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TriSec is anti-union. I guess.
Author: TriSec    Date: 03/27/2018 22:54:50

I gotta vent someplace.


I've been mum about this, since it's such a hot-button issue at my shop. Several weeks ago, I was approached by some of the guys - they're trying to bring a union to the ol' Trolley Shop.

Of course, I was initially enthusiastic. My grandfather and father were part of the musician's union. (Pops still is.) My brother at the GE in Lynn, is his union representative, and spends more hours working on the political action committee than on the shop floor these days.

We got to the point where the company was served with the papers for an election. Naturally, the reaction was swift - within days, "union-busting" lawyers hired by the company were in our midst, making presentations and some wild claims.

Not fifteen minutes into the meeting, it had devolved into a shouting match, with the conductor who started the movement lashing out at somebody who was on the fence.

I was horrified.

The fence-sitter, a dear friend of mine, was reduced to tears by the attack and I had to talk her down off the ledge. This is not what I envisioned at all.

Argument and counter-argument have followed, and factions very quickly formed among the conductor corps. Fortunately, I play my cards close to the vest, and managed to become a liaison of sorts between the two warring sides. Things had settled down until this morning.

We had the company CEO up from Key West, and our new head conductor had the floor, as well as our local operations manager, freed at last to actually voice their opinions and make impassioned pleas.

I must say it worked. My friend is the Head Conductor, a job I interviewed for myself, and he's been in the role less than a month. He's not had a chance to even try to make his mark, and it seems unfair to shackle him with a union contract.

When the meeting broke up this morning, I wandered down to the conference room to introduce myself to the company CEO,and I happened to pass the office of our Safety Officer. She was sitting at her desk in tears - and again I had to talk somebody off the ledge.

This isn't in my job description.

But that's not the big deal today - not long after the meeting, the gentleman that was organizing the union (and had led the shouting match previously) took a heart attack in the office and left the shop in an ambulance. (He's OK.)

I was personally horrified. This has gotten us so riled up, people are nearly dropping dead? I had already decided to vote NO, but after the union leader nearly died today, the whole rest of the effort instantly collapsed. The rest of the conductors decided to withdraw the petition.

We'll see - the company and corporate are running scared, and may make some concessions, but they don't have to. We have the right to try again in one year's time if nothing changes.

But damn - I got out of my wet clothes and into a dry martini the instant I walked through the door tonight. I really don't know what to think right now.

 
 

15 comments (Latest Comment: 03/28/2018 20:27:20 by Will in Chicago)
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Comment by Raine on 03/28/2018 12:21:25
Good Morning.

I'm gonna let this stand as today's blog.

What a terrible story! Can I ask why there was so much acrimony from the organizers?

Comment by BobR on 03/28/2018 13:13:28
People don't know how to discuss disagreements anymore. Personal attacks are easy and lazy, and don't help.

Your co-workers have a year to put a case together for a union, and sell it to the rest. Maybe time for you to coach them in their tactics.

Comment by wickedpam on 03/28/2018 13:18:40
Morning

Comment by Scoopster on 03/28/2018 13:20:11
Mornin' all..

I think this kind of unnecessary rudeness on the part of those trying to organize a union effort, whether it's just normal people being rude or the fabled criminal element behind it, is a major reason why people are so hesitant about organized labor. People don't want to follow others or be a part of a group when there's fear & intimidation involved (and this is why the company's side always does it too - because they know that the intimidation will make some of the employees vote against the union).

Comment by velveeta jones on 03/28/2018 13:55:04
I hear ya, TriSec. I've been in the middle of Union busting - on the management side. *sigh*. Even though I believed our company should join (and eventually did get a contract) I had to do my job. Mostly, I tried to keep the lawyers from making up shit and pitting worker against worker. It's a horrible experience.

Comment by Mondobubba on 03/28/2018 14:52:29
Under the original Wagner Act, all those interested in forming a union had to set up a steering committee and people joined the union. That was it. None of this counter strike from management with the division and lawyers. That is part of the Taft-Hartley Act.

Comment by Raine on 03/28/2018 15:58:08




Comment by Mondobubba on 03/28/2018 16:01:31
Jesus, I just read through my 16-page separation agreement. The promise of the company, we pay you your severance. Promises of me to the company, I won't sue, I won't talk about the agreement, I won't do a whole crap ton of things that might benefit me. Fuckers.

Comment by Raine on 03/28/2018 16:25:03
Quote by Mondobubba:
Jesus, I just read through my 16-page separation agreement. The promise of the company, we pay you your severance. Promises of me to the company, I won't sue, I won't talk about the agreement, I won't do a whole crap ton of things that might benefit me. Fuckers.

yeah, that crap sounds familiar.

Comment by BobR on 03/28/2018 17:38:36
Quote by Mondobubba:
Jesus, I just read through my 16-page separation agreement. The promise of the company, we pay you your severance. Promises of me to the company, I won't sue, I won't talk about the agreement, I won't do a whole crap ton of things that might benefit me. Fuckers.

Let me guess - you won't use any knowledge or skills you gained at your job in a new job for a company that could be construed as a competitor, right? You can ignore that completely - they won't be giving you a second thought after this.

Comment by Mondobubba on 03/28/2018 19:41:53
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Mondobubba:
Jesus, I just read through my 16-page separation agreement. The promise of the company, we pay you your severance. Promises of me to the company, I won't sue, I won't talk about the agreement, I won't do a whole crap ton of things that might benefit me. Fuckers.

Let me guess - you won't use any knowledge or skills you gained at your job in a new job for a company that could be construed as a competitor, right? You can ignore that completely - they won't be giving you a second thought after this.


Yup, there is a whole section where I am swearing many mickle oaths not to reveal any company secrets under the pain of agents of the Illuminati coming to my house and kidnapping me. Okay, fine, since I don't know any of Web's trade secrets I can't reveal them. As for the non-compete part of it, since there isn't any other company in the whole fucking state that does what Web does, that is a non-issue as well.

Bob, I intend like everyone who has had to sign the agreement to ignore most of it. Just fuck the hell off and give me my severance payment, fuckers.


Comment by Mondobubba on 03/28/2018 19:47:48
I know Web's doing me dirty, but I can't prove it. I feel it in my bones. I might speak with a lawyer, I might not.

Comment by Mondobubba on 03/28/2018 20:00:08
In other news, I had a semi-lovely trip down to St. Augustine. I couldn't get on the beach due to Spring/Easter break. No parking available. I didn't find a really good burger joint though, The Old City Market. All their protein, produce and bread is Florida sourced. The burger I got was a decent size patty with a great flavor due to the grass-fed cow. The fries were nice and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.If you find yourself in St Augustine, check em out.

Of course, a trip to the nation's oldest city isn't complete without getting a scent of both horse and horseshit right on A1A next to the Castillo.

I now know four chords, A, E, D and Em. Who wants to start a band?



Comment by Will in Chicago on 03/28/2018 20:27:20
Hello bloggers!!

Civility seems to be forgotten.:(