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Old 11-03-2022, 11:25 AM   #161 (permalink)
JSH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird View Post
Those are all for career employees. When you first start you are some kind of "assistant" which means no paid vacation, no medical for a year, no TSP, the time you work doesn't count toward tour retirement multiple. This status used to go on for an indefinite time, many were in 3-5 years before converting to career. Now they made it automatic after 2 years but still. That's a long 2 years when everything is run by seniority and there is only a single $.50/hr raise baked in the whole time. Also if an aera is short, those people are forced to work pretty consistently 60 hours and many places deliver 7 days a week.

Edit: I was wrong about the health benifits, the PO will contribute $3250, towards a health plan your first year. That probably changed with the ACA. Your 2nd year it's 65% of whatever plan you choose.

Sounds WAY better to me than working at a McDonalds or coffee shop for anyone thinking long-term. 2 years as a temp isn't that bad but could be better. (I think we are 6 months before the benefits kick in). 2, 5, 10, 15 years out that fast food worker or cashier is likely to still be in that same entry level job making entry level wages.

Again it is the difference between long term and short term thinking and most people are REALLY bad at thinking in terms of decades. The best time for someone to get into any union job is early - teens or 20's. However, most people in their 20's aren't thinking about medical insurance or retirement - they care about what goes in their pocket today. They aren't thinking about how great it will be to have 5 weeks paid time off in 15 years.

Yes, union jobs have everything based on seniority. It is rough early on but is great once you have put in some time and have first choice for jobs, overtime, and vacation.

Personal opinion - a union job is still the best job someone with just a high-school diploma can hope for.

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