So, for context, I have a coworker who I talk to a lot about different stuff. A lot of it is political. We’ve spoken about how unfairly resources are distributed among neighborhoods, I recently managed to convince him why billionaires (using the example of Bezos) are inherently exploitative of the middle class, and other stuff. We work at a unionized workplace. However, he does feel strongly about unions, and his points are entirely valid and based in real feelings and true facts he’s experienced. Here’s what he’s brought up, stuff I’ve explained to him, and actual proven examples that I’ve checked:
- our workplace allows you to keep working even if you don’t join the union. You also get to keep union benefits. This is something the union suggested.
- last year there was a huge teachers strike. Teachers had to protest in the freezing rain and would get fined by the union if they didn’t. He says this is a health risk. Union leaders meanwhile didn’t show up. I know this to be true because, well, my parents are both teachers.
- I explained that all our benefits and the benefits the teachers get are gotten through the unions bargaining. He says that while this is true, he feels the bad outweighs the good.
- He brought up some cases of my own high school that I know to be true. One teacher asked a 16 year old girl out, gave her roses and chocolate, and told the entire school she was the most beautiful girl at school. He got a weeks suspension and a slap on the wrist. Then he came back and is now the head of his department. Another teacher at the same school was constantly making a girl uncomfortable. When she reported him to the principal, the teacher fought the girls dad. Like. Physically fought. He was still allowed to teach. Until they found the man’s Twitter account. In both these cases, the rumour is that the union came to their aid. I understand that the union is legally obligated to protect all its employees but this inherently leads to harm, according to my coworker.
- he says that seniority is unfair. Basically, if someone has the qualifications for a promotion, but they don’t have more seniority, then they don’t get it because union rules says that seniority determines who is in line for promotions and raises.
I know most of these can be debunked, and I myself am pro union af. It’s because of my workplaces union that I have my rights at work, I’ve been helped by them multiple times, and I want to explain to him how unions are in fact a good thing despite his argument that they do a lot of harm because of the abuse of power.
Thanks in advance.