# What are the benefits of going union?



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Accept the offer letter. look it over. I don't see a downside. You are not joining the Foreign Leigon are you? 

How long is a French Foreign Legion contract?
5 years

THE *CONTRACT* :

The initial *contract* is for 5 years. At the end of this first *contract*, the legionary can choose to continue his career by means of successive *contracts* whose *duration* varies between 6 months and 5 years.

Would you like to know more? 

*Contracts & career within the legion | Légion étrangère*
https://www.legion-recrute.com › contracts-career-within-l.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

HR people are NOT YOUR FRIENDS! They are employed to protect the company, NOT THE WORKERS!. The fact that the HR person says there are benefits but I cant tell you, raises the hair on the back of my neck. 
Contact the union about this job. Then decide. You could end up on the bench.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Having worked both sides, one thing is for certain.....Union health insurance will beat just about any private insurance. 

It'd be a good idea to see who is paying your Union dues. The first time I went Union, the employer paid them, the second time I paid them. Not real expensive but it does cut back on your net pay. 

Around here, they take about $4/HR for a 'vacation fund'. This is after tax and the $$$ is yours to take anytime you want. I left mine alone and when I bailed out of the Union 8 years later, it was a pretty penny. 

If you make it 10 years, they have a national pension, you need 10 years to get vested. Mine will pay about $540/month after I turn 65 and retire. 

The local here has a self-directed pension, I can't remember how much it is but you get to choose what funds you want to invest it in. 

The International Office also has a pension but don't count on ever getting a cent from it......lots of rules to follow and if you don't pay the dues continuously, you'll lose it. I suspect this is a real moneymaker for the IO........

There's like more, that's all I can think of at the moment.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

tedanderson said:


> Today I was offered an opportunity to join the local transit union (ATU Local 689 in Washington DC) as an electrical mechanic. The HR person couldn't tell me much about how the union works with dues, obligations, benefits, etc. All she could tell me was what what the position pays per the collective bargaining agreement. It's roughly about the same that I'm currently making on my non-union job, give or take a few cents.
> 
> So when she told me what the position pays and told me that it was non-negotiable, I realized that there's no real benefit in me making the move. But before I could tell her "thank you, not interested" she suggested that I take some time to think it over because there were a lot of benefits to being employed by the union even though she was not at liberty to disclose that information. Only a union rep would be authorized to discuss that with me.
> 
> ...


I can't speak with any inside knowledge about the TWU in DC. But if the position is paying $XX.XX per hour, your medical, dental, vision insurances and other fringes like paid jury duty, paid time off, personal days paid sick leave etc... and vacation and other benefits do not get deducted from your hourly wages. It is the nonunion sector that took that hard line and crossed it, to advertise high wages and when the employee gets their 1st paycheck finds out the family insurance they opted for and the dental insurance because the kids need braces are all brokered and sold to you by the company, but not provided to you by the company as a benefit in addition to your pay.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

Years ago, when I was teaching an apprenticeship course for commercial and industrial electricians, I had a few of my students approach me with the same question.
There was a big push to organize non-union electrical shops at that time.
We looked at their current pay rate, holiday pay, vacation pay, 401K matching and any expenses for medical, dental and vision insurance.
Their employer covered them but not the rest of the family.
Then we looked at what the local was offering for wages, no vacation pay, no holiday pay, but medical, dental and vision insurance was covered.
Then we figured in working dues (assessments) and monthly dues, and PAC fund "donations" (no choice in the matter) none of which they were told about.
After all the math, it worked out to them making about 10 cents more an hour than they were currently making.
These guys were mainly in their twenties so the pension idea did not matter to them.
I also explained they would have no say so in how their pension money was invested, but with a 401K, they had control of their investments.
Then there was the weekly 10% of your paycheck taken out for your "vacation" because they thought you were too stupid to save it yourself.
Even though I was teaching an electrical apprenticeship program at a local college (continuing education level), I did explain the union had a much better school that I myself had attended.
They chose to stick with their payed vacations and holidays.
Your results may vary.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Talk to the union, not the HR lady, about the union's package. To the HR lady, all those benefits etc you're asking about are their headache, not hers. It's very possible she's telling you not to pass on a good opportunity.

Talk to a financial person about the value of the union's benefits versus what you are getting now. Don't go to a financial planner, those are mostly *salespeople* for investments and life insurance, talk to an accountant, not a tax return preparer at H&R Block or etc, a CPA. The total value of your compensation is what to watch, not the hourly wage. 

For example, if company A pays $50 an hour, but then they deduct $600 a month for health insurance, and contribute nothing to your retirement, and only have a crappy 401K program set up with the owners brother in law, you will have to set some more of that aside for retirement, and etc. 

But company B pays $45 an hour, so you're making $900 less on the paychecks, but doesn't deduct for health insurance, and makes a substantial retirement contribution _in addition to your wages, not deducted from your wages_, that is worth way more than the $5hr / $600 month. 

Believe me, a lot of companies take advantage of this and have employees that don't look at this carefully think they're making more when they're making less.


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## em158 (Jul 7, 2016)

There are unions, and then there are unions.

I am pretty sure you are talking about a union job with the local transit authority. These are union jobs with a sole employer similar to a public utility. Wages, PTO, benefits, and any possible layoffs are almost always determined by seniority and non-negotiable. Layoffs are not common, very rare in the DC area. Your income is restricted by your your position and time in that position, but also your wage and position are protected by that same contract. In most cases the bosses nephew won't magically become a supervisor over more senior tech.s overnight. Generally pay rates are comparable with local non-union. Benefits and retirement slightly better. Job security MUCH better.

Construction unions are a different beast all together. Generally higher hourly pay, insurance better and cheaper. Paid time off much worse. Retirement better. Layoffs are always a possibility. Prove yourself to a contractor and you will work steadily. Excel and you will be rewarded. Scale pay and benefits are the minimum that have to be paid, many valued workers are compensated above the contract. Slackers will bounce around and ride the bench more than most.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

em158 said:


> There are unions, and then there are unions.
> 
> I am pretty sure you are talking about a union job with the local transit authority. These are union jobs with a sole employer similar to a public utility. Wages, PTO, benefits, and any possible layoffs are almost always determined by seniority and non-negotiable. Layoffs are not common, very rare in the DC area. Your income is restricted by your your position and time in that position, but also your wage and position are protected by that same contract. In most cases the bosses nephew won't magically become a supervisor over more senior tech.s overnight. Generally pay rates are comparable with local non-union. Benefits and retirement slightly better. Job security MUCH better.
> 
> Construction unions are a different beast all together. Generally higher hourly pay, insurance better and cheaper. Paid time off much worse. Retirement better. Layoffs are always a possibility. Prove yourself to a contractor and you will work steadily. Excel and you will be rewarded. Scale pay and benefits are the minimum that have to be paid, many valued workers are compensated above the contract. Slackers will bounce around and ride the bench more than most.


Exactly. This is not like going to the hall and get sent out on jobs. You will work for the utility and get the benefits provided by the utility. The union in this scenario is almost non-existent. The only time you might hear about it is if you need their help. Like for a workplace legal issue. And of course at contract time.
Other than that, you work for them and if you leave you do not have a hall to go and get a new job from. This is a union job only in the sense of the word union.
I would recommend you look into it very hard.
This could be the last job you take before you retire. And I would bet there is retirement in your future with a job like this. I don't know who you work for, but if your not getting benefits, you might be making a mistake in not taking the job.
I think had that job been offered to me at the same rate with better bennies, I take the job and hopefully not look back.
Of course the type of work would be the most important thing. If it was a dirty, greasy under trains kind of thing I doubt I take it.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

First what union, is it IBEW? It might be railway workers union.
When I worked for the government we were union but it was not required and they did not get you anything. They were only to get the bums out of trouble. 

Cowboy


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

just the cowboy said:


> First what union, is it IBEW? It might be railway workers union.
> When I worked for the government we were union but it was not required and they did not get you anything. They were only to get the bums out of trouble.
> Cowboy


I served a four year apprenticeship with the IBEW at the Railroad. And I was required to join within 90 days. Closed shop. Of course I joined as soon as I could.
But your point is well taken. There are plenty unions that are only union in he sense of the word union.


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## Greg Sparkovich (Sep 15, 2007)

Money Money Money.
**** that. Any good contractor can make money.

Do you want someone else telling you when you can take your 15 minute break?

I really respect what Unions have done for worker standards, wages, and blue collar respect. If you want to work in an environment where you are just a cog in the machine, a union gives you leverage for solidarity. If not, it seems like it's a ball and chain.

-Greg 
(Troublemaker, does not play well with authority)


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