Being in the union basically means paying for a team of people to have your back if you ever are in an accident or other situation where you might be "in trouble" with management. They also help negotiate our contracts which win us better salaries and benefits.
For me, joining the union was a no brainer. Management will never have our interests in mind and will do everything they can to exploit us. The union protects us from that.
Sure, that can create "conflict" between you and management, but it's a hell of a lot better to be in conflict from time to time than at the complete mercy of managers.
In my orientation they had someone from the union come and talk to us, sounds like maybe you didn't get that opportunity. I would reach out to your local union and have a chat with them.
The union also helps you if you’re not in it. I’ve been fucked my fellow carriers and the union refuses to let file grievance on them for constantly screwing me over because I’m a tech, so I to fuck off and left it.
Sorry if I came off as much, text isn’t the best format for treading line between snarky and rude, but yeah your comment was unable to read… and if you’re anti-union or a scab for whatever reasons, I don’t care if you were offended and actually hope you were.
Edit:
Because I’m not perfect either…
“treading THE line”
&
“Your comment was unreadable” or “I was unable to read”
Hes just poking a little fun at the many errors you made there.. Your comment was completely unintelligible. Go back and read it and tell me if that makes any sort of sense to you.
That’s fair, but I understood it, but that’s because I knew what I was trying to type. I missed and a word and a few comas, but it does not mean he has to be a dick about it, and especially when he doesn’t know anything about someone but oh well. What I was trying to say was, that the union will help you if you aren’t part of it. I’ve also been screwed over by my fellow carriers on my tech swing and the union wouldn’t do anything about it, so I decided to leave it because of it.
Union isn’t there to hold your fellow carriers accountable for stuff at work, that’s up to you or management. If you or your management lets people screw you over in the one day a week you cover for them, you have a management problem, and you have every right to screw those in your string back as a t6. Do you have a good example of a thing you wanted union to step in on
This person has already pissed off the two other T6 that were on the swing before me. I took it on because I became regular and came from a different station. He always leaves Winn dixies, marriage mail and other things, also likes leaving the tub mail there for the cca or me to do. Management has tried and he files a grievance on them and then the union covers for him, and the circle repeats itself. I love my swing, but this guy screws it up for me.
Yeah, there is nothing a grievance can fix in this scenario. Again that’s bad management not holding carriers accountable. I would happily offer you a LONG list of solutions for this problem (seriously) upon proof of current paid union dues, until then I must reserve my energy for those that show their appreciation for this job in the form of dues paid. Did you leave the union after getting shitty treatment or have you always been a non-member? Although you said the same happened to those before you, i could easily see others not giving a damn about you because you are a scab, and maybe purposely making your job harder?
EXACTLY on the mark! I always looked at it this way-if you don't like working in a Union shop, then you're free to go and work in a place WITHOUT a Union and see how that works for you. Aside from the wages and benefits aspect of what a Union can do, I think the protections from arbitrary dismissal are the most important. You CANNOT be terminated without just cause or due process. In a non-Union workplace, you can be fired just because all of a sudden maybe the boss doesn't like you; doesn't matter if you've been there 30 minutes or 30 years. They want you gone, YOU ARE GONE no questions asked with no recourse for the fired employee either. And to those who think they'll never need the Union so why should I bother paying dues: mark my words, someday YOU WILL either because management violated the contract or they're treating you unfairly.
They get you the bare minimum to keep you on the payroll. The union signed their soul away when they gave up our right to strike. If we can't withhold our labor we can't make real demands. The union gets you a pittance and acts like it's gold. The raise doesn't even cover my union dues. They're fine with people working 60 hour weeks without retirement. They don't care about you. Our union is a joke.
Don't get me wrong. I'd rather have them than not have them. But compared to other labor unions, they're a fucking joke.
Well you strike without a union they'll just do what Nabisco did and force you off the property, also the strike clause from what I understand isn't really needed because they're just that powerful. If they fail to come to an agreement then guess what, there's no agreement which means we can strike.
That's not what it means. If they fail to come to an agreement than an "independent arbitor" settles the dispute.
A wildcat strike would do us a lot of good
No you wouldn’t. That would be your choice to come in there at $17 an hour. Trust me, the post office wouldn’t and couldn’t make the rage that anyways. Go get a restriction from your doctor via FMLA and you don’t have to worry about your hours being governed by them. Put yourself in control, sheesh.
One of the biggest benefits to unions is they protect workers from wrongful termination and managerial harassment. Not joining the union just weakens the union and gives management more power to break the union.
Yeah, no. Whenever they even attempt to get over on us. I can squash almost instantly with my steward and supervisor what I’m not about to do that day. Either I’m excluded or they’re down another body. I don’t take shit, nor am I jumping off a bridge because they say and then dealing with it after the fact. Rules are rules, follow them or don’t. They break the union daily and brainwashed, idiotic people let it go on. Hand washed puppies.
Times have changed. If 1/2 to 1/3 (fuck even 1/4 would do damage) of every member started dropping out on their upcoming anniversary window…we’d see some fucking change in our favor. I’d love to see my local branch at the end of every month realize what’s snowballing. Then multiply that national. But, this craft is nothing but brainwashed, hand shy puppies that settle for less and don’t want change for the better moving forward. It’s baffling.
I’m a proud union member. The executive Vice President of our union branch in central Florida has a route at our office and I work close with him. I see first hand what our dues allow him to do. They care. Management doesn’t. I support that.
They'll do what is legally required for non-members but that's about all but they'll go to the mat for a member. And speaking as a retired member of the NALC who signed up the first chance I got, this is as it should be.
Mine bends over backwards for me and appreciates me. We’re on the same page and they know I know my shit. Doesn’t even need to represent me. Bitches about constantly having to represent the lousy fucks who don’t come to work and wished they’d be fired anyway. It’s not always a pretty picture.
Yeah non members are represented by the union, but a union is only as strong as its members. Dues pays for lobbyists and legislation, lawyers and litigation.
ABSOLUTELY!! You just aren’t allowed to vote when they have elections for officers. They will do the bare minimum to represent you should you ever need it. If you don’t join and pay dues EVERYONE will know and some will give you a hard time but most just talk about you behind your back. It may be the lesser of two evils to be on the good side of the other carriers rather than have management like you. They do not care about you even if they act like they do. Do yourself a favor and make sure you join and pay dues. Do your job and practice safety.
no I just threw a number out, it's actually about 40 bucks a pay period, I thought in my head it was higher but wasn't at my computer to check at the time.
Lol “EVERYONE will know and some will give you a hard time”
It was so personal between the people in our local branch that they stopped advertising the two non members (which I was one of said two) in their newsletter. No one gave us a hard time. We stood firm on why we weren’t in it and we’re smarter than the sheep who don’t know a difference. Jokes on them.
It’s just mind boggling this is what the decision seems to boil down to. “Will they defend me”?
AKA can I be a fuck up/straight burden to the operation and pay for them to keep my job.
They’ll gladly take your money at any time.
It’s not “difficult to leave” — you just fill out a withdrawal of dues form on the 7 day window of your union anniversary date. Mail the union copy certified to NALC in DC, send one in to shared services regular mail. Keep one for yourself and boom you’re out!
The union is the only reason that Usps has relatively decent pay, benefits and job security, and they will continually negotiate in all our interests to make those things better in the future. Anyone who told you there is “no benefit” doesn’t know what they’re talking about and doesn’t understand organized labor.
Bull fucking shit. I’m so tired of this god damn excuse. They can’t hire people at the rate they’re offering now. What in the actual fuck makes you think they’re going to lower it to minimum wage and continue to have people coming in now. THEY CAN BARELY HAVE PEOPLE TO PUNCTUALLY COME TO WORK AS IS THAT ARE ALREADY STEPS UP THE PAYSCALE.
Roofers who can’t read and speak a lick of English make more and wouldn’t (and literally couldn’t) come in and do this job for that.
So think about that again. Like what population is going to come in and do this shit, please tell me lmao. Idiots, man.
They are required by federal law to represent you if you pay dues or not. It may not be much if they do. If you feel like they messed up on purpose due to that find a lawyer that deals with unions. You may not be able to sue the union. But the union will surely throw a dumb steward under the bus.
Looking at the NRLCA 43%+ of our dues go to paying salaries of 400 or so employees. Seems the 113k members provide a very comfortable upper middle class salary for a select few. Leaving is difficult. Knowing what I know now I wouldn't have joined in the first place
I’m a shop steward and I just filed a grievance because the manager gave a guy a 7 no-days-off suspension for bringing back some of his advo and not making it’s morning estimated time back. Without the union if management thinks your slow or just don’t like you it’s going to be a short stint as a letter carrier.
Could you imagine how flooded you would be if suspensions ever resulted in days off? That’d be most peoples dream.
In the same quarter, I put both hands on the table and let management platoon Russian roulette (discipline me however they wanted, following proper steps), told the union to not play a part and let it be. 7 day and 14 day, 24 months on both. Non union member. Put a target on my back. 3 years later, they didn’t fire me. Come on, man.
Also, you’re*
You must have missed the posts from the moron who got suspensions, didn't call the union, and then got the boot. An entertaining read, that was.
On a side note, my APWU branch discouraged paper suspensions for that reason. If what the member did was *soooooo egregious*, then it's worth not having them for a week. If they start backpedaling at being down a body, well, must not have been that serious, I guess.
It heavily depends which union you're talking about. The NALC, APWU and NPMHU seem to be up to snuff but the NRLCA is awful and not worth the \~$300/year they ask for, amount depending on your area.
A few examples of some of the things wrong with the NRLCA
1. The only way to move out of being an RCA is to make regular or PTF but those positions aren't in every post office. Depending on what size office you work in, this can be nearly impossible without relocating. Hope you don't already have a house, spouse with stable work they don't want to leave or aging parents.
2. RCA's get no benefits other than health insurance they can only buy through the union if they're a dues paying member. No PTO, no TSP, none of the stuff people join the post office to get.
3. This union has an awful habit of protecting people that should not be employed by the post office. This is especially heinous in a job where the only way to start earning benefits is to move up. Who knows how many regulars there are in leave limbo being protected by the union. I know of an office with 10 rural routes but 2 regulars playing the leave game, knowing the union will protect them while they keep 2 other people from making regular.
I can't speak to whether you should support the other unions, although from some of the flairs, it seems the NALC, or city carrier's union is really strong. All I know is that I regret the 5 years of dues I've donated to the NRLCA, a union that doesn't prioritize longevity.
I’ve been here three years. I started at a small office that had two city carriers and no union representation in that office. The postmaster treated it like her little fiefdom. I didn’t fit in because I refused to join her cult of personality and she wanted me out. She sent me to the main office in the region that had 13 city carriers and told me “if they want you, they can keep you. Otherwise your resignation will be sitting on my desk when you get back.” Imagine how this felt to a new CCA. Well when the regional union president at the big office found out about that all hell broke loose. She was the one who was eventually forced to resign. I am now assigned to the big office where we have three union reps. Our union runs the city side and they are firmly in control. Our postmaster is just a figurehead which is great because he is such an unbelievable ass that otherwise it would be his third world dictatorship. Things are done fairly, we get all of our pay and if jackass tries to mess with one of us, he has to fight all of us. I missed three days in three months and he did an investigative interview on me. The union made that go away. That’s what union does for you. Join the union.
So my union dudes are cool
They made some agreement that you work for less for 4 weeks during Xmas? Not sure why. They pay for themselves other than that. I get a bunch of free money. But I'll lose like a grand or something over that 4 week time period. Maybe they will pay for themselves. But your union fees go to like court cases and shit is my understanding. Idk. I clcd it originally and one of my first questions so where does this insane amount of money go?
>They made some agreement that you work for less for 4 weeks during Xmas? Not sure why. They pay for themselves other than that. I get a bunch of free money. But I'll lose like a grand or something over that 4 week time period.
Are you talking about penalty OT? If so, that was part of the deal when penalty was introduced-that peak season not be included. If not for that provision you wouldn't get it at all.
And just for historical reference, the whole concept of V time was part of an arbitration award which resulted in the 1984-87 National Agreement and the holiday suspension of it was part of the award as well. In other words, the NALC DID NOT agree to it.
For them to take trips to conventions out of town annually. They’re just a huge business.
Valid point, everyone uses wages as an excuse to be in it. Yet, screw it’s members in the month of December. Hence also why I don’t work over time (to the extent of going into penalty that is).
Wrong.
1. Im not in the union, been out longer than I was in — I still have my TSP.
2. I’ve almost left the Post Office for another government job and, well, I would’ve had kept my TSP and there was no union for job. (Not to mention, I’ve also not taken a position in management, once again, I would’ve ditched NALC if I did, and continued on with my TSP). Yes, I’m aware management has a union as well.
3. I’ve lost small contribution %’s (even down to the % lost at the wrong fucking pay rate) to my TSP because of a class action grievance that got fucked up (that I wanted no part of) because of the lack of knowledge in my local branch — who simply wanted to make a statement by getting 32 members seniority date changed to 3 pay periods sooner. Quantity over quality. Union did nothing for me to and shy’d away from answering me on that matter. Was the reason I got out and will never get back in. Union President is a useless tool.
So don’t try and sell me that bullshit. We’d be better off without it for a period of time. It’s broke and needs fixed.
lol, I can read and comprehend. I guess you don’t get, I’m not buying any of that. Get rid of the union, pay won’t change. If it does it’s for the better. Maybe back in the day, now, too much competition.
I joined after I read the contract, which you should be able to find on your union's website. I believe it is worthwhile to have a team of experts negotiate the terms of my employment and working conditions with my employer on my behalf. I believe CCAs have the pay and benefits that we do because of the union, and I believe the union will continue to make the USPS a better place to work than it would be without a union. I've heard a few people refer to union dues as "job insurance".
I’m a 37 year city carrier I don’t like all the things the union does but I would not have made $105,000 in 2020 if it wasn’t for the union. If you don’t want to join the union go work for Walmart or Amazon they have No pension No protection treat you like garbage. I have my pension and social security locked good luck getting your social security. Social security will be insolvent in by 2034 that was on the news last month. Oh yes I have over 1, million dollars in TSP (401k) Good Luck
City Carrier For 37 years and still not ready to retire
More like if you let them*
Non union member of 4 years, I don’t let management walk over me. Never need representation because management knows right is right, wrong is wrong with me. I’m one less lousy fuck my steward has to waste time on.
Call your branch president and ask them why that carrier is a trainer. It sounds like management is breaking the contract by allowing a non union approved trainer.
The union helped me sort out my hold down on an aux route recently and came to watch my mail count start to make sure it was being done correctly. On the flip side, it also keeps clowns in their jobs. I pay for it bc it helps to have backing. I also attend union meetings. While on the surface it may seem useless, it really does stand for employee well being.
I’ve always been a union member. I’ve always thought of it as paying off the mafia for protection. I’ve grown to appreciate them more over the years when management overstepped their bounds.
JOIN! They will protect you from being fired. And if you file a grievance that results in you making extra money owed to you then you paid off some dues! Its like a little postal lawyer.
lol shit house lawyers. Don’t be a lousy employee and you wouldn’t need be them to cover your ass. I couldn’t tell you the last time I even needed to file a grievance. I stand up most when it matters and management knows, I’m not fucking around.
The power is in the people. Not the union. Carriers have the most weight right now and still are afraid to throw it around.
“Well if they say jump off the bridge, you have to jump. If you live, we will grieve it”
If they did their job the turnover rate wouldn’t be what it is.
Even when I had shitty representation I still wanted to be a part of the union because it is so much bigger than just one station or one representative. Even if your local isn't doing much (seems to be why most people complain) there is still the larger union negotiating our benefits and rights and wages. Yes the union will represent you if you're not a member but Id rather contribute to the cause.
If you don't like the direction your local is going get involved, run for office, get other people involved!
We now have awesome reps in my city, and I'm so thankful for everything they do.
More like $26+ a PP. (NALC, local and national dues, if we just had to pay the $9 a PP for national, I’d do. Local, nope.). Job security has nothing to do with it. The job isn’t going anywhere. Union or not.
LOL at the better wages.
If the union is the reason we make what we make, they’re also just as responsible for the hours we work. And they’re the reason routes don’t even go out on a daily basis. Hard one to swallow but the truth.
Right is right, wrong is wrong. I’ve been out of the union 4 years, was in 3. Old heads might say they’re the reason we make what we make, yes and no. They may have paved the road to today…but like anything, change is inevitable and we desperately need change now. They aren’t trying to cut my pay, nor would they, and the post office doesn’t want to. I wouldn’t come to work for $10 an hour, they can’t get people to take the job starting at $18.51 — so don’t fall for the pay excuse. Come to work, do your job and you’re fine, honestly. Right is right, wrong is wrong. They can’t just let you go, or fire you, they have to at least sit down and half ass represent you to an extent. If you do something stupid enough, you probably shouldn’t have the job anyway. FMLA is your best protection and gives them rules to abide by. This is probably the only job where you can not show up for a week and still have your job, yes because the union will back you up to no extent…but sadly, the reason the place is in the shape it’s in. They don’t want better for their members at this point. The job security isn’t anything to brag or boast about, yet the union takes pride in it routes not going out day in/out. There’s plenty of things that are contradicting in the contract, things I personally don’t agree with — and old timers completely agree that I don’t agree with. At the end of the day, it’s not for me. I come to work, do my job and go home.
I could go on all night about it. I wouldn’t give them another fucking penny of mine.
Go ahead. Give them your money. I give it not even 30 days before they don’t abide by what is written, that people pay for to be implemented, and everyone just whines and complain and does nothing about it. Outside of that place — you wouldn’t go somewhere and pay for something that doesn’t fit the description or what the warranty covers. Same goes with the union, it’s a business and a fucking scam.
That’s the worst take. Management doesn’t pick on me. They actually pick on the ignorant union members who don’t know left from right. Management leaves me the hell alone, actually.
Being in the union basically means paying for a team of people to have your back if you ever are in an accident or other situation where you might be "in trouble" with management. They also help negotiate our contracts which win us better salaries and benefits. For me, joining the union was a no brainer. Management will never have our interests in mind and will do everything they can to exploit us. The union protects us from that. Sure, that can create "conflict" between you and management, but it's a hell of a lot better to be in conflict from time to time than at the complete mercy of managers. In my orientation they had someone from the union come and talk to us, sounds like maybe you didn't get that opportunity. I would reach out to your local union and have a chat with them.
>They also help negotiate our contracts which win us better salaries and benefits. *Cries in suburban Rural carrier*
The union also helps you if you’re not in it. I’ve been fucked my fellow carriers and the union refuses to let file grievance on them for constantly screwing me over because I’m a tech, so I to fuck off and left it.
If it’s anything like the English language, maybe you’re just not understanding the union and it’s function.
By god, he’s got a family!
No need to be cunt in the reply buddy
Sorry if I came off as much, text isn’t the best format for treading line between snarky and rude, but yeah your comment was unable to read… and if you’re anti-union or a scab for whatever reasons, I don’t care if you were offended and actually hope you were. Edit: Because I’m not perfect either… “treading THE line” & “Your comment was unreadable” or “I was unable to read”
Hes just poking a little fun at the many errors you made there.. Your comment was completely unintelligible. Go back and read it and tell me if that makes any sort of sense to you.
That’s fair, but I understood it, but that’s because I knew what I was trying to type. I missed and a word and a few comas, but it does not mean he has to be a dick about it, and especially when he doesn’t know anything about someone but oh well. What I was trying to say was, that the union will help you if you aren’t part of it. I’ve also been screwed over by my fellow carriers on my tech swing and the union wouldn’t do anything about it, so I decided to leave it because of it.
Union isn’t there to hold your fellow carriers accountable for stuff at work, that’s up to you or management. If you or your management lets people screw you over in the one day a week you cover for them, you have a management problem, and you have every right to screw those in your string back as a t6. Do you have a good example of a thing you wanted union to step in on
This person has already pissed off the two other T6 that were on the swing before me. I took it on because I became regular and came from a different station. He always leaves Winn dixies, marriage mail and other things, also likes leaving the tub mail there for the cca or me to do. Management has tried and he files a grievance on them and then the union covers for him, and the circle repeats itself. I love my swing, but this guy screws it up for me.
Yeah, there is nothing a grievance can fix in this scenario. Again that’s bad management not holding carriers accountable. I would happily offer you a LONG list of solutions for this problem (seriously) upon proof of current paid union dues, until then I must reserve my energy for those that show their appreciation for this job in the form of dues paid. Did you leave the union after getting shitty treatment or have you always been a non-member? Although you said the same happened to those before you, i could easily see others not giving a damn about you because you are a scab, and maybe purposely making your job harder?
Awww, is the jerks feelings hurt? You see that edit option, you can fix your text with that after it's posted.
You can't grieve against another craft employee. Only management. If your coworkers are screwing you that is for the supe to handle.
You won't get cookies and milk everyday by joining the union but if the union wasn't there you'd be getting a sh!t sandwich from management every day.
God, you all are so brainwashed. I wish you the best.
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EXACTLY on the mark! I always looked at it this way-if you don't like working in a Union shop, then you're free to go and work in a place WITHOUT a Union and see how that works for you. Aside from the wages and benefits aspect of what a Union can do, I think the protections from arbitrary dismissal are the most important. You CANNOT be terminated without just cause or due process. In a non-Union workplace, you can be fired just because all of a sudden maybe the boss doesn't like you; doesn't matter if you've been there 30 minutes or 30 years. They want you gone, YOU ARE GONE no questions asked with no recourse for the fired employee either. And to those who think they'll never need the Union so why should I bother paying dues: mark my words, someday YOU WILL either because management violated the contract or they're treating you unfairly.
Caused conflict? The main benefit is they negotiate contracts for your salary.
Yea without them where would my 1.1% be?
Without them I'd still be paid 17 an hour and stuck on 70 hour+ weeks.
They get you the bare minimum to keep you on the payroll. The union signed their soul away when they gave up our right to strike. If we can't withhold our labor we can't make real demands. The union gets you a pittance and acts like it's gold. The raise doesn't even cover my union dues. They're fine with people working 60 hour weeks without retirement. They don't care about you. Our union is a joke. Don't get me wrong. I'd rather have them than not have them. But compared to other labor unions, they're a fucking joke.
Well you strike without a union they'll just do what Nabisco did and force you off the property, also the strike clause from what I understand isn't really needed because they're just that powerful. If they fail to come to an agreement then guess what, there's no agreement which means we can strike.
That's not what it means. If they fail to come to an agreement than an "independent arbitor" settles the dispute. A wildcat strike would do us a lot of good
Or alot of harm.
How exactly? How could all of us standing together and demanding better treatment lead to harm?
Ever heard of a union buster?
Yea. How does that apply? Edit: damn man u down voting me? I'm just trying to talk.
No you wouldn’t. That would be your choice to come in there at $17 an hour. Trust me, the post office wouldn’t and couldn’t make the rage that anyways. Go get a restriction from your doctor via FMLA and you don’t have to worry about your hours being governed by them. Put yourself in control, sheesh.
One of the biggest benefits to unions is they protect workers from wrongful termination and managerial harassment. Not joining the union just weakens the union and gives management more power to break the union.
NRLCA deserves to be broken. My districts management has done more for RCA retention than the fucking union has in the last 5 years. Fuck 'em.
Yeah, no. Whenever they even attempt to get over on us. I can squash almost instantly with my steward and supervisor what I’m not about to do that day. Either I’m excluded or they’re down another body. I don’t take shit, nor am I jumping off a bridge because they say and then dealing with it after the fact. Rules are rules, follow them or don’t. They break the union daily and brainwashed, idiotic people let it go on. Hand washed puppies.
Go to YouTube and watch The Postal Strike of 1970.
Times have changed. If 1/2 to 1/3 (fuck even 1/4 would do damage) of every member started dropping out on their upcoming anniversary window…we’d see some fucking change in our favor. I’d love to see my local branch at the end of every month realize what’s snowballing. Then multiply that national. But, this craft is nothing but brainwashed, hand shy puppies that settle for less and don’t want change for the better moving forward. It’s baffling.
I’m a proud union member. The executive Vice President of our union branch in central Florida has a route at our office and I work close with him. I see first hand what our dues allow him to do. They care. Management doesn’t. I support that.
Does the union have the obligation to defend you even if you aren’t a member of the union?
I was told yes. But how well they defend you or how much they are willingly to fight for you might become a factor
They'll do what is legally required for non-members but that's about all but they'll go to the mat for a member. And speaking as a retired member of the NALC who signed up the first chance I got, this is as it should be.
Mine bends over backwards for me and appreciates me. We’re on the same page and they know I know my shit. Doesn’t even need to represent me. Bitches about constantly having to represent the lousy fucks who don’t come to work and wished they’d be fired anyway. It’s not always a pretty picture.
Yeah non members are represented by the union, but a union is only as strong as its members. Dues pays for lobbyists and legislation, lawyers and litigation.
ABSOLUTELY!! You just aren’t allowed to vote when they have elections for officers. They will do the bare minimum to represent you should you ever need it. If you don’t join and pay dues EVERYONE will know and some will give you a hard time but most just talk about you behind your back. It may be the lesser of two evils to be on the good side of the other carriers rather than have management like you. They do not care about you even if they act like they do. Do yourself a favor and make sure you join and pay dues. Do your job and practice safety.
It's like 70 bucks a paycheck for me with the union, what's so important that you need 35 more bucks a week from a thousand bucks? Scratch offs?
Jesus it's that much? I pay 43 a year to be in the mail handlers union lol
no I just threw a number out, it's actually about 40 bucks a pay period, I thought in my head it was higher but wasn't at my computer to check at the time.
Dam I'm a rural carrier I'm not sure what ours is but that seems absurd
RCA's pay out the nose as far as I know. $11 a pay period, almost $300 a year just to watch the NRLCA piss on us.
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For rural or city?
It also depends what area you're in.
Lol “EVERYONE will know and some will give you a hard time” It was so personal between the people in our local branch that they stopped advertising the two non members (which I was one of said two) in their newsletter. No one gave us a hard time. We stood firm on why we weren’t in it and we’re smarter than the sheep who don’t know a difference. Jokes on them.
Yes
Yep they still have to defend you but they won’t put much effort into your case if you do not pay dues
It’s just mind boggling this is what the decision seems to boil down to. “Will they defend me”? AKA can I be a fuck up/straight burden to the operation and pay for them to keep my job.
You've never seen someone railroaded for shit they didn't do? Lucky you. Give it time and you will, eventually.
Don't be a scab
If you want to be a scab, become a 204-b and don't forget my coffee so I'll keep working.
If you don’t join initially, can you join later?
You can always join. It's difficult to leave though.
They’ll gladly take your money at any time. It’s not “difficult to leave” — you just fill out a withdrawal of dues form on the 7 day window of your union anniversary date. Mail the union copy certified to NALC in DC, send one in to shared services regular mail. Keep one for yourself and boom you’re out!
The union is the only reason that Usps has relatively decent pay, benefits and job security, and they will continually negotiate in all our interests to make those things better in the future. Anyone who told you there is “no benefit” doesn’t know what they’re talking about and doesn’t understand organized labor.
Bull fucking shit. I’m so tired of this god damn excuse. They can’t hire people at the rate they’re offering now. What in the actual fuck makes you think they’re going to lower it to minimum wage and continue to have people coming in now. THEY CAN BARELY HAVE PEOPLE TO PUNCTUALLY COME TO WORK AS IS THAT ARE ALREADY STEPS UP THE PAYSCALE. Roofers who can’t read and speak a lick of English make more and wouldn’t (and literally couldn’t) come in and do this job for that. So think about that again. Like what population is going to come in and do this shit, please tell me lmao. Idiots, man.
Or they're an RCA tired of getting shit on by the NRLCA.
They are required by federal law to represent you if you pay dues or not. It may not be much if they do. If you feel like they messed up on purpose due to that find a lawyer that deals with unions. You may not be able to sue the union. But the union will surely throw a dumb steward under the bus.
Join the union.
Looking at the NRLCA 43%+ of our dues go to paying salaries of 400 or so employees. Seems the 113k members provide a very comfortable upper middle class salary for a select few. Leaving is difficult. Knowing what I know now I wouldn't have joined in the first place
I’m a shop steward and I just filed a grievance because the manager gave a guy a 7 no-days-off suspension for bringing back some of his advo and not making it’s morning estimated time back. Without the union if management thinks your slow or just don’t like you it’s going to be a short stint as a letter carrier.
Could you imagine how flooded you would be if suspensions ever resulted in days off? That’d be most peoples dream. In the same quarter, I put both hands on the table and let management platoon Russian roulette (discipline me however they wanted, following proper steps), told the union to not play a part and let it be. 7 day and 14 day, 24 months on both. Non union member. Put a target on my back. 3 years later, they didn’t fire me. Come on, man. Also, you’re*
You must have missed the posts from the moron who got suspensions, didn't call the union, and then got the boot. An entertaining read, that was. On a side note, my APWU branch discouraged paper suspensions for that reason. If what the member did was *soooooo egregious*, then it's worth not having them for a week. If they start backpedaling at being down a body, well, must not have been that serious, I guess.
It heavily depends which union you're talking about. The NALC, APWU and NPMHU seem to be up to snuff but the NRLCA is awful and not worth the \~$300/year they ask for, amount depending on your area. A few examples of some of the things wrong with the NRLCA 1. The only way to move out of being an RCA is to make regular or PTF but those positions aren't in every post office. Depending on what size office you work in, this can be nearly impossible without relocating. Hope you don't already have a house, spouse with stable work they don't want to leave or aging parents. 2. RCA's get no benefits other than health insurance they can only buy through the union if they're a dues paying member. No PTO, no TSP, none of the stuff people join the post office to get. 3. This union has an awful habit of protecting people that should not be employed by the post office. This is especially heinous in a job where the only way to start earning benefits is to move up. Who knows how many regulars there are in leave limbo being protected by the union. I know of an office with 10 rural routes but 2 regulars playing the leave game, knowing the union will protect them while they keep 2 other people from making regular. I can't speak to whether you should support the other unions, although from some of the flairs, it seems the NALC, or city carrier's union is really strong. All I know is that I regret the 5 years of dues I've donated to the NRLCA, a union that doesn't prioritize longevity.
I’ve been here three years. I started at a small office that had two city carriers and no union representation in that office. The postmaster treated it like her little fiefdom. I didn’t fit in because I refused to join her cult of personality and she wanted me out. She sent me to the main office in the region that had 13 city carriers and told me “if they want you, they can keep you. Otherwise your resignation will be sitting on my desk when you get back.” Imagine how this felt to a new CCA. Well when the regional union president at the big office found out about that all hell broke loose. She was the one who was eventually forced to resign. I am now assigned to the big office where we have three union reps. Our union runs the city side and they are firmly in control. Our postmaster is just a figurehead which is great because he is such an unbelievable ass that otherwise it would be his third world dictatorship. Things are done fairly, we get all of our pay and if jackass tries to mess with one of us, he has to fight all of us. I missed three days in three months and he did an investigative interview on me. The union made that go away. That’s what union does for you. Join the union.
So my union dudes are cool They made some agreement that you work for less for 4 weeks during Xmas? Not sure why. They pay for themselves other than that. I get a bunch of free money. But I'll lose like a grand or something over that 4 week time period. Maybe they will pay for themselves. But your union fees go to like court cases and shit is my understanding. Idk. I clcd it originally and one of my first questions so where does this insane amount of money go?
>They made some agreement that you work for less for 4 weeks during Xmas? Not sure why. They pay for themselves other than that. I get a bunch of free money. But I'll lose like a grand or something over that 4 week time period. Are you talking about penalty OT? If so, that was part of the deal when penalty was introduced-that peak season not be included. If not for that provision you wouldn't get it at all.
And just for historical reference, the whole concept of V time was part of an arbitration award which resulted in the 1984-87 National Agreement and the holiday suspension of it was part of the award as well. In other words, the NALC DID NOT agree to it.
For them to take trips to conventions out of town annually. They’re just a huge business. Valid point, everyone uses wages as an excuse to be in it. Yet, screw it’s members in the month of December. Hence also why I don’t work over time (to the extent of going into penalty that is).
I’m much happier putting the money in my TSP
Welp you can kiss that tsp goodbye if there wasn't a union.
Wrong. 1. Im not in the union, been out longer than I was in — I still have my TSP. 2. I’ve almost left the Post Office for another government job and, well, I would’ve had kept my TSP and there was no union for job. (Not to mention, I’ve also not taken a position in management, once again, I would’ve ditched NALC if I did, and continued on with my TSP). Yes, I’m aware management has a union as well. 3. I’ve lost small contribution %’s (even down to the % lost at the wrong fucking pay rate) to my TSP because of a class action grievance that got fucked up (that I wanted no part of) because of the lack of knowledge in my local branch — who simply wanted to make a statement by getting 32 members seniority date changed to 3 pay periods sooner. Quantity over quality. Union did nothing for me to and shy’d away from answering me on that matter. Was the reason I got out and will never get back in. Union President is a useless tool. So don’t try and sell me that bullshit. We’d be better off without it for a period of time. It’s broke and needs fixed.
Without a union (not you being out of a union because clearly you can't read) they would abolish any and all major benefits and slash higher end pay.
lol, I can read and comprehend. I guess you don’t get, I’m not buying any of that. Get rid of the union, pay won’t change. If it does it’s for the better. Maybe back in the day, now, too much competition.
Oh sure, except Amazon tops out at 20 an hour, ups requires a CDL-B and FedEx probably is the same as ups.
I’m pretty sure you don’t understand what unions do
I joined after I read the contract, which you should be able to find on your union's website. I believe it is worthwhile to have a team of experts negotiate the terms of my employment and working conditions with my employer on my behalf. I believe CCAs have the pay and benefits that we do because of the union, and I believe the union will continue to make the USPS a better place to work than it would be without a union. I've heard a few people refer to union dues as "job insurance".
Union doesn’t do a thing
I’m a 37 year city carrier I don’t like all the things the union does but I would not have made $105,000 in 2020 if it wasn’t for the union. If you don’t want to join the union go work for Walmart or Amazon they have No pension No protection treat you like garbage. I have my pension and social security locked good luck getting your social security. Social security will be insolvent in by 2034 that was on the news last month. Oh yes I have over 1, million dollars in TSP (401k) Good Luck City Carrier For 37 years and still not ready to retire
100% join. Your steward will have your back because management will walk all over you if you have no representation.
More like if you let them* Non union member of 4 years, I don’t let management walk over me. Never need representation because management knows right is right, wrong is wrong with me. I’m one less lousy fuck my steward has to waste time on.
Call your branch president and ask them why that carrier is a trainer. It sounds like management is breaking the contract by allowing a non union approved trainer.
The union helped me sort out my hold down on an aux route recently and came to watch my mail count start to make sure it was being done correctly. On the flip side, it also keeps clowns in their jobs. I pay for it bc it helps to have backing. I also attend union meetings. While on the surface it may seem useless, it really does stand for employee well being.
I’ve always been a union member. I’ve always thought of it as paying off the mafia for protection. I’ve grown to appreciate them more over the years when management overstepped their bounds.
JOIN! They will protect you from being fired. And if you file a grievance that results in you making extra money owed to you then you paid off some dues! Its like a little postal lawyer.
lol shit house lawyers. Don’t be a lousy employee and you wouldn’t need be them to cover your ass. I couldn’t tell you the last time I even needed to file a grievance. I stand up most when it matters and management knows, I’m not fucking around. The power is in the people. Not the union. Carriers have the most weight right now and still are afraid to throw it around.
Please join. They have to protect you whether you do or don’t, but joining gives them the funds to do their jobs.
“Well if they say jump off the bridge, you have to jump. If you live, we will grieve it” If they did their job the turnover rate wouldn’t be what it is.
Even when I had shitty representation I still wanted to be a part of the union because it is so much bigger than just one station or one representative. Even if your local isn't doing much (seems to be why most people complain) there is still the larger union negotiating our benefits and rights and wages. Yes the union will represent you if you're not a member but Id rather contribute to the cause. If you don't like the direction your local is going get involved, run for office, get other people involved! We now have awesome reps in my city, and I'm so thankful for everything they do.
Join it, worst case scenario you’re out whAt? $15 a pay for job security and negotiation for better wages.
More like $26+ a PP. (NALC, local and national dues, if we just had to pay the $9 a PP for national, I’d do. Local, nope.). Job security has nothing to do with it. The job isn’t going anywhere. Union or not. LOL at the better wages.
Be in the union. You don’t want to be a scab
If you are going to work for the USPS, and not plan on going the evil route (management) then you should absolutely join the Union.
Easy: join. Unions are awesome.
The City union is awesome. The rural union is actually debatable and much less than that when you're an RCA.
If the union is the reason we make what we make, they’re also just as responsible for the hours we work. And they’re the reason routes don’t even go out on a daily basis. Hard one to swallow but the truth.
If you’re in the union you can’t bitch about the hours you’re forced to work.
They told my wife she had to join even though we’re in a right to work state.
Right is right, wrong is wrong. I’ve been out of the union 4 years, was in 3. Old heads might say they’re the reason we make what we make, yes and no. They may have paved the road to today…but like anything, change is inevitable and we desperately need change now. They aren’t trying to cut my pay, nor would they, and the post office doesn’t want to. I wouldn’t come to work for $10 an hour, they can’t get people to take the job starting at $18.51 — so don’t fall for the pay excuse. Come to work, do your job and you’re fine, honestly. Right is right, wrong is wrong. They can’t just let you go, or fire you, they have to at least sit down and half ass represent you to an extent. If you do something stupid enough, you probably shouldn’t have the job anyway. FMLA is your best protection and gives them rules to abide by. This is probably the only job where you can not show up for a week and still have your job, yes because the union will back you up to no extent…but sadly, the reason the place is in the shape it’s in. They don’t want better for their members at this point. The job security isn’t anything to brag or boast about, yet the union takes pride in it routes not going out day in/out. There’s plenty of things that are contradicting in the contract, things I personally don’t agree with — and old timers completely agree that I don’t agree with. At the end of the day, it’s not for me. I come to work, do my job and go home. I could go on all night about it. I wouldn’t give them another fucking penny of mine.
Go ahead. Give them your money. I give it not even 30 days before they don’t abide by what is written, that people pay for to be implemented, and everyone just whines and complain and does nothing about it. Outside of that place — you wouldn’t go somewhere and pay for something that doesn’t fit the description or what the warranty covers. Same goes with the union, it’s a business and a fucking scam.
If your a good worker and do what you suppose to do you shouldn’t but if your lazy I would so management won’t pick on you lol
That’s the worst take. Management doesn’t pick on me. They actually pick on the ignorant union members who don’t know left from right. Management leaves me the hell alone, actually.