Our latest Area Standards Contract builds in a 3% pay increase for our crews every year over the next 3 years (the contract spans 3 years before being renegotiated).
Because employers pushed our union to the brink of strike last year many of our crews have become extremely vocal about their demands. Some of their asks seem a bridge too far to older members, who are sensitive to the give & take between employer and employee.
These (often younger) members are calling for wage increases to be tied to the inflation rate, which is in all likelihood technically unfeasible - I can explain why, if you don't understand the technical issues involved in making that happen.
A very thin, but vocal, portion of our membership are pushing for their jobs to be treated more like white collar tech jobs, which is tough for me to understand because film production is a physically demanding job.
Some of the employers are absolute shits.
Many are very professional, and make good will attempts to treat their employees fairly within the bounds of the agreements.
The widespread movement toward unions in these "lesser" jobs, like Starbucks, is tied directly to the financial conditions that the younger generation are facing.
Many feel they will never earn enough to buy a home, and the current buying spree of residential homes by large corporations has further moved home ownership beyond their grasp.
Brad's numbers are correct.
Most of the financial issues that face Americans now have happened during a period of low unionism - so tying it to unions is a talking point by politicians and people with money.
I still consider myself conservative, and I am sensitive to the historic cases of abuse by some unions. As a southerner my instinct about unions was formed by stories of automobile manufacturing unions getting crazy pay and benefits.
In my older years I have reframed my jealousy of their benefits.
Reasonable benefits are worth pursuing.
Many of the benefits our members now have took multiple negotiation cycles to achieve - which can translate into 12 years, 18 years, so they were long-pursued.
The back and forth is worth it, for the retention of good employees.
We love companies who step out and take care of their employees without prodding.
When that doesn't happen, collective bargaining is an answer.
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