So. I have been gradually becoming more and more radicalized by constantly reading the horror stories posted in this sub. I appreciate all of you. I work in unarmed security in NYC. My company is owned by mostly retired NYPD folk. They make a big stink about being proud to have a unionized company and whatnot. But they have a lot of friends that are lawyers, and have put down quite a few lawsuits that previous employees have tried to bring against them.
My problem is that in NYC, minimum wage is $15/hour. I understand that in many parts of the country, that sounds like a lot, but NYC is one of the two most expensive cities to live in in the whole country. This is below poverty wages. My job offers only $16/hour. As far as I can tell, this allows me to make enough to pay my union dues and make minimum wage. I'm struggling with this. I think that new hires should be making at least $20/hour. I even said this was my expectation when I applied for the job. I'm going through a divorce and have had to move out on my own after being a stay at home dad for almost 10 years, so I can't really afford to say no to a job that offered to sign me up the day I applied. But my reasoning for getting a security license was that, as it is a licensed position, wouldn't basically start a minimum wage. My employer also opted out of providing health insurance, citing that the union offers coverage. But the premiums for their offered insurance is over a hundred dollars, not really something I can afford when I can barely pay my own rent and food expenses and qualify for medicaid, which I have applied for and have access to. Why would I opt to pay an extra couple hundred dollars a month for health coverage that's not as good as the medicaid I have right now?
When I joined, a couple of weeks later, the union sent me some links through an email that is the digital equivalent to those old coupon books that organizations used to sell to raise funds. That's it. That's the extent of my union benefits. I have emailed them, numerous times, to figure out why they're sitting on their butts. I've even offered to work for them, because I know exactly how I would help my fellow employees negotiate for better lives if the union was short-staffed. They keep saying they'll call me, or telling me to call. They've never called me when they said they were going to, nor picked up any time I have tried calling them.
Why does it feel like I have to unionize my union job? Honestly, I'd be scared to, anyway, because the owners have police connections and good lawyers. I've been sending my applications out to other organizations, but haven't heard back yet from anywhere. I just really want a job I don't hate that I don't have to eat into my savings to buy food.