Becoming a Union steward in my store

[saugeye killah]

So I've posted once or twice before about my job in the grocery store, as a couple of you may or may not remember. It's a tough ride. The grocery industry seems to be right on the front lines of the war between corporate big business and labor rights causes. Suffice to say, the Union has been getting it's ass handed to them for some time now.

For years, I was interested in helping the Union and becoming a steward, but I've always been advised by people in my family that it's a bad idea even if you agree with it because it will cause you to be "blacklisted" for lack of a better term by upper management in the company.

They LOATHE Union stewards and representatives. In fact, the last three stores I've worked at over the past 9 years or so didn't even have a steward, presumably because nobody wants the gig; they are all either too scared of the company, or have bought into the company's propaganda regarding the Union.

One of my managers wanted to write me up a couple weeks ago, I asked for Union representation for the first time in my career at this company. The rep came, we fought the write-up and basically got the write up thrown out with a couple conditions. The rep seemed impressed with my arguing skills and knowledge of the contract and asked me if I'd like to be a steward for the store.

I thought about it and decided that I have nothing to lose. The company hates me regardless, because I'm on an older contract and make more money. I've watched them methodically try to dispose of anyone on the old contract through some very questionable means (scheduling "old timers" only shitty hours and claiming it's only because that's what the store needs).

If we don't fight back, soon the job will suck so bad it won't be worth fighting for anyway, so the way I see it there's nothing really to lose. I'm certainly skeptical about the Union's ability to affect change at this late hour, let alone my own. But at least maybe I could feel good about what I'm doing this way as long as I'm working for this shitty company anyway.

Thoughts?

 

[IDL]

If there is nothing to lose, then why not? You might learn something.

 

[Kevin Rudd]

so your employer hates you so in order to fuel that hate you want to take up a non paid union steward role in order to cause them more grief?

I don't see what could possibly go wrong with that idea. Go for it!!

 

[saugeye killah]

so your employer hates you so in order to fuel that hate you want to take up a non paid union steward role in order to cause them more grief?

I don't see what could possibly go wrong with that idea. Go for it!!

Truth is, they hate everyone from a corporate standpoint.

They hate part-timers and people who don't make much money way less. As I said before, might as well fight them while there's something worth fighting for.

I'm probably way too late anyway, actually.

 

[Kevin Rudd]

Truth is, they hate everyone from a corporate standpoint.

They hate part-timers and people who don't make much money way less. As I said before, might as well fight them while there's something worth fighting for.

I'm probably way too late anyway, actually.

I don't see it as something worth fighting for but rather see it as a sign that I would need to be seeking employment elsewhere, at a place who actually gives a shit about it's staff.

Those places still do exist.

 

[saugeye killah]

I don't see it as something worth fighting for but rather see it as a sign that I would need to be seeking employment elsewhere, at a place who actually gives a shit about it's staff.

Those places still do exist.

It's very possible that I'll arrive at that conclusion. But in the meantime, I see nothing wrong with making sure that our current contract is enforced, and that the company isn't engaging in unfair business practices or discrimination.

Too many people are under the impression that a company is the explicit property of it's president or CEO. This is not true. The company is made up of thousands and thousands of people who are just as important to the success and survival of the company as the people in charge. We have negotiated rights and powers in a contract that I believe is frequently abused and ignored.

 

[deev]

Im a retail manager. I fucking hate union reps. They always argue the case for lazy fucks and try to get them off on a technicality when if we could just get rid/discipline the lazy bastards it makes everyones job easier.

Unions. Also, I've never met a union rep that isn't an idiot. Sometimes they win an argument, it happens, they never win in the end though and you're only avenue for future promotion will be within the union because you'll have caused the management just enough ball ache to get yourself left in whatever shitty role you have now.

 

[crowded]

Do it TS. What a valuable learning experience.

 

[deev]

I've watched them methodically try to dispose of anyone on the old contract through some very questionable means (scheduling "old timers" only shitty hours and claiming it's only because that's what the store needs)

Bollocks. As a manager I don't care what someone earns so long as they earn it. If someones experienced it usually makes them more effective and I would put them in the places I need them most, which are usually the best shifts. Unless they're crap and lazy, which, if you're still in the same role as you started in and have been doing it for ages pretty much marks you out as dead weight as nobody has ever thought you were worth promoting.

Stupid people hate the term, "needs of the business" because they don't equate the money they earn with the profit the stores make and think they're owed a living.

In short, if you don't like the job, fuck off and get another one. If you're good enough the company will try to get you to stay, if you're not then don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

 

[saugeye killah]

Im a retail manager. I fucking hate union reps. They always argue the case for lazy fucks and try to get them off on a technicality when if we could just get rid/discipline the lazy bastards it makes everyones job easier.

Unions. Also, I've never met a union rep that isn't an idiot. Sometimes they win an argument, it happens, they never win in the end though and you're only avenue for future promotion will be within the union because you'll have caused the management just enough ball ache to get yourself left in whatever shitty role you have now.

LOL.

So full of hate. Have you ever considered what a bunch of miserable fucks the higher ups in these companies are though? None of them seem happy. Every single one of them is a miserable, sock sniffing piece of pussy repellent.

So for all their ambition and greed, they're no happier than the maintenance guys or the deli clerks they try to dominate and look down on. They're not fucking rock stars. They're nobodies. And at the first sign of trouble, the company they worship will jettison them like garbage, the same as they do everyone else.

 

[saugeye killah]

Bollocks. As a manager I don't care what someone earns so long as they earn it. .

You self important imbecile.

As a retail manager, your opinion means fuck-all to your employer. You want to act like you're so much better than the people who work for you, but the fact is you're WAYYYY closer to their level (or to being on the street) than the people at the top of your company. The people five fucking levels above you have systems put in place to get rid of people who make too much money, or have too much vacation time. Hasn't got shit to do with what you think.

If you can't recognize that, well...

 

[saugeye killah]

Do it TS. What a valuable learning experience.

Thanks man. That's the way I'm looking at it.

If nothing else, this will be an extremely educational first hand look into the reality of labor relations in this industry.

 

[crowded]

Thanks man. That's the way I'm looking at it.

If nothing else, this will be an extremely educational first hand look into the reality of labor relations in this industry.

I'd do it if I were in your position. Of course I'm not sure if that will look good or bad on your resume to potential future employers. :icon_chee

 

[saugeye killah]

I'd do it if I were in your position. Of course I'm not sure if that will look good or bad on your resume to potential future employers. :icon_chee

Yeah, I might leave that part out unless it's the Union themselves who I'm applying to; or something similar.

 

[Kevin Rudd]

Bollocks. As a manager I don't care what someone earns so long as they earn it.

So you have an unlimited budget? How do you keep control of your cost centre?

 

[Quipling]

Im a retail manager. I fucking hate union reps. They always argue the case for lazy fucks and try to get them off on a technicality when if we could just get rid/discipline the lazy bastards it makes everyones job easier.

... So you hate union reps because they don't let you fire people without following the process you are legally obligated to follow? Poor baby.

 

[deev]

LOL.

So full of hate. Have you ever considered what a bunch of miserable fucks the higher ups in these companies are though? None of them seem happy. Every single one of them is a miserable, sock sniffing piece of pussy repellent.

So for all their ambition and greed, they're no happier than the maintenance guys or the deli clerks they try to dominate and look down on. They're not fucking rock stars. They're nobodies. And at the first sign of trouble, the company they worship will jettison them like garbage, the same as they do everyone else.

Im happy, I get paid well and am under no illusions about my relative worth to the company, the thing is I could get another job pretty quickly if this one went bust. In fact most folk my level and above are pretty happy. I also betcha my missus is hotter than yours.

 

[Kevin Rudd]

I also betcha my missus is hotter than yours.

Prove it.

 

[deev]

... So you hate union reps because they don't let you fire people without following the process you are legally obligated to follow? Poor baby.

No, we follow it, then they try to find loopholes, which aren't there as I do my job properly. Retails easy anyway, do your job and nobody will bother you, lets face it, at the bottom of the heap there's loads of deadbeats, if you're getting disciplined then you've failed to be better than the next laziest, stupidest person in an industry filled with unskilled ten a penny interchangeable checkout jockeys.

If I was about to get disciplined and was working a low rung retail job I'd be as well killing myself for being a total dead beat loser.

 

[ben236]

Union steward vs Retail manager???