• Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    54
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    9 months ago

    I thought the whole point of paying you union dues was that when a strike happens, the union covers a portion of your salary like unemployment.

    • Alto@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      37
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      9 months ago

      It’s not an unlimited fund, which is why the UAW strike isn’t at every single plant for example. Policies like this would greatly strengthen unions by allowing much longer and more widespread strikes.

    • Filthmontane@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      22
      ·
      9 months ago

      Strike pay is only $500 a week plus insurance coverage. It’s hard to live on that when strikes can last 6 months or even a year

      • yetAnotherUser@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        9 months ago

        What kind of strikes last 6 months to a year???

        99% of strikes last much, much less. No manufacturer in the world can last 6 months without workers. No software company can last 6 months without workers. No fast food company lasts 6 months without workers. No train, bus or airplane company lasts 6 months without workers.

        • Filthmontane@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          9 months ago

          Small ones that you don’t hear about. Locals with less than 200 members wind up striking much longer because they’re less threatening. The longest strike in US history was 11 years. Strikes can last longer than you might think. The company just hires scabs. A couple years ago, 200 miners were on strike for 1029 days under the United Steelworkers.

      • Heratiki@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        13
        arrow-down
        11
        ·
        edit-2
        9 months ago

        Playing devil’s advocate but what would be the point in working if you got paid similarly by just striking? A worker’s strike is a gamble and always has been. In this instance the workers do not have the upper hand because demand for domestic made vehicles has plummeted and automation is nearly capable of replacing the workers.

        Another thing I don’t understand is this isn’t unemployment. This is chosen by the worker and the union and so it’s not unemployment but refusal to work.

      • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        11
        ·
        9 months ago

        I understand that. But a strike isn’t them being forced to stop working by their employer. It isn’t like being laid off. They chose to stop working when the alternative is to work and get paid.

        You don’t get employment insurance when you voluntarily quit a job.

        If they want a bigger strike pay, they need to either contribute more or join a bigger union that has the financial means to support them thanks to higher number of participants.

        • Filthmontane@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          9 months ago

          Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure UAW is the best paying strike pay in the US. It’s also the 6th biggest union. The point is that the company has a much bigger advantage for surviving a strike than workers do. Getting unemployment would help level the playing field.

              • Armok: God of Blood@lemmy.dbzer0.com
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                9 months ago

                UAW is applying zero pressure to UC after they misappropriated money to spread anti-union propaganda, retaliated against the students at UCSD by having them arrested, and violated our bylaws at basically every point in this process.

          • Cyborganism@lemmy.ca
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            9 months ago

            That’s true though. It used to be that a general strike would have a big impact on an industry, but with the wealth that the companies have accumulated in past decades, it’s not even enough to strike anymore.

            The real answer to this would be a universal basic income for everybody. If you’re either fired, laid off, on strike or voluntarily quit, you should still receive a sufficient form of income.

            People sometimes quit for good reasons like toxic environnements or for health reasons or because they need to take care of someone. They shouldn’t be penalized.