I used to think union dues were a total scam until my buddy at the warehouse showed me the payout

Back when I first started working at this distribution center in Phoenix, I figured unions were just another way to take money out of my paycheck for nothing. My coworker Mike kept telling me I was making a mistake not joining, but I was stubborn about it. Then last December I slipped on some wet concrete near the loading dock and messed up my knee real bad. I was off work for 6 weeks with no pay and the company basically said tough luck. Mike had the same thing happen to him a year earlier and the union got him full pay and a settlement. Now I signed up and I kick myself for wasting 4 years being cheap about $40 a month. Has anyone else here had a job where saying no to something ended up costing you way more in the long run?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosel837d ago

actually the thing about the payout is a little different than how you described it. the union doesn't just give out full pay and a settlement like that for free. they negotiate a contract with the company that has things like sick pay, short term disability, and injury compensation built in. so when mike got his payout, it came from the benefits the union fought for in the contract, not just because they showed up and asked nicely. your dues go toward paying lawyers and negotiators to argue for those protections, plus the union hall has people who help you file all the paperwork right so the company can't weasel out of it. i learned this the hard way too when i hurt my back lifting boxes and my non union job just told me to take personal days. it's not like the union is a magic fix but they do give you a lawyer and a contract that says you can't get fired for getting hurt on the job. so yeah you probably should have joined way sooner but at least now you know how the whole system actually works.

walker.andrew7d ago

Wait, did you say the union hall actually helps you file the paperwork yourself? I always thought you just paid your dues and hoped for the best. I mean, when my brother got hurt at his warehouse job, he had to figure out all that stuff on his own and the company basically ghosted him for weeks. It's wild to me that the union has people who sit there and walk you through every step of the claim so the company can't just ignore it. I guess that's what you're really paying for, more than just the contract itself.