Associations, Guilds, and Unions.

[Icymudpuppy]

Today I heard a radio broadcast from the "International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 71". It wasn't calling for any action, or calling out any employers, so I'm guessing they were trolling for membership from private electrical contractors.

I am a member of a National Association for people in my industry. We have a magazine, and we organize training events and attract deals from manufacturers, etc.

I don't know of any organization that calls itself a guild these days, but I'm wondering what is the difference between tradesmen organizing themselves into a Guild, vs a Union, vs an Association?

I've never been a member of a union, nor a guild, but I am a member of several different associations which operate like clubs for the most part with very minimal membership requirements, small annual dues which usually just barely exceed the cost of the magazine subscription, and a pretty loose organizational structure.

[Anti Federalist]

Screen Actors Guild, one of the largest in the country.

A guild won't generally engage in direct collective bargaining for wages and benefits, IIRC.

That is the primary difference between guilds and associations and unions.

That, and unions tend to represent unskilled, "blue collar" labor, whereas guilds and associations tend to represent "professional" occupations.

[Icymudpuppy]

What about this "International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers". That is definitely skilled labor, and it is definitely a union.

Do unions have the ability to negotiate for benefits for self employed members to get group discounts at insurance providers?

None of my associations give me any group membership discounts on insurance or pre-tax retirement accounts.

Do guilds do that?

I'm curious about all this.

[oyarde]

Do not guilds set a minimum wage ?

[Icymudpuppy]

I'm guessing not many people here know much about unions and guilds.

[Anti Federalist]

I'm guessing not many people here know much about unions and guilds.

True guilds were wiped out centuries ago and, unless you're a government employee, the chances of being a union employee are next to none anymore.

The one and only union I was ever a part of has long since ceased to exist.

And this board would be the last place you would expect to find anybody that was unionized.

[Michael Landon]

And this board would be the last place you would expect to find anybody that was unionized.

I'm a union worker and pro-union.

- ML

[Anti Federalist]

I'm a union worker and pro-union.

- ML

Oh $#@!...

Umm, DUCK!

LolZ - All kidding aside, what union, or, if you don't want to give that info out, what line of work?

And what do find the benefits of union representation to be?

Having worked union (NMU) I found it to horrendously corrupt and top heavy, like dealing with yet another layer of government.

I'm still not interested in collective bargaining for wages and benefits, but I have come to the conclusion that some sort of association is needed to push back against the insanity of increasing regulation and work rules and international regulations that should have no damn bearing on wholly domestic operations.

[Icymudpuppy]

So, do tell. What kind of union? Is it specific to one company, or is it a skilled trade union, or some other organization. What are the pros and cons of union membership as opposed to being a free agent? Are people in your field barred from work unless they are union as is the case for many schoolteachers here in my area? In other words, does your union force companies to shut out non union workers, and if so, do they do it through negotiations with the company, or through laws and regulations? Does your union handle any state licensing, and if so, do they have a monopoly on the issuance of that licensing thus proving an unholy alliance with government? Does your union enable you to get group union rates on health insurance even if you work for different companies? Please specifically tell the benefits.

[Vessol]

I don't see anything wrong with unions, as long as they don't use violence in order to achieve their goals.

If they want to force a manufacturer to raise wages, they better be read for the consequences of say..that factory going out of business. I think after a few manufacturer's went out of business, they'd learn to stop being arrogant pricks and learn to actually negotiate and not depend on the fact that the government will give you money if you do drive your job out of business by demanding more money.