It looks like these cops got a bad deal

17 police officers from Kansas city, Missouri have filed a class action lawsuit against the Fraternal Order of Police union. The union made a deal with the police department whereby the union agreed to wage and benefits concessions while the department agreed to allow the union to charge non-union-member officers fees and dues. So basically the department saved money on wages and benefits, the union gets more money because it can charge nonmembers and the ones who lose out are the officers and particularly the nonmember officers. I thought unions were supposed to advocate for the interests of their members. The 17 police officers that are suing contend that the union (in the words of the National Right to Work Foundation, which is representing the officers) " is demanding forced dues without following federal disclosure requirements under the Foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court precedent Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson."

What are your thoughts? This seems like a raw deal for the police officers.

I've had to pay union dues without actually receiving union benefits. Would love to do something about it but my state is so corrupt it wouldn't even matter.

I've had to pay union dues without actually receiving union benefits. Would love to do something about it but my state is so corrupt it wouldn't even matter.

airshocker

Pretty much all unions now are a joke. All they ever seem to do is give concessions in exchange for more dues to do nothing. Unions usually only help to protect employees that SHOULD be fired or make it harder to do so. The UAW and Teachers Union seem about the only unions left that are still effective, but they have diminished power as well. It's not that unions are a bad idea, it's just that normally they don't seem to do much of anything. Kurushio

what do you mean by "without actually receiving union benefits"? Are you a nonmember that has to pay dues but doesn't get to participate in the union pension plan or vote in union elections or similar things?

whipassmt

Sorry, I meant that I'm forced to be a part of the union even though I don't want to be.

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

what do you mean by "without actually receiving union benefits"? Are you a nonmember that has to pay dues but doesn't get to participate in the union pension plan or vote in union elections or similar things?

airshocker

Sorry, I meant that I'm forced to be a part of the union even though I don't want to be.

first problem? agreeing to work for a union...k2theswiss

I watched the video that I linked. The deal made between the union and the police department was part of a settlement of a lawsuit between them.

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]first problem? agreeing to work for a union...whipassmt

okay. So you are technically a member then? (you're a police officer too, right?) You just feel like the union doesn't benefit you and your coworkers much?

whipassmt

I am a member, but only because if I'm not I wouldn't receive any of the "benefits" union members do, and I would still have to pay the union dues regardless.

[QUOTE="whipassmt"]

what do you mean by "without actually receiving union benefits"? Are you a nonmember that has to pay dues but doesn't get to participate in the union pension plan or vote in union elections or similar things?

airshocker

Sorry, I meant that I'm forced to be a part of the union even though I don't want to be.

The company i work for offered all employees a vote to become a union. The results? 

99% said no lol out of a staff over 3500. 

[QUOTE="k2theswiss"]first problem? agreeing to work for a union...whipassmt

The unions are corrupt political organizations. They do not care about the working man at all.Laihendi

[QUOTE="Laihendi"]The unions are corrupt political organizations. They do not care about the working man at all.MrPraline

[QUOTE="MrPraline"][QUOTE="Laihendi"]The unions are corrupt political organizations. They do not care about the working man at all.whipassmt

wow cops got it bad