Only been in this field for a couple of years now. I hear every once in a while about some union shops and I see online that IAM has a auto tech section to their union. What do you guys think of this? Most people in this field are getting nothing for retirement bennifits and medical is out the wazzo! Thankfully I got my medical through MedDischarge or I would really not be able to afford anything.

Those of you who are techs do you think we could be served by a union for us?

 

Maybe if you are in a big union area you could get away with it, I have my own opinions about labor unions that i will spare ya'll, however the last shop i worked at had a handful of people try to bring in a union and the results were not pretty, it was drawn out for about a year and a half, several votes on the matter were made, and in the end everything ended up having to be settled in court, No the union did not make it into the dealership and those responsible for attempting to bring it in all left the dealership. I am sure you are aware of the politics involved in this business and i caution you to consider that before you make any attempt at bringing in a union as the dealership owners and managers tend to feel as though you are stabbing them in the back with such attempts, not saying there will be retaliation it's just a shame when someone no longer seems able to pull down a good job but instead ends up with the same high labor low pay jobs over and over again. Just some points to ponder.

 

I'm in a union as a technician. Let me tell ya......they aren't all they are cracked up to be! There are good and bad, yes, but there are days when the bad heavily outways the good! If you look hard enough, and are GOOD enough to get the job, there are some out there that pay as much or more without the headaches.

 

What about the benifits side of it though? I havent met a tech yet who got decent retirement or medical.

 

I don't plan on there being any retirement when I retire, union, or not. At the rate we are losing benefits, we'll be paying for insurance before long as well. Won't be too many years and we won't have much benefit of being in the union. If you manage your money well, and plan accordingly, you can have a pretty good 401K. I put 15% a year into mine, and it has netted an everage of 20% every year for the last 3 years.If I keep it up, I'll have about 3 mil in the bank come retirement time. I'm fairly positive I can survive off of the interest! Good luck!

 

I am the VP of a Project Relocation company located in Cincinnati, OH. My company has relocated over 8 LARGE manufacturing companies in the last year (that will remain nameless) out of the US because of the Unions. All of which have moved due to disagreements. With Japan, China, India all on our heals in mass industrialization and exports I don't see how the US Union based companies can compete with those countries. I believe we are pricing ourselves out of the market. Im sorry I don't believe that a worker pressing a button 8 hours a day should make 25-30 dollars an hour. Its why our trucks cost 40,000 +. I belive there is a place for Unions just not to the extremes they have been taken.

 

Go to TDR and post the question to SAG2 I think he is union in Frisco and Very happy.

Bob

 

Unions benefit themselves primarily. They give the workers just enough to make them thing they are almost worthwhile. The union fatcats are the real beneficiaries, and they will run the company into the ground and put the membership out of work while lining their own pocket.

What do you think happened to the Bridgestone Plant in Baltimore?

 

I totally agree with your statement, but its kinda hard to ship cars overseas to get worked on after they are sold to a customer...

 

Its not the cars being sent.. Its our jobs.

 

Automotive technicians repair cars, we are not going to be sending that job overseas is what I am saying.

 

Agreed! There are only so many things that can be outsourced!

 

Alot of the local dealers in my area (chicago) are union, I think most are IAM Local 701. Thats car dealers, some truck and heavy equipment dealers too. Some of the truck dealers and companies are also Teamsters, alot of the heavy equipment dealers and constructions companies are Operators. I've been in the union now for over a year and i like it more than being in a non-union shop. I like the idea of having job protection and the benfits. I'm not die hard union but I do feel they have their places in certian industries. I am in the IAMAW as a Locomotive Machinist (mechanic). I'm railroad so my contract, benefits,retirement, pay and ability to strike are WAY different than a regular IAM member.

 

I'm with cbtumedic up there and spare ya my veiws of what unions have turned into.

I will add this though if Jimmy could jump out of the grave and be put in charge againe more then 80% of the union leaders would be in a hole somewere.

Pav

 

Im sorry I mis-understood you. Regardsless, I believe that if the Union gets involved in the Automotive Tech Repair they will once again price themselves out of the market. We have a hard enough time selling American cars let alone one that cost a fortune to have fixed because the Union "Fat Cat" wants more money for himself. Rarely does the Union help the Blue Collar worker when he personaly is in need. They only want to help when the whole group is in need.