Elmer's Brother

Paratus Ad Vitem Paratus Ad Mortis

2007/4/9

I'm a union member - check my label

@ 01:38 PM (31 months, 28 days ago)

As a matter of necessity and to ensure the good will of my co workers I was coerced..ahem I mean asked to join the union. With just over a month under my belt I think I've observed a microcosm of socialism at work.

1. The veteran worker - long time union member and without over generalizing often a long time sluggard....The FNG's usually make up for the fact that the VW has little to worry about when it comes to job security. He isn't held accountable. Physical attributes include a nervous tick from looking at his watch (to determine his next break) and a stunning entitlement mentality.

2. The Union Steward - was a VW at one time but accelerated his contempt for work by concerning himself with non issues. For e.g. the curb being painted or why isn't there enough toilet paper in the bathroom. Physical attributes include those associated with the VW, cynicism for all things management, a hyper vigilence for things that don't matter and keeping the other sluggards from being fired.

3. The FNG (f'n new guy) - cajoled into joining the union and having a somewhat antiquated notion of hard work and a good work ethic the FNG is constantly making up for the fact that efficiency in the workplace is non existent. Physically marked by tremors from making up for the VW, he gradually develops slumped shoulders until the will to breathe let alone work hard is sucked out of him. Innovativeness and creativity do not enter his vocabulary. This usually but not always occurs sometime after being vested but almost always before retirement. At which point he gives in and becomes a VW.

4. The Management - Powerless to change the system...resorts to evaluating workers not on their performance but on punctuality. The time clock is divided into hundredths of a minute thereby giving management an excuse for a "discussion", an "investigation" a 3 day suspension or a "14 day suspension". At which point the Union intervenes to save the sluggards job.

So far the life hasn't been sucked out of me yet. I work for the glory of the LORD anyway. Check my label.

Comment(s) »

  1. What happened with the image shack hotlinking?

    Comment by Barry G.— 2007/04/09 @ 02:38 PM — (Reply)

  2. my heart goes out to you - if you come to arkansas, it's a right to work state. there may be a storm door in it for you...

    o.t. - i have my very first lunartick (moonbat) at curtains a.g. post. she "me" and farmer and daddio have been going at it since sometime this weekend. my bets are on the boys!

    Comment by nanc— 2007/04/09 @ 04:46 PM — (Reply)

  3. You'll be a VW in no time. Just don't have a breakdown along the way. Go with the flow, cause anything else is like spittin' into the wind. ;-)

    Comment by Farmer John— 2007/04/10 @ 03:19 AM — (Reply)

  4. Don't feel bad. When I was a first-year teacher in the Dade County School District, I also joined the Union just so not to make anyways with my new coworkers. I think the main purpose of the Union was to keep substandard teachers in the system for no other reason than that they had been with the Union for many years.

    Comment by American Crusader— 2007/04/10 @ 07:10 AM — (Reply)

  5. o.t. do you think imus is a brittlehaired honkie?

    ...i'm just askin'

    Comment by nanc— 2007/04/10 @ 10:16 AM — (Reply)

  6. Wouldn't that be a 'bewigged pimp'?

    Comment by the shalana— 2007/04/10 @ 04:54 PM — (Reply)

  7. barry I don't use imageshack so I don't know....fj don't worry I won't go over the edge..AC that's one of my points exactly.

    Comment by Elmers Brother— 2007/04/10 @ 01:20 PM — (Reply)

  8. So when's your next break?:wink:

    Comment by Brooke— 2007/04/11 @ 06:25 AM — (Reply)

  9. Maybe you need to take up a couple of bad habits now. They can't fire you for votin' (R), can they?

    Comment by Farmer John— 2007/04/11 @ 02:54 PM — (Reply)

  10. It won't be long before you are the union rep!!!!

    Comment by Barry G.— 2007/04/11 @ 04:47 PM — (Reply)

  11. Barry....God forbid it!

    FJ - I don't think they can but they are affiliated with the AFL-CIO so who's to say.

    Comment by Elmers Brother— 2007/04/11 @ 05:56 PM — (Reply)

  12. I wasn't pushed into joining the union when I worked in the public schools. In fact, the only teachers who bothered to join were P.E. teachers, who were looking for liability coverage.

    Hang in there, EB! Ignore the union as much as you can.

    Comment by Always On Watch— 2007/04/15 @ 02:47 AM — (Reply)

  13. EB,

    Shake it up there buddy.

    Comment by Joe Gringo— 2007/04/17 @ 08:45 AM — (Reply)

  14. Do they make you go to the union hall and smoke cigars? What percentage wise gets deducted from your pay for this privledge?

    Comment by Barry G.— 2007/04/17 @ 04:43 PM — (Reply)

  15. Barry the privilege costs $42 a month, no union hall

    Hi Joe...I'm working midshift and just haven't made much time for the blog

    Comment by elmers brother— 2007/04/17 @ 05:35 PM — (Reply)

  16. Wha...?!? Work and family in the way of blogging?

    Get your priorities straight, man! :wink:

    Comment by Brooke— 2007/04/18 @ 06:41 AM — (Reply)

  17. I still get a kick out of reading your titled post.

    Comment by Joe Gringo— 2007/04/19 @ 10:43 AM — (Reply)

  18. Gee, I'm surprised!?!?:shock:
    No FJ? To stir up sedition in the praetorians ranks...he's falling down on the job! He's acting like a bwack-bwack!:oops:

    tmw
    potash

    Comment by the merry widow— 2007/04/26 @ 10:49 AM — (Reply)

  19. Hey, I resemble those remarks! You must still be pretty busy working... but don't forget to drop us a line once in a while, elbro... let's us know how life's treatin' ya.

    Comment by Farmer John— 2007/04/26 @ 11:30 AM — (Reply)

  20. I'm still alive FJ....adapting to the mid shift and I have been dealing with a family member who is a member of the tin foil hat brigade. nanc and tmw are aware of the conversation. This relative (who we see on a biannual basis) decided he needed to put us on notice during my daughters wedding. Very bad manners. At first I tried to be polite and carry on a cogent argument with him. He got personal. FJ...he sent me 40 emails in a three week period! His imaginary egg timer kept going off like he was in jr. high because I didn't answer him quickly enough. I just finally told him off using his own words. He occupied way too much of my time.

    Anywhoo....sorry I haven't been around.

    Comment by Elmers Brother— 2007/04/26 @ 12:39 PM — (Reply)

  21. You haven't missed all that much. Sounds like your experience w/the family members was about what we went through w/a couple of trolls. But it's good to see you posting. Let's us know there's still a pulse, if you know what I mean. I get into these "clicking patterns", and you're still in mine.

    Comment by Farmer John— 2007/04/26 @ 02:15 PM — (Reply)

  22. thanks fj....I sent you an email with a sample of what I was dealing with

    Comment by Elmers Brother— 2007/04/26 @ 03:44 PM — (Reply)

  23. Say EB, NEWMAN doesn't work at your post office, does he?

    Comment by Ernie Els— 2007/04/26 @ 04:06 PM — (Reply)

  24. Newman and his family

    Comment by Elmers Brother— 2007/04/26 @ 06:10 PM — (Reply)

  25. I was once a member of a union when I worked at Great Lakes Steel in Rouge outside of Detroit. They took out union dues and I never recalled ever joining this union per se. A couple of years later, my mom, a shop steward, got invited to this huge party downtown Detroit at the Renaissance Center and we all got to attend. I met a guy named Jackie Presser there. He was a nice guy, very generous and even patted me on the back and said I must be a good kid because I was one of Marlene's boys.

    Comment by Steve Harkonnen— 2007/05/02 @ 06:01 PM — (Reply)

  26. I was once a member of a union when I worked at Great Lakes Steel in Rouge outside of Detroit. They took out union dues and I never recalled ever joining this union per se. A couple of years later, my mom, a shop steward, got invited to this huge party downtown Detroit at the Renaissance Center and we all got to attend. I met a guy named Jackie Presser there. He was a nice guy, very generous and even patted me on the back and said I must be a good kid because I was one of Marlene's boys.

    Comment by Steve Harkonnen— 2007/05/02 @ 06:03 PM — (Reply)

  27. Steve, I guess once a brother always a brother eh?

    Comment by elmers brother— 2007/05/03 @ 08:21 AM — (Reply)

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