General Chat question...The International Association of Machinists (IAM) is actively "courting" non-union Blue Origin employees in Alabama.

04/21/2024 | Self

[know.your.why]

I know that unions are traditionally associated with democrats and I was hoping to get some opinions on whats currently going down in Huntsville "Rocket City", Alabama right now. The IAM is passing out fliers and picketing with signs at Blue Origins 1100 Explorer Blvd Rocket Engine plant trying to get employees signatures. Personally, I'm against it and was just wondering how people here my feel on the topic.

[know.your.why]

Thanks for any input for or against.

[Fai Mao]

Unions are the handmaid’s of the Antichrist. They do nothing for employees except ship jobs overseas.

[MV=PY]

I would never give up my ability to negotiate the price of my work.

[BudgieRamone]

IAM & AW is a bunch of lying scheming backstabbing bastards. Thats from a former steward. IAM was interested in helping everyone but the machinists they claimed to represent. When the negotiators(none of them machinists) got their new cars and whatever else the company promised them, they recommended buying the contract. We (Machinists) got screwed by the Aerospace Workers (Sheet metal, rivet bangers, wiring harnesses) side.

[ConservativeMind]

Unions should be abolished.

Each should handle their own employment, or have an agent handle it—not a union.

[Fido969]

They destroy companies and industries, and so must move onto new ones to be parasites on.

[citizen]

I am retired, thus out of the work force. I do live in Huntsville, AL.

Unions = NO!

[freeandfreezing]

Whatever you think about the benefits of having a union in your workplace, during the transition you will suffer.

Maybe somebody will get paid more ten years from now, but once the workers vote for a union you can say goodbye to any bonuses, raises, or whatever else the company used to do to keep the employees happy as the company figures out how to make a deal with the union.

[Chode]

IAM was the first union i was in, screw-em...

[Organic Panic]

Just more money for the party. Blue Origin has enough money and resources to just fire anyone eligible to join that union. They are not a production shop and there isn’t anything particular they have to keep in house.

[arthurus]

In a Right-to-Work state Unions can come into a company but the company and union cannot require membership for employment. No Union or Agency Shop.

[neverevergiveup]

Whatever people think of unions, if we are going to have them we need a taxpayers union. If the government indiscriminately and irresponsibly spends taxpayer money, taxpayers should be able to strike (i.e. refuse paying taxes) until a deal is struck.

[know.your.why]

"...there isn’t anything particular they have to keep in house."

Yeah? Watch this and then tell me Blue Origin has nothing to keep in house.

Machining Rocket Engines at Blue Origin's 550,000 sq/ft Machine Shop

[qaz123]

Huntsville is being flooded with a huge Liberal/Democrat tsunami. All government workers and contractors.

It won’t take long for someone to try and organize and make Alabama go union.

It’s going to be real interesting what VW is going to do. Shut down to another non-union state, Mexico, lay-off a bunch of employees after some number crunching.

Democrats destroy EVERYTHING.

[CurlyDave]

Whatever people think of unions, if we are going to have them we need a taxpayers union...

A far better idea is to outlaw unions representing government workers. Sanity will soon prevail.

[Organic Panic]

I stand by my remarks. Been in aerospace machining twenty four years now. Every aspect from napkin design to full production. Wax investment molds to parts and machining the titanium castings for major companies.

An I know Titan from Hawaii and sent much work to Auburn. Had a shop across the street before moving. Good guy.

[Waverunner]

My grandfather was the shop steward for a union in the 1920's when they sent in the Pinkertons to bust the Unions.
In the 1960's he told me that unions were not needed anymore as they had gotten health, safety, and retirement fund laws passed.
Now they are crooks, and they treat the workers like that Union Rep Sherman treated the farmers of Ga.

[linMcHlp]

bttt

[Clutch Martin]

The Railroad Union pays its employees retirement. RR retiree’s are exempt from the SS system. I think all unions should pay their employees retirement and be exempted from SS.

[know.your.why]

Been in aerospace machining twenty four years now.

I'll see your 24 years and raise you 10 more. But that talk dont mean diddlysquat and you should know it. Have you seen both sides of the fence? Have you worked in small dirty job shop third-tier contractors as well as the primary corporate giants like Boeing? Have you spent 34 years in CAD/CAM? Fixture design? Process improvement? Programming? Quality improvement? Lean manufacturing? Mill, lathe, laser, punch, press, HRSA with ceramics? You sound like a machinist. And you know Titan. How nice. Please stay on topic here. Titan is a celebrity. You knowing Titan says ZERO about your real experience in the industry. Right now you could say that every machinist at Blue Origin in HSV 'knows' Titan. I got news for ya...no one on the floor at Blue was real impressed with the guy as it was obvious to everyone there that the purpose of him being there was to use his image as a machining god to promote hiring at HSV Engines. Back to the topic. You saying Blue is not a production shop? I dont get that logic...you think Blue is some kind of prototype joint? Some kind of assembly plant like Boeing-Everett where ALL the airplanes parts are made all over the world and then fit together there? Are you high? You did not watch the video did you? I cant go into detail about the machines at blue due to ITAR stuff but dude...the LAST thing Blue has any resemblance to is a non-production shop. Blue is a state-of-the-art full scale start to finish rocket engine and rocket producing giant with long term goals that stretch decades into the future. Please watch that video again and count the number of 5axis DMG Moris you see. 5ax Mazaks. VTL's. Look closely at the new massive VTL's that are being set up. Look at the tooling area. You see those freshly poured concrete foundations? Now guess the size of the machines that they're supporting. You ever seen a 3200mm twin spindle gantry VTL with 4000mm max work diameter? Can you guess what just maybe might be getting turned on those things? Keep in mind that you're only seeing a tiny bit of whats all there in that 550,000sf facility. Look at the google satellite of 1100 Explorer Blvd, Huntsville, Alabama. You see all that area around that building? Guess who owns it? You need to do some homework dude....