NEMSA Union

[firetender]

Companies create Unions.

Unions ARE a necessary evil.

They are the only ones you can turn to after you have made many attempts to sit down and work things out with your company. The name of the game is to get power and lawyers and skilled negotiators behind you so then, the company HAS TO listen and HAS TO commit to written agreements.

From that point on, it's all about politics and money, and nobody comes out clean, but some of us get protected.

 

[46Young]

Unions ARE a necessary evil.

They are the only ones you can turn to after you have made many attempts to sit down and work things out with your company. The name of the game is to get power and lawyers and skilled negotiators behind you so then, the company HAS TO listen and HAS TO commit to written agreements.

From that point on, it's all about politics and money, and nobody comes out clean, but some of us get protected.

There will never be a perfect balance, it's either the Local holding the cards, or the employer doing whatever they see fit if there's no employee organization. For all it's shortcomings, I'll still take the union protection over leaving my fate in the hands of my employers, if I had to choose one or the other. Paying the mortgage and keeping my family fed are of paramount importance. I've experienced what it's like when the employer does whatever they want. I've never had any performance or disciplinary issues, but I've seen many that have been screwed over.

Unions, in theory, are a good thing. The Local needs to be smooth about things, agree to givebacks if truly needed, and strive to be productive for the premuim that the employer's paying. The union may continue to drain their employer's resources, then say WTF when massive layoffs are implemented, or when their jobs relocate to a more cost friendly locale.

Edit: I like the way things are here - we have progressive discipline, we can be denied a merit increase if we underperform, I've seen a few individuals get fired or "resign" since I've been here. We also have representation by the Local for any grievances, all of our SOP's and their penalties are clearly stated, we have people constsntly going to bat for us to preserve our compensation, prevent layoffs, keep safe staffing levels, to protect our retirement system, which they made sure the county kept funding. They saved my job back in 2009, so I konw I made the right choice to join. It's voluntary, being a right to work state. Our political influence gets the job done. Right to work states aren't too bad if you have a large enough Local with enough lobbying power and such.

 

[Emma]

I know this is old, and from the beginning of the thread, so maybe I should leave it alone..but, the statement that unions are the reason public schools are failing irritates me.

Please. If you think the answer is that simple, then you've got no business talking about the issue.

I've been protected from all manner of stupidity by the local union at the various schools I've taught in. There's lots of things unions do wrong or should do differently, but trying to teach in a public school without one protecting you is hell. I'm doing it now and I can't get out fast enough.

 

[JeffDHMC]

For some reason we are IAFF. Just as stated above, it makes no sense at all considering we are not fire based. Anyway, the hospital does not recognize the union and as such it provides no benefit or protection. In fact I think there is only 6-8 people in the union anyhow (out of a possible 200+). They're kind of like the People's Front of Judea.

Jeff

 

[Medic Kevorkian]

Nemsa

We went from a non-EMS union to NEMSA. Things did improve for a short time. There were many ULPs being filed against the company for failing to live up to the contract, and failing to meet with the union to discuss issues. In fact, there was a hidden camera discovered by the union in the room where negotiations were being held.

For the union bashers out there, the question to consider when debating the issue is whether you trust the management of your company enough to be "at will" employees, or to be able to have some sort of union protection and collective bargaining rights. With the example above, the answer for us is simple. Hidden camera in negotiations is certainly a reason to maintain union security.

With that being said, there are some internal issues with NEMSA. Unfortunately, those in power want to remain in power, and have turned a democracy into a dictatorship with censorship, firings, and evidence of illegal activity. In fact at one point, union representatives tried to form their own association for union protection. Presently, the questionable leadership remains in power, and the court system is now empowered to install the democratically elected leadership.