Anyone ever start a Union?

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R

Rubicon

Anyone ever started a union for yourself and a group of workers?

I ask cause the call center I work for.. has really started going downhill. They recently had a bidding on shifts (better scores on your metrics/stats + your tenure there equaled a higher picking order), well needless to say that pissed off a lot of people. People who worked a day shift so they could be home at night with their families and children, are now working nightshift. Some people went from 40 hours to 35 or 30 hours.

Some of the more underhanded things they've done is eliminate one of our two 10 minute breaks, and eliminated any and all bathroom breaks. So we get 1 ten minute break. If you need to use the bathroom during your shift, you can. But if you spend 6 minutes going to the bathroom, you have to subtract 6 minutes from your break, leaving you with 4 minutes of break for the day (not counting lunch). Imagine having to go more than once in an 8 hour period or maybe you're a smoker and would like to use your break to smoke? Yea, the time constraints are hurting us all.

The weather here has been bad this winter. It snows maybe once a year here, this year it's snowed like 5 times, each time 1-3 inches which I know is not alot compared to places up north but that is MORE than enough to cause major traffic accidents and safety concerns here. Our city, has enough funds to cover road de-icing, twice a year. After that we have no budget for it. Right now, the roads are covered in ice, snow, rain and sleet. The ONLY time our call center will close for weather, is if the state government official declares it a weather emergency... Which is bullshit since the corporate HQ shut down last Friday for the exact same reason.

So needless to say, I am looking into starting a union. The way call centers in my town and state treat their workers is like indentured servants. We are expected to work X time then we are basically disposable. I enjoy my job for the most part, its having to work around the constraints of it's asinine nazi controllers that make it hard. Anyone ever started one? What kind of process am I looking at? Is it worth it? Obviously we'd have to keep it on the downside until we became an official union recognized by state and federal government, otherwise our employers could get rid of us prior to that for god knows what minor technical reason.

Ideas welcome.
 
Chad Sexington

Chad Sexington

Don't do it. Companies will shut entire stores/branches that try to unionize. You run the risk of putting yourself and all your colleagues out of work. I used to work for Blockbuster and two stores in BC tried to unionize. The stores were told to stop, refused, and were shut down in less than two months.

I know it sucks, hopefully there are other avenues of recourse, but I strongly advise against this course of action.
 
grub

grub

The call center I worked at was started because one of their other locations went union. They closed within 6 weeks and relocated. I found work in other less tech-based sectors pays more. I am a beginner stone-mason and make more then my supervisor in tech support did.
 
Bowielee

Bowielee

Basically, it's virtually impossible to unionize any privately owned business. Call centers especially. As stated above, It's less costly for a business owner to relocate than to allow a union. With situations like this, the only thing you can do is find a different place to work.

Employees are disposable for most call center owners.
 
Null

Null

Call centers essentially view employees the same way sausage plants view pigs, from what I've seen.
 
C

Chazwozel

Mav said:
Anyone ever started a union for yourself and a group of workers?

I ask cause the call center I work for.. has really started going downhill. They recently had a bidding on shifts (better scores on your metrics/stats + your tenure there equaled a higher picking order), well needless to say that pissed off a lot of people. People who worked a day shift so they could be home at night with their families and children, are now working nightshift. Some people went from 40 hours to 35 or 30 hours.

Some of the more underhanded things they've done is eliminate one of our two 10 minute breaks, and eliminated any and all bathroom breaks. So we get 1 ten minute break. If you need to use the bathroom during your shift, you can. But if you spend 6 minutes going to the bathroom, you have to subtract 6 minutes from your break, leaving you with 4 minutes of break for the day (not counting lunch). Imagine having to go more than once in an 8 hour period or maybe you're a smoker and would like to use your break to smoke? Yea, the time constraints are hurting us all.

The weather here has been bad this winter. It snows maybe once a year here, this year it's snowed like 5 times, each time 1-3 inches which I know is not alot compared to places up north but that is MORE than enough to cause major traffic accidents and safety concerns here. Our city, has enough funds to cover road de-icing, twice a year. After that we have no budget for it. Right now, the roads are covered in ice, snow, rain and sleet. The ONLY time our call center will close for weather, is if the state government official declares it a weather emergency... Which is bullshit since the corporate HQ shut down last Friday for the exact same reason.

So needless to say, I am looking into starting a union. The way call centers in my town and state treat their workers is like indentured servants. We are expected to work X time then we are basically disposable. I enjoy my job for the most part, its having to work around the constraints of it's asinine nazi controllers that make it hard. Anyone ever started one? What kind of process am I looking at? Is it worth it? Obviously we'd have to keep it on the downside until we became an official union recognized by state and federal government, otherwise our employers could get rid of us prior to that for god knows what minor technical reason.

Ideas welcome.
Click to expand...

Unless you're trying to organize one on a massive scale (i.e. all the call centers in your city), I wouldn't try it. You'll just get shit-canned. Why don't you just start looking for another job if you hate it so much?
 
Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
Still really pissed about not having Martin Luther King Jr Day off, eh? Reading your post though....sack up or get a new job.
 
Seraphyn

Seraphyn

Lying Bastard said:
Call centers essentially view employees the same way sausage plants view pigs, from what I've seen.
Click to expand...
And I think that's true all over the globe. Personnel is pretty expendable, since everyone is easy to replace because usually it's a low income, no education needed type of gig. Even location doesn't really factor in much for these companies so it's probably cheaper for them to just can you all and move somewhere else, then it is to make you a happy worker.

Like Shannow said, I'd just suck it up for now and start looking for a better place to work.
 
Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
Pretty much. it is a call center. Last one I had seen unionized shut down, and moved out. Great thing about callcenters....really easy to outsource. Besides, what he is describing I have seen in most of the other centers I have worked for. Quit your bitching and get back to work.
 
K

Kitty Sinatra

For real advice: The first thing you'll want to do is find a union that already exists and get them to back you. They'll provide you with all the help you'd need, though of course you'd become a Local in that union.
 
K

Kitty Sinatra

Well, I really meant relevant advice for moving forward with his possible plans.
 
I

Iaculus

Hey, has anyone mentioned that Mav founding his own union is a really bad idea yet?

Because I think someone ought to.
 
Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Mav,

You sound like someone who's just now discovering that work sucks, especially when it's relatively unskilled labor.

Well, it does. The reason call center owners treat call center employees as disposable interchangeable assets is because they are. If anyone (or nearly anyone) can perform the service you render, then you just don't have much leverage for better pay, better working conditions, or better anything. It's the same reason that fast food employees are treated like garbage, and the same reason both industries have high turnover.

Probably every kid I knew, including myself, must've said at one time "my boss treats me like shit. I'm gonna do something about it!" and fantasized about evening the scales. But the scales will never be even. You will never 'win' in this situation. If you don't like it, get another job, or get a job that takes a more rare skill set.
 
Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
Tinwhistler said:
Mav,

You sound like someone who's just now discovering that work sucks, especially when it's relatively unskilled labor.

Well, it does. The reason call center owners treat call center employees as disposable interchangeable assets is because they are. If anyone (or nearly anyone) can perform the service you render, then you just don't have much leverage for better pay, better working conditions, or better anything. It's the same reason that fast food employees are treated like garbage, and the same reason both industries have high turnover.

Probably every kid I knew, including myself, must've said at one time "my boss treats me like shit. I'm gonna do something about it!" and fantasized about evening the scales. But the scales will never be even. You will never 'win' in this situation. If you don't like it, get another job, or get a job that takes a more rare skill set.
Click to expand...

DING DING DING!!!! We have a winner! Mav seems to expect that everything in life should be fair, and everything is roses. And it is not. Right after the "the call center i work for..." in the second line, I predicted exactly where the whining/bitching would go. And I was right.

A lot of us have worked those jobs, Mav...and we either moved on or moved up. it is entry level, and as tin stated, unskilled labor. You are nothing to them, and unionizing wont help, it would hurt. I would go into the cognitive capacity needed to even start such an operation, but really, there is no point. Do not bother to try to start a union (not that you would have followed through with this idle fantasy anyways. If you had that kind of ability, you would not be at a damn call center in the first place!)

This really does seem like a child's fantasy. "Oh yeah, well...we will unionize and show them! YEah!!!" then: "Uh...how do we do that...?" And posting on internet forums asking strangers how it is done, but really, not doing it. But hey, ranting here makes ya feel better, right? Go post your gripes in the rant thread, it is what it is for.
 
Jay

Jay

A tech support call center? Dude, get out of there. I've totally been there. Best decision in my life. I'm making more than twice that salary (and it was relatively good pay) and I feel like a human being and not a #.... oh and I don't talk to techno peasants anymore. If you really want to make an effort, pick up a book, attend some classes to provide you a certification, endure a little, think about games a little less for a little while and GET THE FUCK OUT.
 
C

Chibibar

Sorry to hear that Mav, but alas, unless you happen to work for a college or something (we do have call center here and we form sort of a union call PSSA Professional Support Staff Association) you are pretty much out of luck. Call centers (and fast food) has a REALLY high turn over rate. Why? It is pretty "simple" job in a way. Anyone can do it (but only a few can do it well ;) )

Even if you manage to get "all" of the call center to union, the company will just scrap it and relocate and hire non-union people. It is a private business or even outsource if needed than deal with union. I use to work for those private company call center. It sucks, but it is a job.
 
Jay

Jay

Unionizing call centers is absolutely useless. You're disposable bodies. Heck, most companies think you're not even an asset, you don't earn them money. They'd much rather give your job to someone in India. The moment that call center gets close to unionized, you'll be ALL out of a job. GTFO!
 
C

Chibibar

SeriousJay said:
Unionizing call centers is absolutely useless. You're disposable bodies. Heck, most companies think you're not even an asset, you don't earn them money. They'd much rather give your job to someone in India. The moment that call center gets close to unionized, you'll be ALL out of a job. GTFO!
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Heh. There are some benefits. you at least learn some people skill in a call center, but I have to agree. Get some certification and maybe even a degree and change jobs. It is REALLY REALLY REALLY hard to be happy in a call center for the long haul (very few did it that I know of) There are always some exception (like college call center) that are nicer, but yea Jay, most company consider call center a "money pit" since they don't make money :(

You know what is funny? My wife use to work in one (I won't mention who) who was outsource to India and India outsource it to.......... NEBRASKA!!!

funny thing is that, her old company couldn't source it with Nebraska directly for some reason... weird huh?
 
C

Chazwozel

Seriously this is like cashiers at Burger King trying to rally together and unionize. So positions just aren't worth the hassle.


On a side note: I've always wondered how the SEPTA transit authority in Philly got unionized. They're fucking bus drivers and they get paid better than I do!!!!!
 
D

Deschain

I didn't want to be the guy to say it, but everyone else seems to have said it first. Unskilled labor pays shit and is tough. The reason is because you don't really need to have training, schooling, or a unique talent. (I mean, I guess being good with people is one of them, but if you were that good with people you could get a much better job using it.) My father worked as a waiter even though he had a Ph.D and would talk about how shitty the job was. He said if I wanted something better I should put effort in my schooling and I took his advice to heart.

I would suggest going the route of training in IT or maybe even trying to be a paramedic, although the latter is a lot more stressful.
 
Shannow

Shannow

Staff member
No, he cant do that. Mav wants shit handed to him,dammit! And he doesnt want to have to put work or effort to it! Why is that a crime!!!
 
C

Chazwozel

Shannow said:
No, he cant do that. Mav wants shit handed to him,dammit! And he doesnt want to have to put work or effort to it! Why is that a crime!!!
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If Mav put half to effort into actual meaningful work that he does into a Star Trek website, he'd be a billionaire by now.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
Everyone puts more effort into their hobbies than their jobs - unless you are one of the lucky few who meld the two.

If I put as much effort into my job as I did here...
 
C

Chibibar

Chazwozel said:
Seriously this is like cashiers at Burger King trying to rally together and unionize. So positions just aren't worth the hassle.


On a side note: I've always wondered how the SEPTA transit authority in Philly got unionized. They're fucking bus drivers and they get paid better than I do!!!!!
Click to expand...
I dunno :( maybe that Class B license (require for buses) make them skilled ;)

Deschain: I know how you feel. My dad has a master in Electrician from Taiwan (well stepdad) and he was a waiter for a while since he doesn't speak English well at the time and couldn't get certified here in the States, but he does know his stuff since he usually fix all the electronic stuff in the house without much trouble.
 
D

Deschain

Oh yes, now I remember why he was a waiter. He used to make shit doing what he did and raising us meant he needed the supplemental income from a few nights of working the tables. It also meant free leftovers. Eighteen years later, he still did it out of habit. As a kid, I always thought it puzzling that a man who went through eight years of schooling would be taking orders.
 
C

Chazwozel

I can see nipples... Sally Field nipples...


...





EWWWWWWWW

---------- Post added at 11:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------
Deschain said:
Oh yes, now I remember why he was a waiter. He used to make shit doing what he did and raising us meant he needed the supplemental income from a few nights of working the tables. It also meant free leftovers. Eighteen years later, he still did it out of habit.
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I worked as a janitor in grad school (well I own my own business) for that same reason. People leave some pretty disgusting stuff laying around their desks and bathrooms. I should unionize!
 
D

Deschain

People leave some pretty disgusting stuff laying around their desks and bathrooms.
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Disgusting things in bathrooms? Well I never! UNIONIZE!
 
C

Chazwozel

THEY MAY TAKE OUR 10 MINUTE BREAKS BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE OUR SNACK VENDORS!!!!!!!!!! UUUUUUUNNNNNIOOOOOONNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

 
C

Chibibar

Deschain said:
Oh yes, now I remember why he was a waiter. He used to make shit doing what he did and raising us meant he needed the supplemental income from a few nights of working the tables. It also meant free leftovers. Eighteen years later, he still did it out of habit. As a kid, I always thought it puzzling that a man who went through eight years of schooling would be taking orders.
Click to expand...
That is what my stepdad did. He was a pretty good waiter at this Chinese restaurant and take home some good stuff :) We always ate well.
 
D

Deschain

I remember staying up late Friday and Saturday nights to see what he would bring home, then pretending to sleep so I could sneak out and eat some of it. Usually he came home as Red Dwarf (which I did not understand as a kid) started playing.
 
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