

Unions

Now for all of you people out there that do not know me, I am a member of the IBEW. In other words I am a union electrician. Just a little while ago I got a phone call from my union rep telling me that he found me a job. The job starts either Thursday or Friday. Now when I first got the call I was excited until I started to think about it. You see, I am currently laid off and in my contract it states that after 60 days I am eligible for $200.00 extra a week for unemployment. This job is temporary. It is supposed to take just long enough to make me have to start all over again with the waiting period. The other aggravating thing is is that the hassle and aggravation of having to resubmit all of my information and wait for everyone to tell me that I am eligible for benefits, but it is going to take an insane amount of time for me to collect any money so I can pay my bills. The only thing really good about the union is the retirement package. Pass that I would love to be non union again. Don't get me wrong unions have their place and in some places and environments thank God they are there. But unions also cause a lot of problems on top of the good that they do. The biggest problem with the unions are the fact that they are primarily there just to take your money. To explain this further; 5% of my pay goes to the union to pay for dues and then as if this was not enough you also pay $77.70 every three months to stay in the union.