OK, I went in and did a full shift.
Right now it's a lock-out for the Teamsters and not the Machinists. The Teamsters aren't on strike YET. There was a handful of Teamsters from other job sites there that caused all the horse crap. But if they DO go on strike, according to the Machinists contract, we have to walk out too... The company released a letter that said any Machinist that walks out and JOINS the teamsters on the picket line will be "Voluntarily Terminated", but if we just walk out in support then we're fine and "No retalliation will be taken by the company." Once we come back to work, we'll be given our back pay for being off. BUT, for the time we're off, we won't be paid at all. Local 1546 doesn't have a strike fund. Only the teamsters do. So things are looking a little better.
If I cross the picket line and work, according to our contract I'll be in violation of the Union "Code of Conduct" and I've gotta pay a pretty big fine to the Union or be ejected from the Union and NOT continue to work there once they return from the strike... That part SUCKS big time!
As far as working in Non-Union shops... In order to make a decent living out here you just about HAVE to have a union job or 2 non-union jobs. I'll opt for the First . I've shopped around for LOTS of other jobs and unless it's a Managment position with TONS of long hours, the pay isn't even close. The job I do for WM pretty much requires me to use 99% of my skill-set, then again so do the Non-Union jobs. Short list of the skills I use daily at WM : HVAC, Gas/Diesel Mechanic, Machinist, Electrical, PLC Work, Conveyors, welding, fabrication etc. The average rate of pay for this in a Non-Union shop around here is about $17-20/hr and basically NO health benefits or 60-75% medical for only Myself. I'm making substantially MORE than that along with 100% medical, Dental and Vision for me and my family. I have worked in non-union shops and usually they start out good. They hire you for one thing, then slooowly add more and more on top of what you were originally hired for and almost never pay you for it. On top of that, 99% of todays employers are "At Will Employers" which means they can fire you when ever they want for whatever reason they want.
With the price for Homes, Gas and all...A non-union job is outta the question for me at the moment.
Enough of my rant... It's been a long stressful night. We're supposed to be getting word around 9am today as to what's gunna happen. Strike or not...We'll see.
