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From: njh@wjh12.UUCP (horton)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Union Opinion
Message-ID: <451@wjh12.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Apr-84 14:06:24 EST
Article-I.D.: wjh12.451
Posted: Fri Apr 13 14:06:24 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Apr-84 00:48:28 EST
References: <7100053@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Organization: Harvard University PSR, Cambridge MA
Lines: 35

x
	During my senior year in high school, I worked 20-30 hours a
week at a local supermarket as a cashier.  We joined the local union
(UFCW #1262 of Northern New Jersey and vicinity).  There were roughly
5 Shop-Rites in the area, and we were the only unionized store around.
	I noticed several things, both good and bad, about working
there:

1) management could make life difficult if you didn't do a good job.
There were very established procedures for reprimands, which kept most
people in line.  it was, however, tough to fire someone.

2) people were stuck in their assigned positions; they couldn't be
reassigned without their consent.  This caused a lack of flexibility
on management's part when there were shortages of people.

3) there was a confrontational atmosphere about the place (they had
struck six months before I started work), but which provided a feeling
of cameraderie for labor.

4) we made lots more than other cashiers in the area, had generous
benefits, and *people stayed there longer*.  turnover means bad news
in the supermarket industry.


	Because of my year at Shop-Rite, I am fairly strongly
pro-union.  While I feel no such need for protection at the moment,
there were a number of abuses which were corrected by the union.  At
the same time, management profited from the consistency and unity we
had, which had positive effects on productivity.  It was a happy
medium which I know is not represented in every other union. 

-- 
Nicholas Horton		Harvard Arts & Sciences Computer Services
			{decvax,linus}!genrad!wjh12!njh