Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with union

How many documents does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of my identity?

eatcake — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:11 -0800

I'm in the process of signing up for PenFed account and it seems like they are asking for a lot of documentation to establish my identity. Is this usual for them? Or am I just being paranoid? I applied online and when I called to set up my PIN number we went through the identification process whereby the CSR asked me about 10-12 questions about stuff on my credit history that only I would know. So great...that part is done. "Call back in 2-3 hours to get your PIN."

I called again today and the woman tells me they need even more documentation to confirm my identity. This time a copy of my driver's license, utility bill with name and address on it and a copy of my social security card, all notarized. Do they really need a copy of my social security card? Am I asking for trouble by making that available to people? Does anyone have a similar experience with PenFed and their processes?

Thanks in advance.

Unfairly dismissed, unfairly reinstated

Julia F***ing Sugarbaker — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:16:22 -0800

My father just won an arbitration hearing against his ex-employer. They were supposed to grant him retirement leave -- but they've found a way to force him to return to work. Help! My father has worked in the meat department of a large grocery store chain for 20+ years, and is in a union. Last year he complained to the union about some management policies that he thought were illegal; he went to the manager first, and the guy stupidly threatened to "get" him if he went ahead and lodged the complaint. Sure enough, shortly afterward dad was fired -- they alleged that he had made offensive jokes and threats of violence to co-workers. My dad has a spotless record going back decades; he told me that the list of charges was purely invented, and I believe him.

My father was within 11 months of retiring with full benefits when they fired him. He suffers from degenerative arthritis, which was slowly making it less possible for him to perform the full range of his duties, and was practically dragging himself across the finish line to receive his benefits. This had been a source of frustration to the company, but since dad was in the union, they couldn't do anything about it.

Since he was fired, he has been through a long arbitration process to challenge the decision -- over a year. He is now well past the time at which he would have normally retired. The ruling was finally delivered -- unsurprisingly, the arbitrators found that the termination was wrongful. Dad was owed his full retirement package (they declined to grant him any back-pay for the months he missed, however). They also ruled that the company would have to give dad his job back if he wanted it, but of course he doesn't -- he told me that he'd love to take it back out of spite, but that physically he just doesn't think he can hack it at all anymore.

Well, today we found out that the store is requiring him to work 520 more hours before he can qualify for retirement. I'm sure they're just buying time, counting on finding a way to keep him from completing the stint or finding some way to weasel out of giving him his retirement benefits.

Dad is looking into all this with the union, but they're impossibly slow in dealing with these sorts of things, and he could wind up working again as soon as Monday. Standing for periods of more than an hour cause him incredible pain and swelling. The medication that he has to take to control this have bad side effects, and make it less safe for him to be working around saws, knives, and other tools, especially in cold temperatures. I want to know what he can do to protect himself NOW, and what he should look out for while he's on the job. But basically any advice would help.

Union How-To

Jon-o — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:02:06 -0800

When is the right time to get Labor Union representation? Has anyone gone through the process of unionizing their workplace? What factors motivated you? What was the main indicator that your issues could only be resolved through a union contract?
Once you decide on representation, how do you find the union that represents your field of work? I've found unions that represent transportation workers, shipping, airplane, auto manufacturing, and all manner of transportation related labor, but none that represent automotive repair technicians or mechanics.

Do you remember the Glasnost Bowl?

srs — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:32:52 -0800

Did they really get the bright idea to host a college football game in Soviet Russia, and then have to cancel it because they couldn't sell enough vacation packages? The Wikipedia entry about the Glasnost Bowl has a bunch of outdated angelfire pages as its sources. The 1989 New York Times article that mentions it doesn't treat it as very interesting. I think it would make a publishable journal article if it's real and am looking for more info.

Does the whole EU have to fight?

Alec Loudenback — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:05:58 -0800

If a country in the European Union becomes involved in a major military conflict (politi-speak for big war), would it drag the other nations into it like other binding agreements in European past? I can't find any real yes or no online. I do know that the EU has it's own troops, but I am talking about if China decides to attack Germany, and Germany (as a sovereign nation) fights back, do all of the other nations have to fight too?

I understand that in a major situation like that, other countries would probably ally with Germany anyway, but are the legally bound by the EU constitution/agreement/treaty/other document of the EU?

Bonus points for specific references to a EU document/ other official source.

Tips for crossing the picket line

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:01:50 -0800

I work in an office that is union-organized and my job is a union title. Our contract renewal is being bargained right now. I want to be prepared to cross the line if we go on strike. I do not personally belong to the union, although I pay dues because my state is not "right to work". The last time the contract was being renewed, I found out that the union can penalize you financially if you cross the picket line while still a member. I think I should be able to make my own decision, so I resigned from the union. I've never asked for a refund of any dues.

If we go on strike, I will cross the line if I feel the company is being reasonable in their offers. I do not need advice on whether to cross or not.

What I need advice on is how to prepare for crossing, what to expect after crossing and how to deal with problems it may cause. I already plan to take the train to work instead of driving so there is no car around to be vandalized (not thinking the union itself would do anything, but we have some overzealous coworkers). Any contact info they may have for me is out of date by several years. There are a few people I work with that I am friends with. Some of those relationships may be hurt, but I am prepared to deal with that. I've talked with some of them about this.

Based on the reactions I got when I resigned and the way some people have treated me since, I assume some people will be rude to me and I'll be harassed when leaving work from time to time. That is fine, too.

Again, I do not need advice on whether to cross or not.

If you want to email me privately, write me at helpcrossing at gmail.com please. Thanks

The best (or worst?) of political doublespeak

Flying Saucer — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:37:25 -0800

I'm looking for examples of statements -- probably but not necessarily political -- that can be taken two very different ways. Here are two examples. If I could find any more, I wouldn't be posting this question:

Regarding the Vietnam war, Reagan said: "Young Americans must never again be sent to fight and die unless we are prepared to let them win."

If you were against the war, this sounds like an acknowledgment that the war was a mistake, and that young Americans died for nothing. If you were for the war, Reagan is saying that we could have won, but the government and/or the people lacked the will to see it through. Thus, the line pleases everyone and offends no one. Quite an achievement.

Recently, when car company executives were appearing before Congress, one of them said something like, "We let the unions force us into making promises we couldn't keep." I'm afraid I can't find the exact quote.

If you're pro-union, the exec is admitting that the company can't honor its union contract. If you're anti-union, the exec is saying that the unions "forced" his company into making bad decisions.

I'm not saying these statements are good or bad, but they're certainly very clever. Can anyone think of any other examples? I'm not just looking for contradictory quotes a la Yogi Berra or something like Oscar Wilde's quip that "Americans and British are divided by a common language." Those are close, but somehow not right.

I'm looking for a good credit union in NYC.

Optimus Chyme — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:36:46 -0800

I'm looking for a good credit union, but I don't know what I'm eligible to join. Basically Washington Mutual / Chase is god-awful and I'd like to join a small community credit union or something like that. I live in NYC. So, uh, what the heck do I do?

Stuck On An Ambiguous Barrel

DU — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:34:11 -0800

How do I say "no, unless..." to my boss's boss? A tiny bit of background: The company I work for is medium sized (several hundreds, maybe a couple thousand employees) but broken down into autonomous groups. It's a research place, so we have some of the positives of economies of scale but also some of the positives of small tech startups. My own group is about 100 people in 4 layers from "CEO" (group leader) to "staff" (software worker bees like myself). Actually, while my official level is "software bee" I'm the only software person working on a fairly large, fairly high profile project. So I'm a bee, but not a monkey.

I'm also a contractor. The place has great benefits (both financial and social, such as being able to use on-campus stuff) but only for regular employees. When I was hired, 4.5 years ago, I was told that sometimes people get "converted" to a regular employee and though I was never promised anything I did hold out hope. Occasionally I made noises to my boss (B) who brought it up with his superiors (he has no power to make those decisions).

About a year ago I decided to bring it up with the next level myself. (Our small size made this not a faux pas (I think).) My boss's boss (BB) was very...."encouraging" isn't quite the right word because it connotes that he encouraged me when it was really the things he did that made me feel encouraged. For instance, when I emailed him he wanted to talk right away and didn't put me off. He needed some information and set a date only a few days in the future for me to provide it, which I did. I walked away from that experience feeling like my "conversion" was imminent.

6 months later, I asked again what was up with it. He told me not to lose hope, it wasn't a dead request.

Today, I got instructions from BB to do a 15 minute presentation in front of the 100 person group. My first instinct is to say "Sure I'll do this extra work that I really, really hate...once I get the full benefits that any regular employee gets." But I don't want to burn bridges by starting a fight. And BB is a genuinely nice guy who may even have my interests in mind by doing this.

The reason it might be in my best interests to give the presentation: I told B this morning that "I don't think it's fair to ask me to do extra work when I'm not getting full, let alone extra, benefits." According to B, giving occasional briefings is something the company considers regular staff should be able to do. So perhaps BB is standing me up in front of everyone to bolster his case that I should be "converted". Then again, B told me this same thing last time I was asked to give a talk. BB has never said anything like this, at least that I remember.

So basically, the question is this: How do I break the news to BB that I am angry and frustrated without being angry and frustrated? I don't want blow this up into an "I'll quit if you don't convert me" thing. I just want to express the fact that I feel like I'm being taken advantage of, but without implying that HE is taking advantage of me, if you see the distinction.

Can they take my money without an agreement?

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:06:49 -0800

Can my credit union force me to make payments on my loans they hold? I maintain a checking and savings account at the local credit union, and have for some time. Additionally, I have an auto loan, a line of credit, and a credit card with them. My wife and I have our paychecks directly deposited to the checking account, but we manually make payments on the three loans. I'm in serious, no-kidding financial distress right now, and am not making payments on any of my other credit cards. In fact, the only thing I am paying, in addition to my mortgage and utilities, is the auto loan with the credit union. I'm sitting down today to write all of my creditors, asking them to renegotiate my outstanding balance, interest, and payments. This will, of course, include the credit union.

So here's the question: Even though there is no automatic payment plan in place, can the credit union take money out of my checking account to make payments for the line of credit and credit card that are in arrears? It will seriously mess me up, if they do, and likely through me into bankruptcy.

I'm in Florida, if it matters.

What would happen if a state (RI, purely for the sake of argument) were to secede from the US?

chrisinseoul — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:39:49 -0800

What would happen if a state (RI, purely for the sake of argument) were to secede from the US? Brainstorming for an alternate-future-history book and more after the jump. What would happen if a state (I'll use Rhode Island for the sake of argument) actually were to secede? A thousand questions stem from this one - please forgive me in advance if it's been answered elsewhere. Also, please forgive me if someone else out there might have a better idea - just steer me to the resources / people with thanks in advance.

The 'crazy idea' for a book would use an 'alternate-future-history' perspective - set in the world of today, tomorrow, next year, etc. Something (I'm not sure what) would happen in Rhode Island (or Texas or any other state for the sake of argument), and literally overnight the state government would lose control. Maybe it's a complete state government shutdown over a lack of money - whatever the case, it's as if people's eyes were suddenly opened, hastily remember the Declaration of Independence, rise up by the tens of thousands and take control of their own state.

Going forward from there - I could see a protracted legal battle, but in the meantime a number of other matters become increasingly crucial. Getting recognized as sovereign by other countries, having dealings with the U.S. whilst breaking free from their bounds (business transactions, etc. - the world we live in today is far more connected than any in previous civilization), creating a stable form of currency / money, creating a form of government that balances state / individual power, allows for productive members of society to be.... well, productive members of society :) And so on and so forth. Conceivably speaking, I could see the end of this fictional (but highly plausible) book to see our new nation-state being recognized as a sovereign nation all its own, beginning to assist other states in their own quests.

I've read enough legal talk about secession and the various legal arguments as to why if they could get in power they could potentially win... But then what? Presuming the US military doesn't get too enthralled with a second civil war or an invasion force of it's own people, how does a seceded state in this day and age co-exist peacefully with the union it once belonged to? Brainstorm with me!

Help me remember this movie...

smoothvirus — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:45:54 -0800

I'm trying to remember what the title of this movie was. I think it was made in the 1960's or 1970's in the U.S. I remember watching it on TV on the Sunday Matinee show in the 1980's. The plot involved this millionaire who wanted to attack the Soviet Union, he had a small force which was to attack Russia by driving trucks across the polar ice cap. All I can remember was that in the end of the film his plan is thwarted by the Soviets, who send planes to bomb the ice, and the trucks sink to the bottom of the ocean. Any ideas?

Are unions still relevant?

doppleradar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:47:01 -0800

Are unions still relevant? Why do we need unions now? Aren't safety, wage, and other concerns addressed by govt regulations/standards these days? Any distinct differences between right-to-work and union-friendly states?

I understand the importance of unions historically and philosophically, so that's not really what I am looking for here.

Project Get-Away-From-North-America

radgardener — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:52:54 -0800

I'm a 21 year old Canadian considering moving to Europe, and I'm mostly looking at Germany. What difficulties might I face? Which country might be the easiest to get a EU citizenship in? I have an incomplete Computer Science degree. Would it be worth completing if my goal is an EU citizenship? Might there be a skilled trade that might be in higher demand, and have better job security? I'm just sticking my toes in the water at this point.

Is it possible to buy .su email address?

damn dirty ape — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:04:38 -0800

Is it possible to buy .su email address? Ideally, this would be an xmas present for someone who could just have his mail forwarded from that alias to his real email account. I'm also concerned that a provider for this may not be very reliable, but that's ok as this would mostly be a vanity address.

If not, can an American buy an .su domain name without getting into some kind of trouble with ICANN (or whomever)?

Getting Russians to Listen

PoopyDoop — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 04:11:29 -0800

In the context of advertising and marketing in Russia, who are the opinion leaders and influencers for the 18 to 35 year old demographic? Who do Russians admire? Who is the cool of the cool? Specific reference to effective marketing campaigns in Russia would be awesome.

Pension benefits changing, argh!

Marky — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:58:24 -0800

They're changing the pension benefits. Can anything be done? Ever since I joined the union, the pension benefits have been the same. The major benefit is, on retirement or leaving the union, you could take a lump sum, or at 55 collect monthly payments. I just got a letter from the union today. It explained that due to an increase of retirees, the lump sum option has been eliminated.

This has completely thrown many of my coworkers retirement plans in the trash. We complained to the union president, who told us he had nothing to do with the pension, but if we raised a stink, there were other benefits that could be changed or eliminated.

Is this even worth talking to a lawyer, or are we just "in the hands of a vast and capricious power," where we just have to smile and take it.

Not-for-profit Insurance companies?

jak68 — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 11:57:47 -0800

Insurance Filter: So we have credit unions (non profit coop banks): Do we also have non-profit or coop insurance companies? Do such things exist? I mean for Health insurance, Car insurance, Homeowners insurance, etc.
It seems to me that a non-profit insurance company would give much better service than the for-profit ones (such as the ones "Sicko" criticized). I have a credit union as my main banking institution, and I absolutely love it - great service, no fees, etc. Wondering if similar cooperative insurance companies exist; if they do, i would transfer all my insurance needs to one of those too.
A quick search on google didnt turn up much information. Does anyone belong to a coop style insurance corporation? If so whats your experience with it?

I want an espresso machine.

sneakin — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 05:42:16 -0800

Can my partner and I still make use of a gift registry even if we are not doing a traditional ceremony-then-reception type event? So, my girlfriend and are going to tie the civil union knot. We are leaning towards just going to City Hall, doing the deed and then having a big ol' party sometime after. Here's the thing, I am greedy for some of the trappings of a traditional wedding-- like registry gifts. Is it kosher to still have a registry even if people won't be present to witness the nuptials? I guess I'm a bit insecure that the more non-traditional we get from our end (same sex wedding, no ceremony, etc.) the less traditional we are allowed to be in what we ask from our guests.

Opinions? Experience? Suggestions for other ways to do stuff? Thanks a lot in advance.

Am I a Union man?

jlowen — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:56:30 -0800

I've been offered a job as the political director of a regional labor federation. Should I take it? I currently work as the director of organizing at a small non-profit where I organize youth to push for school and community reform. I've been there 5 years and have a lot of respect and success at it. I am very happy with where I am now, but am always keeping a look out for new opportunities and challenges.

Today I was offered a job as the Political Director of a regional labor federation representing several unions and about 30,000 union members. The compensation package would be a good raise from my current level, and the Board of Directors (who would be my boss) seems to want to give me a lot of flexibility to shape the job into whatever I want. It seems like a great next step in my career.

All my organizing experience has been in communities, and I have no real exposure to the ins and outs of union politics. Does anyone have any experience with similar jobs? What might I encounter? What should I consider before I take the job?

I'd like my 7.00 a week back, thanks.

pieoverdone — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 08:36:03 -0800

How can I get out of a union? I recently got a second job working weekends in a grocery store pharmacy. I work 14 hours a week. That’s it. No more. No less. I was forced to join the UFCW. Union benefits kick in only if you work 25 or more hours a week but I am being charged union dues and an initiation fee. Is there any way to opt out of union membership? The take my money and give me no benefit. I mean, this is a pharmacy, not an asbestos mill. I would just write it off as silly, except that it’s costing me money.

Any Prosper.com Borrowers in Da House?

WCityMike — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:13:34 -0800

I'd welcome hearing of Mefites who have had experiences with the Prosper website as a borrower. (Or, if no one can help me on that, recommendations for Chicago or national credit unions accessible to most anyone.) My searches seem to indicate that lendors are pleased with their return for the most part, but I've found little feedback from borrowers about their experiences on the site. Although I very much welcome experiences or feedback on the site of any sort, my concerns are primarily with regard to security of the institution (it feels a bit Web 2.0 experimental, and I'm concerned what would happen if the whole thing went 'poof!'). I am also wondering if I would be able to find a loan for my intended amount — I do not own a car or a house that I could offer as collateral, but would ideally like to move a debt from three credit cards that is not precisely ... small. (I'd rather not name the amount unless I really have to.)

Over the last month, I've cut a lot of fat from my monthly expenses, but my last step is to see if I can find a less interest-heavy home for my credit card debt. (I also find myself resenting the zero-tolerance policies with one of my lendors wherein a payment made online one day late result in a rate hike and a late fee.)

Alternatively, can anyone share good experiences with, or recommend, credit unions that would be accessible to anyone or that would be available to an average Chicagoan?

Nokia and its Subcontractors

hexatron — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:55:11 -0800

Can anyone point me to a recent article or post about Nokia and its relationship to Finnish subcontractors and/or unions? I read it. Now that it has become somewhat important, can not find it. The article was in English--the official language of Nokia.

All Hail the Union

pomegranate — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 07:55:40 -0800

How do you find and pick the right credit union? I'm finally moving past the bank my parents picked for me 25 years ago, and generally taking more responsibility for smart personal finances. I'd like to move all of my partner and my accounts to a credit union, but I don't know how to pick which one. My partner works for a university now but soon won't, and my company doesn't offer any particular memberships. All the credit unions I see online seem local and really small, is that a problem? Would I get worse rates and benefits if I went with a larger one like Smart Financial? If you use a credit union, how's it going for you?

Prewitt Organizing Fund?

crabintheocean — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 20:10:05 -0800

Labor movement people... this is a long shot I know... Does anyone have any experience with the Prewitt Organizing Fund? (They're a non-profit who provide strategic support and experienced staff to (mostly?) Change To Win unions). I'm considering moving from one of the big unions to Prewitt, who seem very keen to hire me. It sounds like interesting work and a good deal, but I know very little about them, and I'm not in a position to ask anyone I work with.

So has anyone ever worked with or for Prewitt, used them for a campaign, or otherwise have direct experience of them? Are they legit? Is it a bad move? What role do they actually play on campaigns?

I'm not interested in educated guesses, unless they are very educated!