I'm not anti-union, but I am a realist. I spent 4 years as a member of NPMHU, 5 years as a member of APWU and about 18 years with NAPS. For almost 15 years, I was Manager, Labor Relations. I've seen the good and the bad.
In the USPS, it's not about the money. The work rules are the problem. A Mail Handler can key 3 digit zip codes, but not 5 digit zip codes. A Clerk can move a container of mail if it is part of a mail sorting machine. Away from the machine, and the work belongs to a Mail Handler. Turn the machine off and ALL the equipment belongs to the MailHandler. A Mechanic (APWU) is the only one that can move a computer, but an Electronics Technician (also APWU) has to be called to plug it in (same thing with a wired telephone). Some (but not all), of the Union Reps spend 8 hours each day just looking for violations. Some employees (fortunately just a minority) file formal grievances on petty issues just so they can spend half a day sitting in the union office "writing their statement".
Until I finally fired the SOB
, one union president bragged about filing 3,000+ grievances each year. He had about a 5% win rate in arbitration, but his idea was to keep management tied up with cases so he could spend his entire day (including overtime hours) in the union office.
I'm not painting all union activities or stewards negatively, because some of my best friends are union officials and they too get aggravated at the archaic rules and the antics of some - but they want to get re-elected so they play the game.
I'm speaking only to the USPS - not other unions.
