Why I am against THIS union

When I first started working at Raytheon a lot of people told me not to waste my money joining the union. When I would ask them why, the answer I got was that they were incompetent at their task of bargaining and that it was a "good ol' boys club". Well, against my better judgement, I figured that I would give them the benefit of the doubt and join up. I'd let them prove to me if my trust was misplaced or not.

The union leadership has shown that they are indeed running a "Good Ol' Boys Club" here at IAM 933. Friends and family get brought in and are the ones to benefit from gifts. As a union member, I was out for a time on a medical leave of absence. No card, no calls, nothing from the union. However, every time someone else in the union has something going on, there are collections, cards, and calls. I am not saying that by being in the union I deserved those things, but if they are going to claim that they seek equal treatment for everyone, then they better practice what they preach.

That was a minor thing compared to the fumbling of negotiations in 2006. Trying to get people whipped into a frenzy over their lack of ability in negotiating in 2003, they failed their task of getting the hourly workers the best possible contract. Let me ask a question: "When a child throws a temper tantrum and holds their breath, do you give in to them?" The answer is no. So why on Earth would grown and supposedly mature men and women expect a corporation to give in to their temper tantrum during the strike? I asked several times during the strike why they were not pressing to get back to the table and get us back to work. The answers I got involved anything from the first one to blink loses to just don't cross. I really liked that second one. Just don't cross. In the meantime rent is due, vehicle payments are due, credit card bills are due, and a myriad of other expenses, but the answer I got when I needed assurance that this was the right thing was, "Just don't cross." Excellent. I'll just tell my landlord and my creditors that. I'm sure they will understand.

What was even more disappointing to me was the lack of concern shown by the union towards those that were actually doing the grunt work during the strike. Several of us committed money and resources that were limited to helping out others during their time of need. Yet the union would still pick and choose when they would provide support to their members. Case in point being a shift of strike duty that I worked where there was NOTHING for the men and women on the line at night. There had been a rally that day and there were sandwiches and drinks for them, but the night shift people didn't have anything. There was no coffee, no hot water, and nothing to for them to even snack on. I left the union hall that evening with a sinking feeling in my stomach. I had been lied to big time.

I was disgusted with myself for going against my better judgement and going along with the strike. I made a couple more attempts to get reassurance from the union leadership that this was going to come to a resolution soon. Same answers, different day. Those words were hollow to me at that point. My savings was expended and plans that I had for the next year were already toast. What more did they want me to give? They say that they fight for everyone. That's bull. They fight for their own survival. That night at the union hall proved to me unequivocally that the union was not fighting for every man and woman on that picket line. They were trying to prove their relevance. They support the people on the line when TV cameras might possibly be around, but they don't give a damn about the ones out there holding the line on a cold December night. That was NOT what I gave my strike authorization vote for.

Unfortunately, I can't change the past. But I can make a difference in the future. The union still directs the membership to act like children. The attitudes that have been shown to those that went back to work for reasons of their own are unexcusable. I harbored no ill will towards them when they came back and was glad to see many of them back at work. I'm not so angry that they slighted me. Fine, they don't like me. But there are other hourly and salary employees that have bent over backwards in the past to help union members out when they needed it and they have received the cold shoulder as well. That is not right. That is not how a group of adults determining my pay and benefits should act and it's time to change. This union needs to be decertified so that some sense of cohesion can re-enter the workplace.

GET RID OF LODGE 933!!!