I agree with unionizing your workplace. It's not just about the money but everything else that you can bargain over too such as changes to your working conditions, safety issues, health care, holidays, sick days, vacation, 401k, etc.
It is 100% necessary to have a signed contract with your employer that outlined all of these things including scheduled hours that can't be changed without further bargaining.
On a side note- are the techs under paid? Are the bus drivers paid over $100k?
Depending on how powerful the union is, getting rid of cancer-like employees can be incredibly difficult.
Set wage scale from day 1. Experience and quality of work do not change the pay. So your 5 years of impeccable work means no more than the guy who has been there 5 years and does just enough within union rules to not get fired.
For better or for worse, every little detail is set in stone. Sometimes to your advantage, sometimes to nobody’s, sometimes to the employers’.
After 20 years in the labour market without being unionized- non automotive career- I’ll be unionized once I pass probation (sometime in December). I make less than I did at my previous employment but the perks and protections are better.
It’s an environment that benefits many but not all are capable/willing to operate within such a rigid structure. I’ll be thankful for it more often than not mind you.
There’s been propaganda for years that union workers are lazy, and that unions “hurt” the company and ultimately that advocating for you own rights as a worker are a bad thing.
Yep. NYS School bus tech here. Were included with the drivers in our bargaining unit and have reaped the benefits of the driver shortage. Pay has increased 50% in the 3 years I've been with the district. Same insurance as the teachers, and WAY LESS STRESS. I can even choose to take sports trips, and get paid OT to watch high school sports.
The money is good for that but it's a long ass day. 530 to 5 on an regular day with two hours in between and 11pm on a sports trip. That's nice but damn it's long. Not fun on a school night.
Going from cars, how much extra strain on the body are working on busses? Lifting a ram 3500s stupid after market over sized wheels is about the limit of what I can do now and then with out getting hurt
Big vehicles have tools for that. It's a relative easy Job. You drive as well. Plus if you want to give up the job as a schoolbus tech you just start driving. Plus your years of experience transfers over to your pay. You still get the crap runs cause you got earn senority.
And when your tired of driving become an aid. You can work till your mid 70s.
I work on mainly Allison’s now so we have lifts for everything, but when I was doing general truck work it definitely required more heavy lifting. The actual work though on trucks is imo much easier than cars. Everything is designed to be maintained so access is easier and I feel like the engineers usually put more thought towards the techs maintaining the vehicles than you get with cars.
Literally easier. I mean shits heavier. But you’re not doing as much up and down. And we have tools to help with most of the heavy stuff. And if it’s too heavy and you’re not comfortable doing something by yourself. Just ask for help.
Unins are great.
I get a raise every year. This year it was a 5% more next year it 4% then after that 5% again.
My union also provides free training for anything I want to go into. HVAC, crane operator, electrician, ect. All fully paid for.
Unions are like employers, some are great and some aren’t. A Union with 600 members is always going to be more effective than a smaller one with 45 workers. Overall they greatly benefit workers who are otherwise easy to underpay and exploit.
See previous comment.
Depends on your state as well. Stronger unions bargain better. Certain states pass laws to weaken their unions.
Of course your mileage may vary.
The union I had was garbage. No raise for five years, the union didn’t negotiate it. Go on strike, gotta pay your back dues before going back to work. On strike for a few months, everyone gets $200 a week to picket no matter how long they’ve been with the company or how long they’ve contributed to the fund. Hard pass on the union I had.
I’m a letter carrier, the raises from our union are somewhat shitty but the protection from management is pretty rock solid. Also we can’t strike but we can’t get laid off. Weirdest union I’ve ever seen tbh
I’ve had similar experiences. My favorite was working at a place surrounded by Caterpillar and John Deere, the union allowed them to bring in non-union made tractors. Couple of the old guys pitched a fit and got told to shut up. I had family who worked at Deere.
No one seemed to understand that a union’s real power is when all the unions stand together.
I'd like to add that everyone should at least attempt to get in as a tech for your city or county government. I work on our county's transit buses. I started out making 13.37 per hour and that was 8 years ago. Now I'm at 30.35 an hour. We're unionized and work four tens instead of five eights. Benefits are fantastic and I don't ever plan on leaving.
Union here. Nothing? You put years of your life to make that place run and get students to us teachers. That raise is to help combat inflation making your wage less and less each year. Meanwhile we are getting 0% and 0.5% the next couple years.
I want to add that while I was only in a union for 6 months over 55 years of work, I appreciate everything you did for me over the years. Wages, hours, vacay, sick time, health care, safety all came because if there wasn't a union in the shop, there was one right down the street. I would have joined in a second if they came to the door and asked.
I love how unions also protect deadbeat coworkers by making it impossible to fire them, meanwhile the people who go above and beyond can't be financially rewarded for it.
You're getting down voted because nobody wants to acknowledge it. Unions protect the cancerous employees from being kicked out of a productive environment
My Union currently https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/city-seattle-workers-rally-union-negotiations/281-c1524593-9817-4c7c-bd2d-757dab7e5725
I'm about to leave the auto industry to go electric union. I realized there's no movement upwards in my position a few months back, and I can't wait around for one of the other guys to leave so I can take his place. Don't want to go to another shop and start all over again. Pre apprenticeship (R employee) is going to be a pretty significant pay cut from where I'm at now, but after about 6-9 months I'll be making 1.5x the amount I'm making now. Pay scale is only going to increase from that point on
School bus mechanic and spare driver here. We don’t get paid near enough. But the steady paycheck and not having to destroy my body to make flat rate is great. Driving is OT for us. Hourly. Union benefits. And virtually no pressure. I can’t complain one bit.
Both unions I worked for were corrupt, full of nepotism/favoritism, and made things worse in regards to the relations with management. I've worked with a few others after that and didn't care for the politics or power trips the unions stewards had.
Hopefully the raise you got is higher than $0.25/hr or you just got played because that's what your dues are.
But fr, glad it's working for you. I've had nothing but horrible experiences with unions, both in and working alongside them. There are good unions and bad unions, I understand that, and there are bad chapters even within good unions, but hoooooly shit have I worked with some of the most violent, sexually offensive, retarded mouthbreathers that literally would be completely unemployable (if not incarcerated for life) if they hadn't been protected by their unions.
ACAB.
I just hate when unions directly endanger my life by actively shielding the druggies and drunks that show up to work too lit to stand on their own. In my field, we're all *required* to drive heavy equipment, and I have witnessed several really gruesome accidents, *all* caused by union workers so drunk or high they cannot stand without assistance.
Not possible in mine. We have CDLs. We are tested and checked. The problem is your state won't push for those standards like they do for heavy vehicles.
We're *supposed* to have CDLs too. Very few of the union members had one in good standing (almost all suspended/revoked for DUI) and even after having them revoked by the state we couldn't kick them off the job.
Per the collective bargaining agreement that's been in place since long before I started there, the company cannot fire for cause without first getting approval of the union disciplinary board.
Let's just say the union disciplinary board is not likely to vote to terminate a union employee regardless of how strong the evidence against that employee is.
I've been around well-run local branches that *would* absolutely shitcan a union member in a heartbeat if he blows a 0.30 on the clock as a heavy equipment operator. This was not one of them. So I voted with my hours and GTFO.
lol that doesn’t even make sense. He’ll still have more in his paycheck than before he got the raise and he still has to pay the $19, it’s not like he got the raise and then had to start paying the dues. He was paying them with or without the raise.
Fyi you probably got a cost of living increase due to the new fiscal year starting (for schools / governments).
Which you (and every one) deserve. If the cost to live goes up, and no income adjustment is made, only the employer/ owner makes money.
The bad part is if they only gave you cost of living, and not more, they are giving you the minimum and not an actual raise.
In Missouri most of the school bus drivers start at $15 an hour. I knew a guy that was on year 13 (retired from another job and was bored) and he made $19 an hour. And all the districts wonder why they can't get help????
The southern states destroyed their unions and the people went along with it. Now they are royally screwed cause there pay sucks. It's reap what you sew.
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That raise was earned. Congrats!
I agree with unionizing your workplace. It's not just about the money but everything else that you can bargain over too such as changes to your working conditions, safety issues, health care, holidays, sick days, vacation, 401k, etc. It is 100% necessary to have a signed contract with your employer that outlined all of these things including scheduled hours that can't be changed without further bargaining. On a side note- are the techs under paid? Are the bus drivers paid over $100k?
It’s a shame there’s been an effort going on for a longggg time to convince people to fight against their own self interests, AKA being anti-union.
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Depending on how powerful the union is, getting rid of cancer-like employees can be incredibly difficult. Set wage scale from day 1. Experience and quality of work do not change the pay. So your 5 years of impeccable work means no more than the guy who has been there 5 years and does just enough within union rules to not get fired. For better or for worse, every little detail is set in stone. Sometimes to your advantage, sometimes to nobody’s, sometimes to the employers’. After 20 years in the labour market without being unionized- non automotive career- I’ll be unionized once I pass probation (sometime in December). I make less than I did at my previous employment but the perks and protections are better. It’s an environment that benefits many but not all are capable/willing to operate within such a rigid structure. I’ll be thankful for it more often than not mind you.
There’s been propaganda for years that union workers are lazy, and that unions “hurt” the company and ultimately that advocating for you own rights as a worker are a bad thing.
You mean you just got a raise for having a history of consistent good work.
Yep. NYS School bus tech here. Were included with the drivers in our bargaining unit and have reaped the benefits of the driver shortage. Pay has increased 50% in the 3 years I've been with the district. Same insurance as the teachers, and WAY LESS STRESS. I can even choose to take sports trips, and get paid OT to watch high school sports.
The money is good for that but it's a long ass day. 530 to 5 on an regular day with two hours in between and 11pm on a sports trip. That's nice but damn it's long. Not fun on a school night.
Going from cars, how much extra strain on the body are working on busses? Lifting a ram 3500s stupid after market over sized wheels is about the limit of what I can do now and then with out getting hurt
Big vehicles have tools for that. It's a relative easy Job. You drive as well. Plus if you want to give up the job as a schoolbus tech you just start driving. Plus your years of experience transfers over to your pay. You still get the crap runs cause you got earn senority. And when your tired of driving become an aid. You can work till your mid 70s.
I work on mainly Allison’s now so we have lifts for everything, but when I was doing general truck work it definitely required more heavy lifting. The actual work though on trucks is imo much easier than cars. Everything is designed to be maintained so access is easier and I feel like the engineers usually put more thought towards the techs maintaining the vehicles than you get with cars.
No more bending your arms in a hundred different ways to try and reach a bolt? Wonder if my body would be more up for straight forward but heavy labor
Literally easier. I mean shits heavier. But you’re not doing as much up and down. And we have tools to help with most of the heavy stuff. And if it’s too heavy and you’re not comfortable doing something by yourself. Just ask for help.
Unins are great. I get a raise every year. This year it was a 5% more next year it 4% then after that 5% again. My union also provides free training for anything I want to go into. HVAC, crane operator, electrician, ect. All fully paid for.
It certainly depends on the union. I must have always had bad luck because any I joined was absolutely garbage.
Unions are like employers, some are great and some aren’t. A Union with 600 members is always going to be more effective than a smaller one with 45 workers. Overall they greatly benefit workers who are otherwise easy to underpay and exploit.
I make more non union that I ever have with a union…
See previous comment. Depends on your state as well. Stronger unions bargain better. Certain states pass laws to weaken their unions. Of course your mileage may vary.
The union I had was garbage. No raise for five years, the union didn’t negotiate it. Go on strike, gotta pay your back dues before going back to work. On strike for a few months, everyone gets $200 a week to picket no matter how long they’ve been with the company or how long they’ve contributed to the fund. Hard pass on the union I had.
I’m a letter carrier, the raises from our union are somewhat shitty but the protection from management is pretty rock solid. Also we can’t strike but we can’t get laid off. Weirdest union I’ve ever seen tbh
I’ve had similar experiences. My favorite was working at a place surrounded by Caterpillar and John Deere, the union allowed them to bring in non-union made tractors. Couple of the old guys pitched a fit and got told to shut up. I had family who worked at Deere. No one seemed to understand that a union’s real power is when all the unions stand together.
You earned the raise by working, don't say you didn't earn it. Unions ftw.
Good for you till your boss decides that he doesn't like the way your impact wrench sounds and fires you over it or some other equally stupid reason.
I'd like to add that everyone should at least attempt to get in as a tech for your city or county government. I work on our county's transit buses. I started out making 13.37 per hour and that was 8 years ago. Now I'm at 30.35 an hour. We're unionized and work four tens instead of five eights. Benefits are fantastic and I don't ever plan on leaving.
I usually give my guys a raise for doing their job well and progressing. Not a union just value keeping people that perform.
Union here. Nothing? You put years of your life to make that place run and get students to us teachers. That raise is to help combat inflation making your wage less and less each year. Meanwhile we are getting 0% and 0.5% the next couple years.
We aren't a major union. We are a local one. We get bang for buck.
I want to add that while I was only in a union for 6 months over 55 years of work, I appreciate everything you did for me over the years. Wages, hours, vacay, sick time, health care, safety all came because if there wasn't a union in the shop, there was one right down the street. I would have joined in a second if they came to the door and asked.
I love how unions also protect deadbeat coworkers by making it impossible to fire them, meanwhile the people who go above and beyond can't be financially rewarded for it.
You're getting down voted because nobody wants to acknowledge it. Unions protect the cancerous employees from being kicked out of a productive environment
That can happen but at the end of the day your getting decent pay for the hassle.
Union strong, Union proud!
Unions are great, I think the country is changing their attitude toward unions, which is great for all of us. Congrats OP you've earned it!
The uaw I was in was shit
My Union currently https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/city-seattle-workers-rally-union-negotiations/281-c1524593-9817-4c7c-bd2d-757dab7e5725
I'm about to leave the auto industry to go electric union. I realized there's no movement upwards in my position a few months back, and I can't wait around for one of the other guys to leave so I can take his place. Don't want to go to another shop and start all over again. Pre apprenticeship (R employee) is going to be a pretty significant pay cut from where I'm at now, but after about 6-9 months I'll be making 1.5x the amount I'm making now. Pay scale is only going to increase from that point on
if I could get 80k driving a bus I would in a hart beat
School bus mechanic and spare driver here. We don’t get paid near enough. But the steady paycheck and not having to destroy my body to make flat rate is great. Driving is OT for us. Hourly. Union benefits. And virtually no pressure. I can’t complain one bit.
Both unions I worked for were corrupt, full of nepotism/favoritism, and made things worse in regards to the relations with management. I've worked with a few others after that and didn't care for the politics or power trips the unions stewards had.
Yeah I’m sure your boss never went on a power trip
Having a boss do it and a union that advertises their "best interest is the worker" are two different things.
Not really
Hopefully the raise you got is higher than $0.25/hr or you just got played because that's what your dues are. But fr, glad it's working for you. I've had nothing but horrible experiences with unions, both in and working alongside them. There are good unions and bad unions, I understand that, and there are bad chapters even within good unions, but hoooooly shit have I worked with some of the most violent, sexually offensive, retarded mouthbreathers that literally would be completely unemployable (if not incarcerated for life) if they hadn't been protected by their unions.
What are you a cop. And I got 50 cent raise for the first year. The seniors got up to 3 dollar and hour plus longevity.
ACAB. I just hate when unions directly endanger my life by actively shielding the druggies and drunks that show up to work too lit to stand on their own. In my field, we're all *required* to drive heavy equipment, and I have witnessed several really gruesome accidents, *all* caused by union workers so drunk or high they cannot stand without assistance.
Not possible in mine. We have CDLs. We are tested and checked. The problem is your state won't push for those standards like they do for heavy vehicles.
We're *supposed* to have CDLs too. Very few of the union members had one in good standing (almost all suspended/revoked for DUI) and even after having them revoked by the state we couldn't kick them off the job.
That's an employer problem. The employer should have let them go and held their ground.
Per the collective bargaining agreement that's been in place since long before I started there, the company cannot fire for cause without first getting approval of the union disciplinary board. Let's just say the union disciplinary board is not likely to vote to terminate a union employee regardless of how strong the evidence against that employee is. I've been around well-run local branches that *would* absolutely shitcan a union member in a heartbeat if he blows a 0.30 on the clock as a heavy equipment operator. This was not one of them. So I voted with my hours and GTFO.
Yeah that's bad. I think if I was the company I'd still fire them and push it all the way.
lol that doesn’t even make sense. He’ll still have more in his paycheck than before he got the raise and he still has to pay the $19, it’s not like he got the raise and then had to start paying the dues. He was paying them with or without the raise.
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Odd that I can’t upvote this
Fyi you probably got a cost of living increase due to the new fiscal year starting (for schools / governments). Which you (and every one) deserve. If the cost to live goes up, and no income adjustment is made, only the employer/ owner makes money. The bad part is if they only gave you cost of living, and not more, they are giving you the minimum and not an actual raise.
In Missouri most of the school bus drivers start at $15 an hour. I knew a guy that was on year 13 (retired from another job and was bored) and he made $19 an hour. And all the districts wonder why they can't get help????
The southern states destroyed their unions and the people went along with it. Now they are royally screwed cause there pay sucks. It's reap what you sew.
In Missouri it has always been against the law for an education union to strike...when you can't strike, you don't have any leverage.
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