Want a better retirement?

[BuddhistPunk]

On 11/22/2023 at 11:38 PM, sparkey600 said:

A couple of things here....If you guys aren't happy how you are represented, then vote new membership in that will represent your membership as you would like to be presented. It's pretty simple actually. What Industry do you belong to? Wondering? Local 68 IBEW can help you people when your Union is not. There is Solidarity amongst all of the trades. Reach out and you will see they will help you and your Brothers and Sisters. ALL of the Industries need to be heard. Local 68 will help you. Reach out!

Can't say industry in public.  Lets say that last time we voted to strike, congress forced us back to work.  New leadership can't help, as the company has deep pockets and regulation to protect them.  One union is multi trade.  Any time the company breaks the agreement, the union simply tells us to put in a claim.  We might get paid for it sometime in the next year or so.

 

On 11/23/2023 at 7:58 AM, Might As Well said:

Unions?  To each their own, but this isn't the 1800's where we need to protect kids from working the textile looms in the country.  Unions have become special interest groups that dont have the Customer or the Business as their focus.  They are there to take care of their members, which is most times at the sacrifice of the Customer or Business.

"Hey...we all get a 3% raise!"  All the slugs cheer.  The performers or top performers are like "Really?  Without this stupid Union, we would have had 6% increases."

See someone with a union background on their resume?  Sometimes by accident those resumes get lost.

You would be surprised.  We are often asked to do things that risk our lives unnecessarily, as well as communities we work in. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by BuddhistPunk

[Kali Sensual Reiki]

On 11/28/2023 at 10:10 AM, Mustang87 said:

No union benefits for me. I do get my healthcare through the VA. Just no dental. I also get VA disability.  All it costs me was 10 years (and a knee and a shoulder).  So I think I'm ahead of the game. 

@Mustang87 dental insurance is not worth it to be quite honest. It is better to pay out of pocket for dental needs. I have yet to find dental insurance that pays for implants. I am fortunate I don’t need implants!  thank goodness. Those implants are as much as an education at a university. No not really, but they do cost  quite a bit of money! 

[sparkey600]

18 hours ago, Might As Well said:

Fair to say no one here except you gauges success on the number of posts one makes to TOB.  

Nice try junior.

BTW, I've heard you're making A LOT OF FRIENDS on here. Keep up the good work! You're killing it!

YAY You! You MILLIONAIRE YOU!

[Might As Well]

15 hours ago, Hobby Hobbit said:

Nah.

"This highway leads to the shadowy tip of reality: you're on a through route to the land of the different, the bizarre, the unexplainable...Go as far as you like on this road. Its limits are only those of mind itself. Ladies and Gentlemen, you're entering the wondrous dimension of imagination. Next stop..."

LOL...well I guess you gauge success on the number of posts one makes to TOB as well.  To each their own on that one.

[Hobby Hobbit -Banned]

5 hours ago, Might As Well said:

LOL...well I guess you gauge success on the number of posts one makes to TOB as well.  To each their own on that one.

Not at all!

[Might As Well]

19 hours ago, sparkey600 said:

Nice try junior.

BTW, I've heard you're making A LOT OF FRIENDS on here. Keep up the good work! You're killing it!

YAY You! You MILLIONAIRE YOU!

Yup....$1.6M and counting.  How about you?

[sparkey600]

5 hours ago, Might As Well said:

Yup....$1.6M and counting.  How about you?

I for one would never disclose that kind of information here or any place else for that matter.

You are bragging. Nobody here like that. Nobody. Like I said, you are making a lot of of friends here.

I see you and Happy Hobbit are becoming fast friends good for you both, you will need one another so you both have someone to like one another's posts!

I'm glad you found a friend here, Country Club! YAY! AT LAST!

[Hobby Hobbit -Banned]

9 hours ago, sparkey600 said:

I for one would never disclose that kind of information here or any place else for that matter.

You are bragging. Nobody here like that. Nobody. Like I said, you are making a lot of of friends here.

I see you and Happy Hobbit are becoming fast friends good for you both, you will need one another so you both have someone to like one another's posts!

I'm glad you found a friend here, Country Club! YAY! AT LAST!

I imagine you white knights and sand castle princesses have very little to do besides confer about the few contrarians there are are but, why do you speak for everyone so often? Why do you reference the Hobbit so much? Why do you think making friends is the end goal, for everyone? Why do you care who likes anyone's posts? More Romper Room than adult forum, the 5 year old that comes across the screen from you is beyond pathetic.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Hobby Hobbit

[Might As Well]

10 hours ago, sparkey600 said:

I for one would never disclose that kind of information here or any place else for that matter.

You are bragging. Nobody here like that. Nobody. Like I said, you are making a lot of of friends here.

I see you and Happy Hobbit are becoming fast friends good for you both, you will need one another so you both have someone to like one another's posts!

I'm glad you found a friend here, Country Club! YAY! AT LAST!

Not bragging at all.  Used that figure to illustrate a point.  I could care less about making friends here or about how many posts a person makes.  I mean really...who give a rats ass about that?  

[gr8owl]

Not to interrupt and return to original topic but:

The reason we don't seem to much need unions these days is because we have unions.  If we did not have unions we would still be living the shortened lives of workers under the Robber Barons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Anyone snorting and sniffing about "union slugs" needs to learn even minimal history.  

The above said, not all unions are created equal.  I have seen, indeed worked for organization with a totally irrelevant and worthless union (never a member - engineers not welcome).  But there are others that are much more in keeping with Sparky's description.  Although the "no cost to employee" thing ignores union dues taken out of pay check which can be substantial.  I would also note that the union retirement plans are only golden and reliable long as the fund remains solvent.  Many have gone bankrupt and benefits whacked or minimized.  No one should put all retirement eggs in one basket no matter what.

Best advice I ever heard was from a very successful client of the consulting firm I was working for at the time.  I doubt he originated the advice but he was the first one to get my attention and clearly lay out the wisdom in it.  What he told me was "always pay yourself first."  Specifically whatever amount your budget and expense situation will allow even if it is a small amount earlier in career the better identify an amount to go to savings every month, no matter what.  Literally comes out before anything else.  Always pay yourself and do it first.  Increase the amount as you can.  Start early - in 20's - make wise investments (no high risk bs.) and stick to it and your retirement will be golden.  Don't do it and depend solely on promised pensions and social security etc. - good luck with that.

[sparkey600]

15 hours ago, Might As Well said:

Not bragging at all.  Used that figure to illustrate a point.  I could care less about making friends here or about how many posts a person makes.  I mean really...who give a rats ass about that?  

Then why are you on here?

[sparkey600]

14 hours ago, gr8owl said:

Not to interrupt and return to original topic but:

The reason we don't seem to much need unions these days is because we have unions.  If we did not have unions we would still be living the shortened lives of workers under the Robber Barons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Anyone snorting and sniffing about "union slugs" needs to learn even minimal history.  

The above said, not all unions are created equal.  I have seen, indeed worked for organization with a totally irrelevant and worthless union (never a member - engineers not welcome).  But there are others that are much more in keeping with Sparky's description.  Although the "no cost to employee" thing ignores union dues taken out of pay check which can be substantial.  I would also note that the union retirement plans are only golden and reliable long as the fund remains solvent.  Many have gone bankrupt and benefits whacked or minimized.  No one should put all retirement eggs in one basket no matter what.

Best advice I ever heard was from a very successful client of the consulting firm I was working for at the time.  I doubt he originated the advice but he was the first one to get my attention and clearly lay out the wisdom in it.  What he told me was "always pay yourself first."  Specifically whatever amount your budget and expense situation will allow even if it is a small amount earlier in career the better identify an amount to go to savings every month, no matter what.  Literally comes out before anything else.  Always pay yourself and do it first.  Increase the amount as you can.  Start early - in 20's - make wise investments (no high risk bs.) and stick to it and your retirement will be golden.  Don't do it and depend solely on promised pensions and social security etc. - good luck with that.

Thanks Gr8owl. I have lived my life as "always pay yourself" first. Always. Yes it's very and unfortunately true some Unions have gone under. These are I hate to say 100% unskilled Unions, which I was not talking about in my previous rant. Everybody that knows me knows I love to rant. The Trade Union I belong to is very solvent 300 Billion in cash assets the last financial report I read. Regardless whatever your retirement might be. Gr8owl said it best: ALWAYS pay yourself first. Before you pay any bill, tuck something away into your savings or your retirement account. You can't go wrong investing in your future!

[sparkey600]

14 hours ago, gr8owl said:

Not to interrupt and return to original topic but:

The reason we don't seem to much need unions these days is because we have unions.  If we did not have unions we would still be living the shortened lives of workers under the Robber Barons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Anyone snorting and sniffing about "union slugs" needs to learn even minimal history.  

The above said, not all unions are created equal.  I have seen, indeed worked for organization with a totally irrelevant and worthless union (never a member - engineers not welcome).  But there are others that are much more in keeping with Sparky's description.  Although the "no cost to employee" thing ignores union dues taken out of pay check which can be substantial.  I would also note that the union retirement plans are only golden and reliable long as the fund remains solvent.  Many have gone bankrupt and benefits whacked or minimized.  No one should put all retirement eggs in one basket no matter what.

Best advice I ever heard was from a very successful client of the consulting firm I was working for at the time.  I doubt he originated the advice but he was the first one to get my attention and clearly lay out the wisdom in it.  What he told me was "always pay yourself first."  Specifically whatever amount your budget and expense situation will allow even if it is a small amount earlier in career the better identify an amount to go to savings every month, no matter what.  Literally comes out before anything else.  Always pay yourself and do it first.  Increase the amount as you can.  Start early - in 20's - make wise investments (no high risk bs.) and stick to it and your retirement will be golden.  Don't do it and depend solely on promised pensions and social security etc. - good luck with that.

Sorry, you are right about one thing also, Union dues. I pay about 70 bucks out of my pay check per week and 78 bucks per quarter. But Union pay is over 45% higher than non Union pay in our sector, so the average worker is taking home a much higher pay, plus dental, vision, health insurance. And a very nice 401k, 4 bucks an hour paid by the employer and the Union retirement that comes out to about 6 bucks an hour.

 Pretty good wage package.

[Might As Well]

3 hours ago, sparkey600 said:

Then why are you on here?

On TOB?  That's obvious.

On this string?  Always good to do my part in sharing how horrible unions are and looks like the majority of the workforce in the country agrees with me.  Graph below.

[Kali Sensual Reiki]

On 12/2/2023 at 10:03 AM, gr8owl said:

Not to interrupt and return to original topic but:

The reason we don't seem to much need unions these days is because we have unions.  If we did not have unions we would still be living the shortened lives of workers under the Robber Barons of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Anyone snorting and sniffing about "union slugs" needs to learn even minimal history.  

The above said, not all unions are created equal.  I have seen, indeed worked for organization with a totally irrelevant and worthless union (never a member - engineers not welcome).  But there are others that are much more in keeping with Sparky's description.  Although the "no cost to employee" thing ignores union dues taken out of pay check which can be substantial.  I would also note that the union retirement plans are only golden and reliable long as the fund remains solvent.  Many have gone bankrupt and benefits whacked or minimized.  No one should put all retirement eggs in one basket no matter what.

Best advice I ever heard was from a very successful client of the consulting firm I was working for at the time.  I doubt he originated the advice but he was the first one to get my attention and clearly lay out the wisdom in it.  What he told me was "always pay yourself first."  Specifically whatever amount your budget and expense situation will allow even if it is a small amount earlier in career the better identify an amount to go to savings every month, no matter what.  Literally comes out before anything else.  Always pay yourself and do it first.  Increase the amount as you can.  Start early - in 20's - make wise investments (no high risk bs.) and stick to it and your retirement will be golden.  Don't do it and depend solely on promised pensions and social security etc. - good luck with that.

Pay yourself first! Amen to that! I said that first @gr8owl 🤣 AISO it is not about how much you make. It is better to note how well you save or invest. 

https://www.nerdwallet.com/m/credit-cards/make-all-the-right-money-mo Check your interest rate out and compare it with otherbans

[Kali Sensual Reiki]

Banks 

[sparkey600]

18 hours ago, Might As Well said:

On TOB?  That's obvious.

On this string?  Always good to do my part in sharing how horrible unions are and looks like the majority of the workforce in the country agrees with me.  Graph below.

And everyone wonders why the homeless problem continuers to grow. Rich dicks like you don't pay employees a livable wage, while you have the audacity to brag about how much money you make. Shame on you! SHAME ON YOU!

[Might As Well]

6 hours ago, sparkey600 said:

And everyone wonders why the homeless problem continuers to grow. Rich dicks like you don't pay employees a livable wage, while you have the audacity to brag about how much money you make. Shame on you! SHAME ON YOU!

Never bragged how much money I make.  I stated what my current net worth is, which is very different than a person's income.  And today Ill be out in the field with one of my plumbers and you guessed it.  Another never union guy.

Here's one for you....I've never seen a union slug, organizer or supporter go out, start a business of any type and make sure that their business is a union shop.  Not once.  Think about that.

Unions.  Down to 11-ish% of the US workforce and dropping.  Can we get to 8% sooner than later?

And homeless?  Not even worth a moment of my time.

[ilovewomen]

On 11/27/2023 at 4:30 AM, Might As Well said:

You are a slug, because you are part of a Union.  Simple as that.

And Im not a multi-millionaire.  That will happen in the next 2-3 years.  If you could comprehend my post, that would have helped you.  A $1.6M net worth?  That's a millionaire.  I've checked that box.  Having a net worth of $2.0M and above?  That's a multi-millionaire.

And net worth?  That's assets minus liabilities.  Get that....union slug?

Bragging about you supposed net worth and future net worth? BFD. You’re not impressing anyone.

While I don’t care to be in a union (I became management), you are out of line degrading someone who strongly believes in unions.

 

[Might As Well]

14 minutes ago, ilovewomen said:

Bragging about you supposed net worth and future net worth? BFD. You’re not impressing anyone.

While I don’t care to be in a union (I became management), you are out of line degrading someone who strongly believes in unions.

 

Didnt brag one bit...just a statement of fact.  People have different feelings about transparency with money.  I get that and could care less about impressing anyone, let alone here.  Used it to illustrate you dont need a union to have a net worth that is worth something.

Calling a union supporter what they are?  Will do that all day long.  

[Hobby Hobbit -Banned]

8 hours ago, Might As Well said:

Never bragged how much money I make.  I stated what my current net worth is, which is very different than a person's income.  And today Ill be out in the field with one of my plumbers and you guessed it.  Another never union guy.

Here's one for you....I've never seen a union slug, organizer or supporter go out, start a business of any type and make sure that their business is a union shop.  Not once.  Think about that.

Unions.  Down to 11-ish% of the US workforce and dropping.  Can we get to 8% sooner than later?

And homeless?  Not even worth a moment of my time.

An independent thinker to a fault, the entrepreneurial path has worked best and superseded any type of lifelong union participation for me.

Closer to 11% for electricians according to this article https://theblackwellfirm.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-working-union-or-non-union-as-an-electrician, the OP's claims of a 45% differential need serious scrutiny but, adding better health insurance and other benefits to the premise a safe bet, there's no denying unionized workers make more than non-unionized, something (M/B/Z)illionaire cats will love, no time soon.

However, recent polling shows support for unions has actually increased since COVID but not their membership ranks. Why is that? The power of programming. In this case, it's got sheep thinking they will grow up to be Wolves of Wall Street one day. That ain't gonna happen. Meanwhile, from social security, welfare, ACA (Obamacare), to unionization, the power of group-think has the statistically less educated, definitively lower-income Republicans voting against their own best interests, which for the masses is much, much closer to socialism than capitalism, as we all watch the income divide grow wider and wider, and the (M/B/Z)illionaire cats laughing their asses all the way to the bank.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Hobby Hobbit

[gr8owl]

1 hour ago, Might As Well said:

 

Calling a union supporter what they are?  Will do that all day long.  

So you would support a return to the Robber Baron era?

  Sparkey was correct - you are a dick, and not in a good way.

[BuddhistPunk]

On 12/3/2023 at 4:24 AM, Might As Well said:

On TOB?  That's obvious.

On this string?  Always good to do my part in sharing how horrible unions are and looks like the majority of the workforce in the country agrees with me.  Graph below.

On 11/25/2023 at 5:10 AM, Might As Well said:

 

That's a bit flawed.  I doubt you're taking into account regulations that weaken unions.  I'm sure the numbers would be higher if starting a union was easier.  This is coming from someone that isn't super pro-union and understands it could kill some industries.  Unions have their place and you failing to recognize that leads me to belive you've never worked for a really horrible corporation.

[Might As Well]

52 minutes ago, gr8owl said:

So you would support a return to the Robber Baron era?

  Sparkey was correct - you are a dick, and not in a good way.

Graph below.  Im part of the 89% of the US workforce that has no interest in a union.  The other 11% and shrinking?  Union.   

The rest of your thought?  Whoopie doo.

[gr8owl]

1 hour ago, Might As Well said:

Graph below.  Im part of the 89% of the US workforce that has no interest in a union.  The other 11% and shrinking?  Union.   

The rest of your thought?  Whoopie doo.

Whoopie for your claim that unions ,must be "slug" infested if the number of union members is shrinking.  Like saying Kia sells more cars than BMW so they must be superior.  Explain why you want to return to the Robber Baron days (doubt you have a clue what that even means) or some well thought out and brilliant reason for why being union free would not take us right back.

[TML93]

1 hour ago, Might As Well said:

Graph below.  Im part of the 89% of the US workforce that has no interest in a union.  The other 11% and shrinking?  Union.   

The rest of your thought?  Whoopie doo.

This graph show how many Americans are in a union, not want to be in a union.  I think you are conflating the two.  Both could be true, but it is also possible there are Americans that are interested in a union but are unable to.  I think the reason for declining numbers of union members in America is much more complex than people don't want to be in a union.  Economics, labor laws, and technology changes are all factors.

[Might As Well]

54 minutes ago, TML93 said:

This graph show how many Americans are in a union, not want to be in a union.  I think you are conflating the two.  Both could be true, but it is also possible there are Americans that are interested in a union but are unable to.  I think the reason for declining numbers of union members in America is much more complex than people don't want to be in a union.  Economics, labor laws, and technology changes are all factors.

Fair point on my comment on the graph.  How about this?  Net net.  All things considered.  Only 11% of the US workforce are in unions.  If that work model was so awesome.  So needed.  So beneficial to the Customer, Company and Employee, then the trend line would be going the opposite way.  I can't wait for it to sink to 8%....then 7%....etc.

[Might As Well]

1 hour ago, gr8owl said:

Whoopie for your claim that unions ,must be "slug" infested if the number of union members is shrinking.  Like saying Kia sells more cars than BMW so they must be superior.  Explain why you want to return to the Robber Baron days (doubt you have a clue what that even means) or some well thought out and brilliant reason for why being union free would not take us right back.

I dont have to go point by point.  Fact is that that unions are a flat out waste and the US workforce is speaking.  If it was so awesome, the trend would be going the opposite way.  

Give me a motivated non-union charter school teacher all day long vs some slug who is tenured and still thinks the world is flat.  And yes...unions are flat out slug infested.  

[Hobby Hobbit -Banned]

4 hours ago, Might As Well said:

I dont have to go point by point.  Fact is that that unions are a flat out waste and the US workforce is speaking.  If it was so awesome, the trend would be going the opposite way.  

Give me a motivated non-union charter school teacher all day long vs some slug who is tenured and still thinks the world is flat.  And yes...unions are flat out slug infested.  

Again, the US workforce is speaking: we want unions! And when do we want it? NOW! https://www.axios.com/2023/01/23/union-members-fall-labor-popularity-rises. Ignoring or indulging yourself in corporate interests, you're giving peasants way too much credit for making good choices. Good as in, in their best interests.

If these guys think finding good pussy is hard, they have no idea all the back channeling it takes for two dozen states to pass "Right to Work" laws, making collective bargaining yesterday's news, while stripping just about all employment protections out of the equation. It's CAPITALISM font yuge.

Incidentally. Fuck what you heard. Shout out to those California strippers that got it done! Woot! Well on their way to minimum wage plus tips, that shit got good to them and they'll be collecting unemployment in no time. https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Nations-Only-Unionized-Strippers-to-Stage-Unfair-Labor-Practice-Strike-in-LA-20231204.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Hobby Hobbit

[Hobby Hobbit -Banned]

8 hours ago, gr8owl said:

So you would support a return to the Robber Baron era?

  Sparkey was correct - you are a dick, and not in a good way.

Interesting point you make there, "gr8" one.

http://www.marxists3va6eopxoeiegih3iyex2zg3tmace7afbxjqlabmranzjjad.onion/archive/harman/1989/xx/transition.html

Edited December 5, 2023 by Hobby Hobbit