Union Perspectives

The trade unions are being franchised. HVAC and plumbing just to start with. How long before the other trades are franchised? And before long how many union shops will join these franchise companies? When the unions go so do all the benefits. So how can non-franchise companies compete with a nation-wide company on price of equipment, advertising and hiring/firing? With that kind of power, franchisers will take over the market. Then what happens? Workers are back to slave wages, benefits and healthcare? At this time I have not heard of any pushback or anything to counter this franchise system. The franchise system has a good message to workers and small shop owners so I hope our trade unions wake up to what is breathing down their necks and recognize what is about to happen to our union shops and union members. I have said for years that our unions should help our members who want to start their own union shops or businesses. Where the owners are union card members. This latest attack ...

This blog was started in 2014 to support unions and workers. We were one of the first to championed a $15 minimum wage, universal basic income, a four-day work week, health care with no out of pocket costs, free education to at least a bachelor’s degree, climate change, and voter rights plus other changes that need to be made. This blog, with 673 posts, has reached more than 280,713 readers, which is about 15,000 a month from 137 different countries at last check. I have forty years as a union sheet metal worker for Local 104, now retired, and forty-four years as a first responder/volunteer firefighter. At this time, the first responders with volunteer fire departments, across the country and around the world need help. I think our unions could be of help to these selfless volunteers by touching bases with the first responders and asking what they can do to help out, like maybe by offering to sponsor a community free CPR class or basic first aid class for all and re-certify the volunt...

Sheet Metal unions and all union labor, they have come for us. Congress is targeting our jobs and healthcare. Congress is “negotiating” a national tax package that could devastate working families and union retirees within Sheet Metal Local 104. The GOP is backing a reconciliation package that will make massive cuts to the very programs that support our work, our families and our health; like Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Unions and their members cannot sit this one out. All must pick a side for this is only the start because the wannabe “king” does not like unions and will not be happy until unions are gone and all leaders are in jail or worse—dead. We workers and retirees still have a chance if we act now. We have to stand together, but time is running out. Retirees would be very helpful if they participated in the protests and contacting our elected officials. The more pressure we put on the Trump and his administration could influence their decisions. Companies meeting wi...