It's Impossible to Start a Union and Organize Workers - Its all Bull

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

I have wanted for years to form a union of for and with human service workers. Nobody will help not even the unions will.(they wont even, call send info, or invite dialog) Seems to me the Unions they have their own protectionist agenda and lobbies that are non inclusive just like the health insurance lobbies. If I don't know what I'm talking about, then find me one person, one union rep, who will train me and support me to represent human service workers in Idaho.
[e-mail]

Prove me wrong - I'll report on the results one way or the other. But don't say there is already a union for us in Idaho. It only represents State workers and it doesn't do anything for them - My wife works for the state. There is also a union for the Potlatch Paper mill workers - mostly closed now. I don't mean to be disrespectful or rude, but do unions even exist anymore except on paper? Does anyone ever strike or revolt? Why have a union if it is just a puppet for Corporations interests? When I look at the history of union members, I see them kicking ass on the robber Barron's.

I think we need to bypass the existing unions in this country and go back to the old ways of dealing with corporate slave owners and robber barons, but I can't say it here, can I?

[SPedigrees]

1. We had a lot of support from the Teamsters when we tried to organize

at a plywood mill where I worked for 10 yrs. They met with us, came to one of my co-worker's home and put on a backyard barbeque for us at their expense, took us to lunch, also at their expense.

We never did get enough signed cards to take a vote. It was the ignorance of unions and how they work, combined with unwillingness, of too many of our fellow employees that killed it for us. (sigh! I could've been a teamster...)

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

3. They don't have the will to make a stink anymore - they are whimps

Exactly, The workers see that they (the unions) aren't committed to act on the behalf of the workers in reality. They won't fight. They just play the game. Much like our so called "Democratic Party" they are parts of the very system that is screwing the people, the workers. It all a shell game. We need another party. We need a peoples lobby. We need a real union with a real contracted army like the corporations have.

[SPedigrees]

9. The Teamster union did all they could to help us..

It failed to get off the ground due only to a lack of will of the employees. I'm not sure what you think a union can do when all efforts fail to convince enough employees to return signed cards. That is the required legal step in order to be able to vote a union in.

[Sancho]

2. I don't know the details in Idaho...but unions are critical in Florida

Lots of people have tried for years to create unions here, and they are responsible for safe conditions, better pay, and defending us from abusive employers. It's a constant fight, but worth the effort.

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

4. Safe conditions are good...

But how about enough money to feed the family? As Leonard Cohen Said "Everybody knows the deal is rotten; old black joe's still picking cotton for your ribbons and bows everybody knows."

[iamtechus]

5. Step by step

The first thing that you need is a sizeable number of people with common interests who feel that they are being crapped on. Then you need some means for them to communicate. Human service workers are usually treated like shit but are spread all over hell and gone.

So, step one is to set up a blog with a message board so that they can communicate with one another and their leadership (you?). If you can accomplish this, the rest will fall into place. Somewhere along the line you need to bring in an established union to avoid reinventing the wheel. Completing the first two steps will convince existing unions that you are serious and worth the effort. There are lots of people who go through life wishing that they had a union but won't get off their ass and try to make it happen.

Unfortunately, the enemy now has your email address and you will soon be fired.

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

7. I have already been fired...

You see I have balls. Wish other people did.

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

8. This Idea has been done and It does not work

You Say,
"So, step one is to set up a blog with a message board so that they can communicate with one another and their leadership (you?). If you can accomplish this, the rest will fall into place. Somewhere along the line you need to bring in an established union to avoid reinventing the wheel. Completing the first two steps will convince existing unions that you are serious and worth the effort. There are lots of people who go through life wishing that they had a union but won't get off their ass and try to make it happen."

I've been doing this for 5 years - Not one offer of help. Even the DU gave up on it. Wimps. I sacrifices myself and no one - not one came to my aid, except bullshit advice to work within they system - the system that has been screwing us all along. It's all bull

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

6. Where Are the Offers of Help?

See, It's all Bull
:eyes: :eyes:

[sinkingfeeling]

10. I'm not familar with what a 'human service worker' really is. Are you talking about social workers?

Aren't most providers of human services state employees? And wouldn't that be SEIU? There are plenty of unions for social workers across the country.

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

11. Most providers of human services are not public employees they are working for private contractors

The state of Idaho has privatized social services since 1994 and the vast majority of human service workers or social workers are private sector workers. Most other states followed suit and privatized social services - The States perform supervision of private sector agencies who exploit workers and clients for cash rewards. I was a contract worker and an employee for a private sector agency at the same time - illegal to be both by US Department of Labor standards. When I called the on it they fired me, but even the US department of labor uses racketeering of this type. The states save tons of money, provide lousy services to the mentally ill, veterans and elderly and pocket the difference in the federal block grants. We get paid by the "billable hour" and if clients don't show up we stay at work unpaid answering phones,supervising paraprofessionals and doing paperwork for free because they don't pay you for the time it takes to do it, but they will take your license if you don't. Now they are privatizing jails and even protective services. Soon they will send their enforcers after people like me who complain about it. I'm ready for them.