Currently working at a place that only has union stuff with the first shift, I don't know if this is because no one joined in second shift or they're just not particularly good at getting second shifters but after 90 days past and I could join the union I couldn't find out how. They have no contact available, there's no steward on my shift. The hr will often use the union as a sort of shield saying “well that's what the union bargained for”. I got a hold of one of the Union handbooks and they don't have any right to strike or slow down work. I'm about 7 months in now and finally figured out that everyone in the union is just first shift.
Right now I'm moving over to first shift starting next week Monday. I'm thinking I'm going to go to one of their union meetings first and then consider joining. It just bums me out because I know a few people that were looking forward to joining the union after 3 months past, myself included that have just wrote it off because they never approached us and we couldn't figure out how to join.
As things are kind of going, the management has lied on multiple occasions. For example my department wasn't slated for mandatory overtime of 1 hour but I was moved to a mandatory overtime machine. They're supposed to give us 2 days notice so I thought that was a little weird they were requiring me the extra hour (I had like 3 hours of sleep that day, and was not expecting to have to stay late). I brought it up and they told me it was still mandatory. I go and I talk to HR to get clarification on that rule and because I'm not paid any different and nothing really changes, I am not required to. Wildly enough they take me off the machine before the end of the night.
Honestly most nights if they just asked me If I could stay the extra hour I would but them completely removing the option I have a right to by their rules isn't okay.
There are a couple other things that I caught them on that really irritated me.
Do you guys have any advice on whether or not I should bring this up to the union, what I can do to maybe help improve outreach to the second shift? Even though I'm leaving it starting Monday, I don't want to leave those people high and dry. I was thinking maybe I could help them set up an email that interested parties could message or help set up meetings for second shift. I'm not sure.
I currently work in Wisconsin by the way if that helps
TLDR: join to Wisconsin Steel Workers Union job On second shift only to find out there's no one from the union on second shift. My managers are pulling some stuff that isn't okay (breaking their own rules laid out in the Union handbook). I'm looking for advice on whether it's smart to join this union given its possible disorganization, and things I can do to maybe help them. Thanks a time for your time I'll post an update when I find out more about it.