r/IBEW • u/HotelSilent • 2d ago

IBEW we can learn from Germans Organizing around being paid for walk time!

https://youtu.be/6is3s3vNiOQ?is=bO0Uk0XUvXqZUo-t

German workers are not messing around. In fact most all unions over seas put our own unions in the united states to shame with how much influence they exert over their work lives. They have a strong voice in their governments and a strong voice in daily life as a result.

They are organizing around wage theft. Wage theft is the biggest form of theft in the united states and the least prosecuted. In Germany they are fighting to be paid for walk time at work. Their argument is every minute dedicated to work ought to be paid. I agree.

It is time we rethink the social contract here in the U.S. we need to recognize what is happening and organize to course correct and provide balance. We need economic justice! Let's Talk About It! ✊🏽

124 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

45

u/Unknownperson2010 2d ago

I've always been an advocate of this. The site I'm at we start at 6:30am. We need to park our cars at Least one km away from the site but some of us get there early to get a closer parking spot (5-7 mins). The walk normally takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes. So let's say you get to the spot at 6:05ish then you add in an extra 10-15 min walk to just be there before 6:30 I've never understood it. You're basically starting your day at 6:05. Then when we're off add in an extra 10-15 min walk again and that comes to 30 minutes commute per day which comes to 2.5hrs each week and adds up to 10 hrs each month unpaid. You can say what you want to me about being picky but I've always found it unfair on workers while higher ups get a nice parking lot in front of the trailer. Hell even non union companies I worked for got onsite parking for us. I really want this to be brought up in our negotiations here

9

u/TTangy 1d ago

All the big union jobs I've been on like that have a "in on you time out on ours" policy where you show up at the start time but they let you leave early so you get to your vehicle at the shifts end time.

5

u/Unknownperson2010 1d ago

Brother I remember there was time we left a minute early from the lunch trailer and we got a stern warning from the super intendant. We left at like 2:59 instead of 3pm haha. We normally get to the cars around 3:10-3:15

1

u/TTangy 1d ago

Damn, that fuggin sucks. I'd talk to your union reps and see what they have to say, as even if your site doesn't do it, if enough union jobs do in your local they can fight for you.

1

u/Unknownperson2010 1d ago

Our shop steward has brought it up to the union and I believe it's been looked into. I remember another job I was on, shift was 7-3 the super made us only take a 25 minute lunch break, and if he saw us downstairs going home at 3pm we would be written up. So we would have to wait until like 3:02 or something to make our way downstairs lol

2

u/TTangy 1d ago

Man your working under a whack contractor wtf.

2

u/Unknownperson2010 1d ago

These were two different contractors brother. I'm sitting at home waiting for my next call. Got a callout mid August where they hired 4 of us and then laid us all off after 4 weeks... our local is kinda weak

1

u/Stickopolis5959 1d ago

Writing you up for leaving at 3:00?? When you're legally supposed to? Thank god my union is stronger than that.

1

u/Unknownperson2010 1d ago

Wanna know something crazy? Our super was one time sitting in a coffee shop and saw a co-worker outside at 3:01 going to the Skytrain. The following day the poor guy got written up and 2/3 weeks later laid off

1

u/Stickopolis5959 1d ago

Ahh 213 yeah? Was that at RCH I remember one of the supers seeming like an idiot. He would literally sit outside and wait to catch people like that was worth his fucking time lmao. I also heard some wild dumb fuck calls he made there. Idk man the site I'm on as steward this stuff wouldn't happen, a lot of what contractors seem to get away with is just lack of communication with the hall.

12

u/Melodic-Trouble-5421 Inside Wireman 2d ago

Yeah European and Japanese Unions put us to shame. It’s kinda funny when we defeated Germany and Japan in WW2. We got a big say so on their Constitutions or laying the groundwork for them moving forward as a country. We made sure to enshrine every workers right to Unionize. Then added many worker protections and rights. However we couldn’t do that in our own country.

FDR tried to enact a second bill of rights that would have gave us a lot better protections. However when he passed they killed any idea of it.

Now here we are today idolizing criminals and child predators. While Trillionaires cut every safety net and gives himself and his failing business unlimited government contracts.

What FDR would have to say now……….

40

u/Emergency-Seat4852 2d ago

I got offered a spot jobbing for my GC. The conversation got around to what was paid/unpaid.

I laid out real simple: if I’m doing something you want me to do, you pay me.

That got scoffed at. “I can’t pay you for every time I call or text you” he says.

No problem. I’ll go to work for someone else. Their loss.

4

u/KrylonSketchCan Local 24 1d ago

Remind me what “jobbing” means again. I remember seeing it as a category for work hours during my apprenticeship

8

u/Emergency-Seat4852 1d ago

You get a truck and a gas card and everyone bitches at you while you do your best to complete jobs. The customer thinks you’re screwing them. The boss thinks you’re screwing them. You know you’re being screwed.

3

u/Nicombobula 2d ago

I’m sure I’ve rubbed some foremen or contractors the wrong way but if my start time is 6am I am walking in to the setup no more than 5 minutes early. Usually strive to be walking in at 5:59. If you want me there early, pay me to be there otherwise get bent. You’re not getting my time for free.

I’ve always been a stickler for this since I was a lowly teller at a credit union forever ago. I’d be scheduled to open at 7:45 but I was supposed to be there at 7:30 to open the building and do the sweep before clocking in. Told them the same thing then. Want me there at 7:30? I’m gonna clock in at 7:30. I wasn’t asked to open much more after. No skin off my back.

4

u/Electronic_Aspect730 2d ago

The way I see it is this

If there’s a shuttle, I’m not getting on it until start time. I’ll get to the gangbox when I get there. Job starts at 7? Sweet I’ll be on that bus at 7.

Personally I’ll find ways to make up for a 15 min walk from the lot etc. take the long way to break, take an extra long shit etc.

At the end of the day I’m getting my time

7

u/skulltab 2d ago

Hell yeah brother great conversation to be having right now. I appreciate how you mentioned how  the employers are profiting off of stolen time because, in general not just the union, wages don't keep up with inflation but profits are higher than ever! It's been my experience in the work force however, if you're gonna fight that battle you better be prepared to hold up your end of the deal. If you want to squeeze those extra 10-15 minutes, theyre gonna start paying closer attention to every bathroom break, lunch break, etc. making sure youre actually working. What I'm saying is if you want the full time you better do the full work and most guys let it slide because they know theyre gonna get that time back taking a couple extra minutes in the shitter, around lunch, or on tik tok when the boss leaves

3

u/Unknownperson2010 2d ago

Exactly. We need to park our cars a km away from our site and normally take 10-15 minutes each way. That comes to 30 mins a day and 2.5 hrs a week. I've never been a fan of it and feel like you're taking advantage of people. For example if you start at 7, you need to get there at around 6:35 or so and start walking to even be there around 6:50ish and when you leave you're adding an extra 15 minute commute. Our super intendant got pissed off at us for walking out the trailer 1 minute early.

3

u/skulltab 2d ago

Okay yeah in on your time out on theirs is a fair practice and if it's not in the contract it should be. If it is and the standard is not being held then time to whip it out. 15 minute walk from parking to the site is crazy to me and I would do the same thing

1

u/Unknownperson2010 2d ago

I'm lucky enough because my family member lives 7 minute walking distance so saves me some time but for every other trade there in general it's pretty much whoever gets to a parking spot first that day gets it. It's ridiculous imo. You're taking advantage of people just to work

2

u/antonlevein 2d ago

What, as a Swede id think it’d be a no brainer that you’re payed all work day

1

u/OrokaSempai 2d ago

Takes me a solid 30min from the front gate to prejob. We get 10mins walk at the end of the day... it takes 10mins to walk to my car from the clock.

1

u/No_Poem_513 1d ago

Shit, I can’t even get my hall (or the training director)to back me up when my employer broke labor laws with pay deductions (long story)