Rate This wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 3:36 pm
Turkeytop wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 3:28 pm
audiophile wrote: ↑Wed Oct 07, 2026 4:21 am
My dad was a hard worker, but he was annoyed with the druggies and the complete slackers the union kept their getting jobs back after they were fired. He felt they were a danger and bad example for the rest of the workers that showed up on time and did their jobs.
The law requires the Union to represent all members equally. The druggies and slackers need our representation more often than do the good employees. If we can protect them, the good employees have nothing to worry about.
That’s not how it works in practice in some shops. The steward may fight harder for some than others.
During my career I fought equally for everyone. Most of them didn't need me to fight for them. There were a few cases where I really didn't want to win the fight.
Like the guy who was fired for defrauding Workers Comp. He injured his knee at work and was off for a couple of weeks. When he went back to work, after about 15 minutes, he was down on the floor writhing in pain. It happened evry time he returned to work. The Company believed he was faking it and hired a Private Investigator to follow him around and record video.
They got him water skiing, dirt bike racing, playing tug of war, shingling a roof. They had the goods on him and called him in to the plant to meet. On his way to the plant, the video showed him stopping at McD for lunch. He walked in, picked up his order and ate in his truck. When he was finished he opened the door and tossed out his trash into the parking lot.
When he arrived at the plant, he got out of his truck and was on his way in, when he suddenly rememberd. He ran back to the truck, grabbed his crutches and dragged himself into the plant. The Company fired him. The Union filed a grievance. The grievance went to arbitration. Before the hearing commenced, the Company offered him three month's pay to drop the grievance and resign. He didn't accept their offer.
The hearing went ahead and, with the overwhelming evidence they had against him, he lost. I didn't lose any sleep about that loss. Of course he filed a complaint against the Union at the Labour Board. Said we hadn't fairly represented him. We successfuly defended ourselves against the complaint, but it took a lot of time and money.