As a fine dining cook, I found work in a union workplace around a year ago.
My 40 hours a week are guaranteed except for Jan/feb/mar when thereâs not enough customers, I get paid almost twice what I did at any other restaurant, if I work overtime, (more than 8 hours in one day, or more than 40 in a week), I actually get overtime pay, (and itâs 1.5x my normal rate!).
I get holiday pay, and in addition I get to either bank or pay out my holidays if I work those days, (either a paid day off when I want it, in addition to the holiday pay, or I get paid an addâl 8 hours at 1.5x that week). I also get two floating holidays, 4 paid random sick days, 2 paid family sick days, and 4 paid âdoctorâs noteâ sick days, (paid out by our health insurance), as well as general allowance to take as many unpaid sick days as I want without worrying for my job security. (Iâve been told that taking multiple months off is where we start to be concerned about abuse, so if I want to do that, I can go through our leave of absence procedures instead, where Iâm allowed three 2-week periods a year generally for whatever reason I want, (If my manager wants to disagree, he has to get the union presidentâs approval), and after that itâs up to my manager to decide if heâll accept them).
I get two weeks of paid vacation time a year, and an addâl week per year for every 5 years I work there.
We get our legally mandated breaks, which, I know that sounds like a low bar, but taking anything other than a smoke break in a kitchen?!?! Unheard of! I get two 15â˛s and a lunch every shift! I get to sitdown and rest my legs and not get flak for it!
I get a bonus at the end of the year, thereâs official procedures for if my manager isnât happy with me or wants to get rid of me, (three meetings, during which my union representative has to be present), (and getting rid of my classification doesnât work, thereâs rules for how someone âbumpsâ other people if classifications are gotten rid of), and severance pay for when full-time employees that are downsized out of the company, thereâs a pension plan, like . . .
Guys, I have a 40-page handbook which details all of the rights my union has won me, and believe me, Iâve never had any of these at any prior workplace.
And you know what my union dues are? $4 a paycheck.
Of course Iâm going to pay my union dues for all of those benefits.
izzy806
turnnoffyourmind
theartofmadeline
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