Teamsters Local 492
Teamsters Local 492
 

×
Register an Account
Forgot Login?
Do We Really Need Unions In America?
Jan 26, 2015

What Do Unions Do For Me?

By Teamsters492.org Webmaster, Trey White

I am always amazed when I hear some say to me, “I don’t need the Union; I do my job!” That may be true, you may be the best at your job and never do anything wrong, but the Union still helps you in ways you probably are not aware of or are thankful for because they have always been there for you so you feel that’s just normal.

If you work in a Union job, you are most likely benefiting from higher wages and benefits like paid retirements, paid holidays and the big one these days; paid insurance. Even if you have to pay a little towards some of these things, you are still probably better off than your non-union counter-parts. You may not have chosen to work there because it is a Union job, but the reasons that you do work there were more than likely made possible by the very Union you don’t think you need.

The fact is; Unions raise the wages and benefits for everyone in this country, even non-union workers. The non-union competitors must keep their wages fair because if they don’t, two things will happen the non-union company does not want; first the employees will start to leave and then the remaining employees will start reaching out to Unions to organize them, we see this all the time. Companies do not want either to happen, so they try to keep their employees just happy enough to avoid it. But if there were no Unions, there would be no threat. Then wages, benefits and overall working conditions would drop.

The decline of membership in Unions coincides with the decline in middle-class income:

If you are still not convinced, read the list of benefits below that most Americans take advantage of, (even management) that would not exist if not for Unions making them happen.   

Did you know that labor unions made the following 36 things possible?

  1. Weekends off
  2. All breaks at work, including your lunch breaks
  3. Paid vacation
  4. Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  5. Sick leave
  6. Social Security
  7. Minimum wage
  8. Civil Rights Act/Title VII - prohibits employer discrimination
  9. 8-hour work day
  10. Overtime pay
  11. Child labor laws
  12. Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
  13. 40-hour work week
  14. Workers' compensation (workers' comp)
  15. Unemployment insurance
  16. Pensions
  17. Workplace safety standards and regulations
  18. Employer health care insurance
  19. Collective bargaining rights for employees
  20. Wrongful termination laws
  21. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)
  22. Whistleblower protection laws
  23. Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) - prohibits employers from using a lie detector test on an employee
  24. Veteran's Employment and Training Services (VETS)
  25. Compensation increases and evaluations (i.e. raises)
  26. Sexual harassment laws
  27. Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
  28. Holiday pay
  29. Employer dental, life, and vision insurance
  30. Privacy rights
  31. Pregnancy and parental leave
  32. Military leave
  33. The right to strike
  34. Public education for children
  35. Equal Pay Acts of 1963 & 2011 - requires employers pay men and women equally for the same amount of work
  36. Laws ending sweatshops in the United States

Paused
<< March 2024 >>
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Teamsters 492 Organizing Victory in NM at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

On behalf of Teamsters Local 492, I would personally like to congratulate all of the workers at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in this Local's jurisdiction, which includes warehouse workers, loaders, drivers as well as hostlers/yard jockeys.

TEAMSTERS VIP+ VOLUNTARY INCOME PROTECTION PLUS PLAN

We are pleased to announce a new Teamster Privilege voluntary benefit for Teamster members that provides additional financial protection if they can't work due to illness, injury or loss of DOT certification because of a medical condition.

TForce Freight – Article 44 Rail & Subcontracting Update

TForce Freight – Article 44 Rail & Subcontracting Update The IBT has reviewed the monthly filing by TForce Freight to TNFINC and pursuant to the requirements of the 2023-2028 National Master TForce Freight Agreement’s Article 44. TForce Freight’s for the month of January 2024 was 43.44%, which is under the 45.8% limit as of January 31, 2024.

Teamsters Scholarships Available

Teamsters Scholarships Available Click this article to read about the Teamsters Scholarships.

Correction: Notice of 492 Contact Info

Correction: Notice of 492 Contact Info 1/26/2024- Recently, an email was sent out with incorrect information regarding contact info for our 492 bookkeeper who handles Dues, Life with Dues, and Pension appointments, Monique Montoya. Her correct 492 office phone number is 505-344-1925 Ex. 12.

WCTPT Summary Plan Booklet 2023 Now Available

The Updated Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Summary Plan Booklet 2023 is Now Available in PDF Form. Also, building on the strong investment results of 2023, the Trustees of the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust have approved major benefit improvements.
Download: WCTPT_Summary_Plan_Booklet_2023.pdf

2024 General Membership Meeting Scheduled

The 2024 General Membership Meeting is now available to view. GM Meetings will be held in the Teamsters Union Hall (downstairs) at 4269 Balloon Park Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 unless otherwise noted. Click Here to view the 2024 General Membership Meeting Schedule
Download: 2024_Membership_Meeting_Schedule.pdf

2023 ELECTION RESULTS FOR LOCAL UNION OFFICERS

NOVEMBER 13, 2023 TO ALL TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION 492 MEMBERS 2023 ELECTION RESULTS FOR LOCAL UNION OFFICERS Teamsters Local Union 492 is pleased to announce the results of the election of the Officers for the Local Union for the three-year term commencing January 1, 2024.
Download: 2023_Election_Results_492.pdf


-
Teamsters Local 492
4269 Balloon Park Road NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
  505-344-1925

Top of Page image
Powered By UnionActive - Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.