maybe that's why?

it was explained to me once that the reason Texas is a non union state is because the unions were only hiring "friends of the union" so that if you didn't know (and slip a little extra) to someone in the union then you couldnt get hired

There can be a little bit of politics in it but it's not all politics - not even close.

I know somebody that is the non-union heavy equipment operator. He learned it when he was in the service. He's getting screwed with his wages. He's trying to get into the union school to become union.

I know someone that is a union brick layer. He does well. Then a friend of mine has a bf that does the same thing non-union and is getting screwed with his wages.

My grandfather was a union over-the-road truck driver. I know people that work at Anheuser-Busch/union (now In-Bev).

And more. This city has many unions.

The non-union people are barely making it.

My brother came back from Florida because it is a right to work state.
He wasn't making enough money for what he was doing and the cost of living was high. He made more here and with a normal cost of living.

I know somebody that made $10/hr. building homes in Florida. That's a joke. He came back home too.

i work for walmart and i am absolutely against unionization. we do NOT need an intermediary to speak for us...believe me, i'm pretty good at getting my feelings across.

our open-door policy makes it so that we CAN get resolution by going higher up on the chain.

if anything, walmart is too pro-employee. there are those that i'd love to fire, heh.

however, we are free to discuss unionization, and cannot be penalized for wanting one. there ARE walmarts that are unionized; thankfully, not mine. i like my money going into MY pocket, not being paid out as a mandatory due.

<----thinks lulu is a union unto herself I wouldn't mess with her when she is mad

what do they pay you Lulu? Do you think they will be kind to you when you get old and less productive? Do you have a retirenment plan? Do you have benefits?

so do you think that of an employer as an obligatory life support mechanism?

or just somebody that is giving you money in return for a service rendered?

good questions.

i make about double the minimum wage. there are people at my store that make 18 bucks an hour to stock shelves, literally. do we really feel they deserve more? it's not exactly the most intellectually taxing work.

there are many people in my store that are older. walmart allows us to switch positions for a variety of reasons. we could be wanting to learn more and grow in the company or just need a change of pace. when i hurt my back, they placed me in the fitting room answering the phones for several months. boring as hell, but easy as pie. many of the older people choose to work at the door, and the pay is only twenty cents per hour less than a stocker.

i do have benefits. we have a profit-sharing program that the company holds for us: they deposit yearly, and after six years of employment, you are 100% vested and can take every penny. we can also deposit money into our 401k, at a percentage rate that we choose. as a walmart employee, there's no limit to the amount of walmart stock that i can purchase, either.

the insurance could be a bit better, but it's not absolutely horrible, either. i don't need mine much, so i chose the high-deductible health insurance with the health savings account. the company puts $600 in the account at the beginning of the year, and they put another $600 over the year. this rolls over into retirement if i don't spend it all...i do have a high deductible, but my medicines are covered first, and i get a yearly physical that's before my deductible, as well. i pay all of $9 every two weeks for my insurance.

i've also taken several leaves of absence over the years with my little one, and my job is completely protected.

as to making people who are part-time work full-time hours...if you average full-time hours (over 34 per week) in any six-week period, they are REQUIRED to give you full-time benefits and bump up your status.

That actualy doesnt sound all that bad. You may be a good worker and are rewarded as such. If all are treated so well then a union isnt needed. What I do not like about my union is that its so hard to fire a shifty worthless co-worker and we have some dead weight that we have to work harder to cover for. In some of the cases its someone hired as a friend of managment other cases a friend of a union rep. No matter were you go or how much you make others can work the system at your expense. We make 21.00 an hour with a bunch of paid holidays and pay around sisxty a month for family medical. In my industry we get the holidays off but in the case of retail the holidays are bussiest. I am wondering if working conditions at wallmart varry from store to store depending on managment? I have heard some real horror stories about wallmart workers and some good stories as well.

It would seem to me though Wallmart benefits alot from the government being food stamps are probably a large percent of business.

Intersting conversation, now I am off to a winary to watch some hot air baloons go up and drink some wine with my GF. Hope you all have a great day I will be sure to check back later on this interesting topic.

it is. but once a union is formed and negotiations are held for higher pay. The entire workforce can be laid off in one fell swoop. Basically, it a renounce the union and you can keep your job thing.

I didn't read all the responses, but I'm sure everyone knows how I feel about unions. Either way, any retailer unionizing would be catastrophic for the poor and hurt everyone. The UAW only boosts costs on cars. A union at a major retailer like Wally world or Target would raise costs on EVERYTHING in the store.

If the wages are negotiated for even a $2 raise, that's still an almost 25% increase in labor costs at minimum wage in california. Over that in most of the country. Imagine if everything you bought in the store went up 10, 15, or even 20 percent overnight? How would that change your budget?

WEre do you get your figures from? your hat? The labor cost of an automobile is 10% so if the UAW agreed to work for nothing.........well you get the picture

When general motors was here early on...they paid 15.00 an hour. The prices of cars was much cheaper. With each union raise the cars got more expensive. When they closed up here, people were said to be making up to 70.00 to 72,00 an hour.
If it is indeed 10% and I doubt that seriously...because they claim it has always been 10%. Oh wait...15,000 dollar car versus 30,000 dollar car....hmmmm.
I am not for unions...they are bullies and out to make their fortune from us. And they do. I have been a union member...it sucked! They sucked.. Worthless money hungry a holes. I had no choice in the matter either. We do now.
My late husband was in a good union til the teansters came in and promised them the world. Power talked them right into closing up shop. Everyone lost their jobs. The company couldn't afford to play their game.


Kat

How much are labor costs in relation to the total price of a new vehicle?

The total labor cost of a new vehicle produced in the United States is about $2,400,2 which includes direct, indirect and salaried labor for engines, stamping and assembly at the automakers’ plants.

This represents 8.4 percent of the typical $28,4513 price of a new vehicle in 2006. The vast majority of the costs of producing a vehicle and transporting it to a dealership and preparing it for sale – including design, engineering, marketing, raw materials, executive compensation and other costs – are not related to direct or indirect manufacturing labor.

http://www.uaw.org/barg/07fact/fact02.php

To the Wal Mart lady on the ladder in a dress

I tip my hat

Okaaay???
My point should have been...the less you work the more you make, it seems.
My son and his wife used to work for walmart. They didnt make too bad of a wage. They also had insurance and other benefits. The cart pushers for heavens sake make around 8 to 9 dollars an hour.They have insurance and it pays better than some. If you stay with them long enough then you come out with a pretty good chunk of money.

Minimum wage is $7.05 in Missouri. Single people can barely get by on that and what if they have a child too.

Texas pays the federal minimum wages. not much but not bad for a teenager or something like that

Effective July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 an hour; and
Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25 an hour.

I don't know much about unions...but should people join a union if the want to?