# anyone ever been on strike?



## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

My fathers Union just voted to authorize a strike today. Now they haven't gone on strike yet. But I'm interested on hearing some experiences about it. I'm also interested because I used to work there and I might end up back there in a couple of months but as an Electrician this time.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Better have a real good reason to go on strike right now..


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

No but I've struck out at the bar lots of times.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

nitro71 said:


> Better have a real good reason to go on strike right now..


Yea, and pretty big cahoonas.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

*Speaking about Cahoonas*



> A big Texan cowboy stopped at a local restaurant following a day of drinking and roaming around in Mexico. While sipping his tequila, he noticed a sizzling, scrumptious looking platter being served at the next table.
> Not only did it look good, the smell was wonderful.
> He asked the waiter, "What is that you just served?"
> The waiter replied, "Ah senor, you have excellent taste! Those are bull's testicles from the bull fight this morning, a delicacy!"
> ...


 I laughed hard at this.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

ilikepez said:


> My fathers Union just voted to authorize a strike today. Now they haven't gone on strike yet. But I'm interested on hearing some experiences about it. I'm also interested because I used to work there and I might end up back there in a couple of months but as an Electrician this time.


A vote to authorize a strike is just that, a_ permission_ vote. Is this an IBEW local? I wouldn't get to worried. It might just be posturing for leverage during a contract negotiations. Last year we did the same thing. We voted to _authorize_ a strike. There was IO reps in attendance (I don't know why) But the need for a strike never arose.

As for "having a good reason" to strike, well, in all honesty to the people on the outside looking in, it NEVER seems like a good idea. All that doesn't really matter (in the private sector IMO) what matters is that every member to the man honors the strike. Any fragmantation and the strike loses all it's teeth, and it's purpose.

My father was a TWU member for nearly 40 years. I'm pretty sure they were the only Mass Transit local left with strike rights still intact. As a kid I lived through several strikes. In the early 90's they were out for several months. The public always kills the guys striking but they retained their pensions and the families health care coverage.

Good luck. :thumbsup:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Strikers = Slackers








Discuss :laughing:


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

BBQ said:


> Strikers = Slackers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah, and I'm the troll. :whistling2:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

BBQ said:


> Strikers = Slackers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well said.....:thumbup::thumbup::laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

slickvic277 said:


> Yeah, and I'm the troll. :whistling2:


That is good, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.:laughing:


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

BBQ said:


> That is good, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.:laughing:


Eh, I've been to busy to practice any trolling lately. Although I did post a few far right wing opinions a while back. B4T and HARRY thanked my posts. :laughing:
Good times. :thumbup:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

slickvic277 said:


> Eh, I've been to busy to practice any trolling lately. Although I did post a few far right wing opinions a while back. B4T and HARRY thanked my posts. :laughing:
> Good times. :thumbup:


Enjoy your thread, I was just goofing around. :laughing:

I will stay out of this.


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

A few years back Ralphs, Vons, and Albertsons workers went on strike due to health care reasons. Very long and public strike. The only local winners in that strike were Stator Bros (same union, by the way), Food for Less, Sams Club, and Costco. Those employees were out months and when they finally agreed on a contract, I think they saved $40 a month in medical premiums. It was really bad in the public eye around here. It's ironic that the 3 stores that went on strike happen to be the most expensive around. So after the strike was over, prices increased. Albertsons actually had to shut their store down permanently. 

Back in the day, strikes may have been helpful. Not in today's times. There are no winners.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

slickvic277 said:


> Eh, I've been to busy to practice any trolling lately. Although I did post a few far right wing opinions a while back. B4T and HARRY thanked my posts. :laughing:
> Good times. :thumbup:


Your learning well...:thumbup::thumbup::laughing:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

BBQ said:


> That is good, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.:laughing:


:laughing::laughing:


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## lefleuron (May 22, 2010)

I have been on strike two times in my career, and that's an entirely different story then an "authorise to strike" vote by the members.

Like Slic said, the authorise vote gives the members leverage during the negotiation. This lets management know the members will walk off the job if they feel they must. 999.9% of the time nothing comes out of it but a fair shake for the working man - hopefully.

An actual strike will be a work stoppage that may last a couple of days, or it could be the end of a mill or a company, or the end of a union inside the mill or a company.

Strikes are serious business, and depending on many things can turn violent or nasty in a heartbeat.

In these economic times, you know damn well if 2000 people have decided to walk off a job, ANY job, things are bad there.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

While there are times a strike may be warranted, in these times I would be cautious. Several strikes around here during the last recession ended up with a company going bankrupt, workers lost another everything another company sold out, the new owners went open shop, the workers lost everything.

The public pretty much frowns on strikers and strikers are generally vilified. I think if there any public exposure the union needs to have a proactive positive ad campaign early and often. Additionally any of the typical BS *SOME* union members pull must be stopped by the local, before it happens.

Several years the Washington Post printers went on strike. SOME printers broke in and destroyed the presses. While this was only a few members the whole local was painted as evil, public opinion went to the Post. Pre-1970 tactics need to be updated and the negativity and stupidity needs to be relegated to the history books.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

brian john said:


> While there are times a strike may be warranted, in these times I would be cautious. Several strikes around here during the last recession ended up with a company going bankrupt, workers lost another everything another company sold out, the new owners went open shop, the workers lost everything.
> 
> The public pretty much frowns on strikers and strikers are generally vilified. I think if there any public exposure the union needs to have a proactive positive ad campaign early and often. Additionally any of the typical BS *SOME* union members pull must be stopped by the local, before it happens.
> 
> Several years the Washington Post printers went on strike. SOME printers broke in and destroyed the presses. While this was only a few members the whole local was painted as evil, public opinion went to the Post. Pre-1970 tactics need to be updated and the negativity and stupidity needs to be relegated to the history books.


Often your posts regarding union activities are somewhat belligerent, but this one was quite rational and well-stated. Thanks :thumbsup:


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## retiredsparktech (Mar 8, 2011)

I found that there is a world of difference between a trade union and a factory union. It always seemed that the union stuck up for the goof-ups and slackers. Not true in the trade unions. If you didn't produce, you were sent back to the hall. I think some of you people see the Sopranos and think that the trade unions are that corrupt. I'm sure it happened at one time, but not recently. But of course I'm commenting on only what I observed in this area. That is the mid-west work ethic.:thumbsup:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I've had to cross picket lines to get to work

no unions involved at all though

makes for a rather interesting work enviroment

~CS~


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

erics37 said:


> Often your posts regarding union activities are somewhat belligerent, but this one was quite rational and well-stated. Thanks :thumbsup:


Typically my post that are taken as pro open shop are in regards to union posters running down open shops, bragging on how only we can be electricians.

I see little positive coming from a strike, (money or benefits) these days. Safety would be a big issue I could see a work slow down or work stoppage for.

I think you need to pick and choose carefully.


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

our local does not strike contract disputes go directly to arbitration


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

Mr Rewire said:


> Put local does not strike contract disputes go directly to arbitration


In english please?


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

BBQ said:


> Strikers = Slackers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


union sacrifices = better wage and working conditions for non union. 




discuss


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

Its IAM. There was some concern that the company was going to lock everyone out after the last contract was rejected because the company shipped in several hundred strike breakers. Anyway the union got a strike authorization and told the company there would be no strike or slowdown as long as the company still wanted to negotiate and took the strikebreakers off site. So the strikebreakers left and they are still talking. 

It is fairly serious. The company got a huge power contract and will probably get another extremely favorable one because of a lot of union and worker pressure on the state government. Anyway they want to double the health insurance price and give everyone a 'raise' that doesn't make up for it.


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

why does every union topic get turned into a debate on weather or not a union should exist? where are the moderators?


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

ilikepez said:


> why does every union topic get turned into a debate on weather or not a union should exist? where are the moderators?


You must be new. This is how it works here.
For example,
Some one will post a legitimate question or concern about unions OR they'll post something positive. Either way one of the usuall suspects will chime in with their nonsense. You know, their opinion is fact and all that jazz. Then they'll clame that they were called scabs and rats somewhere in this forum and use that as an excuse to post their BS about unions.

Very rarely does a union thread run with out this happening. It's excepted because just like the real world, we're in the minority.

One thing about the scab word and rat word. I don't think I've ever saw one of the regular union posters here ever use either of those words in a derogatory way on this site towards anybody. I know BBQ will come in and say other wise.

Just show me ONE post where it happened.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

Hven't been on strike since the 90's. An authorization to strike is raising the bar to the next level. Every tool gets used sometime or another....Unfortuantely, with this economy, you need to have VERY legitimate reason to go out...


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

Rockyd said:


> Hven't been on strike since the 90's. An authorization to strike is raising the bar to the next level. Every tool gets used sometime or another....Unfortuantely, with this economy, you need to have VERY legitimate reason to go out...


BUT that's the thing that people don't understand, there's ALWAYS a very real reason. I've never ever known of a strike to be called "just because". In fact, something like that could land a union in hot water.

99% of the people here don't know this stuff. You just can't strike for the hell of it.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

When I was a teamsters steward, we went on strike at ups.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

slickvic277 said:


> BUT that's the thing that people don't understand, there's ALWAYS a very real reason. I've never ever known of a strike to be called "just because". In fact, something like that could land a union in hot water.
> 
> 99% of the people here don't know this stuff. You just can't strike for the hell of it.


Exactly! 

In 25 years with the local, only been on strike twice.

People jump over facts, and buy into rumor way too much.

People need to pay attention to the facts....


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

ilikepez said:


> My fathers Union just voted to authorize a strike today. Now they haven't gone on strike yet. But I'm interested on hearing some experiences about it. I'm also interested because I used to work there and I might end up back there in a couple of months but as an Electrician this time.


Collective bargaining has been the right of workers for a long time, now. Some...not all, owners feel as though that they have the right to call the shots all of the time. By congressional order many years ago, the average worker has the right to address grievances, both in pay, and conditions. Striking is not fun for anyone, but sometimes it is necessary to let the people at the top understand that as much as we appreciate the jobs that we have, they would not have a paycheck if we weren't there doing the work.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

ilikepez said:


> why does every union topic get turned into a debate on weather or not a union should exist? where are the moderators?


We are busy trying to shut the unions down.:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Why should Mods get involved in discussions that are covering POV’s?


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

I don't know. I thought I read that off topic posts would be deleted somewhere Brian. I can't find that anywhere so I think I must have read that somewhere else. A lot of forums I go on come down pretty hard on that unless its on a anything goes subforum.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

ilikepez said:


> I don't know. I thought I read that off topic posts would be deleted somewhere Brian. I can't find that anywhere so I think I must have read that somewhere else. A lot of forums I go on come down pretty hard on that unless its on a anything goes subforum.


Taking an opposing side in a discussion is not off topic.


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

I'm not trying to argue about it, I'm just explaining my reasoning in asking about moderator involvement.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

ilikepez said:


> why does every union topic get turned into a debate on weather or not a union should exist? where are the moderators?


Dude, ........ really? 

It looks to me like the only 'anti' union post in this thread was made by me and if you looked just a few post further I said I was just joking and would stay out of this.

Maybe you could just learn to laugh at things just a little bit and get over it.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

brian john said:


> We are busy trying to shut the unions down.:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:
> 
> Why should Mods get involved in discussions that are covering POV’s?


 
Well the current political gestalt is to break orginized labor's back, and by proxy the _rest_ of the American work force. We saw this in Wisconsin. 

It's really the _free traitors_ last _total globalization_ hurdle torward economic exploitation and wage slavery occuring stateside

they insist upon economic salvation via bowing down to corporatism's wish to attack the worker 

But the truth is corporate after tax profits are bigger than ever in America 

Which brings me to Jay Gould's _(18th century industrialsit who after hiring 'strikebreakers')_ famous addage>



> I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half.


Methinks that sums it up well....

~CS~


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

slickvic277 said:


> You must be new. This is how it works here.
> For example,
> Some one will post a legitimate question or concern about unions OR they'll post something positive. Either way one of the usuall suspects will chime in with their nonsense. You know, their opinion is fact and all that jazz. Then they'll clame that they were called scabs and rats somewhere in this forum and use that as an excuse to post their BS about unions.
> 
> ...


then you always have the idiot who posts something stupid like "english please"


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## ilikepez (Mar 24, 2011)

BBQ said:


> Dude, ........ really?
> 
> It looks to me like the only 'anti' union post in this thread was made by me and if you looked just a few post further I said I was just joking and would stay out of this.
> 
> Maybe you could just learn to laugh at things just a little bit and get over it.


I was overreacting a little. As I was writing it I was reading some pretty crappy comments on some local news blog about the whole thing at the same time. For that I apologize. 

Anyway things have calmed down a lot there and they start negotiations again on Tuesday. The company has about 50 guys staying at a hotel waiting to take over if the union decides to walk. They make aluminum so they can't shut down the process. Should be an interesting few months.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

...............


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

360max said:


> union sacrifices = better wage and working conditions for non union.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Back to 1900





discuss :no:


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

I was wondering how many other inside wireman locals out there have a no strike clause in there contracts? I know ours does and that is one of the reasons we have never gone on strike with our employers. But then again we have never gone without a contract. We have extended the contract at times when it was in the best interest of both parties.
 As far as I know all the New Jersey locals have a no strike clause. Right after the Somerville and Elizabeth locals merged I think they went without a contract for over a year and they never went on strike for the same reason.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

cabletie said:


> I was wondering how many other inside wireman locals out there have a no strike clause in there contracts?


 
We do.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I went out on strike exactly two times in my career. Both times we honored another crafts picket line. I think it was pipe fitters once and sheet metal last time. The first one was at the railroad and the second time it was on a construction site. Both lasted one day each.
See picket sign, turn around and go home. Or bar. Union bar.


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## slickvic277 (Feb 5, 2009)

John Valdes said:


> I went out on strike exactly two times in my career. Both times we honored another crafts picket line. I think it was pipe fitters once and sheet metal last time. The first one was at the railroad and the second time it was on a construction site. Both lasted one day each.
> See picket sign, turn around and go home. Or bar. Union bar.


I understand what you mean but just for the sake of being technical, honoring anothers picket line isn't a strike.

Only twice?
Geesh. Happens here in the suburban jurisdiction a lot. One trade walks, we all do.


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## ren79eg (May 30, 2010)

No strike clause here in Wi...even before the Republican stronghold


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