More Union Propaganda

Published on August 9, 2004 By Gideon MacLeish In Misc

Well, despite my egress from the mine almost two months ago, I received the Teamsters Union newsletter today (I think they consider me valuable enough to hang on until after the election). Frankly, anything from the union is a slap in the face considering the working conditions we underwent there, despite being union, on paper at least.

Here's the scoop:

--$9 an hour for all positions, with no raises...at least not for anyone within their first two years of employment (remember, this was an underground mine)

--6 day workweek, 56 hours a week ("generously" cut to 48 in June).

--work schedules that often scheduled us to "turnaround" to the next shift 11 hours after leaving (despite the fact the nearest town is 45 minutes away, and most of us lived over an hour away).

--countless MSHA (mine safety & health admin) and Cal-OSHA violations of equipment and working conditions

--a union shop steward who spoke no English

--no union meetings.

Is it any wonder I detest the unions? (these, by the way, were Teamsters)

signing off,

Gideon MacLeish

Comments

Abe Cubbage

on Aug 10, 2004

Unions have a lot less power now since the air traffic controller/Reagan thing.

kingbee

on Aug 10, 2004

and Cal-OSHA violations

was this mine in california?

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 10, 2004

Unions have a lot less power now since the air traffic controller/Reagan thing.

This is true; still, the conditions at NON union mines were far better.

California minimum is $6.75

was this mine in california?

es, Death Valley

kingbee

on Aug 10, 2004

Death Valley

yikes!

there's only one real union left in the us (longshoremen). sounds like you were dealing with a version of a house union chartered under the teamsters.

my take on the long decline of both american factories and unions is that it began when management ceded the job of managing to the unions (or unions assumed the job of managing) and channeled their efforts into buying other businesses rather than investing in in their own facilities.

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 10, 2004

I tend to agree.

As I have often said, unions once had their place, but they have become as big a business as the big businesses they set out to fight.

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