Are you now or have you ever been a union member, and if so, do you or did you participate in union activities, demonstrations, etc.?

I was a firefighter but we were not allowed to strike. We had a good union.

Yes
Yes
Yes, no, yes, and no.
(in order of your questions)

I was a member of United Nurses Association in Alberta and went to meetings. We had to vote on demands for our contracts, address issues on our particular units, and do some rallying and helping- a new project that needed money and support each year. I was strong for awhile.

I raised two children as a UMWA family. For what it is worth. I just thought I’d answer. Did being a union member benefit me or my family? No. Did I support the union. You damn right. Every payday.

I was a Steamfitter apprentice for two summers. Damn good pay coming out of high school, and I learned a lot too. It was a good local, that made sure the workforce was highly skilled. But I wasn’t active, and since I wasn’t a journeyman I wasn’t a full member.

I am. I haven’t been required to protest but would if I felt it was a legitimate reason. I do attend meetings and functions (not all but some). In my past, in a company where they were abusing their workers, I encouraged everyone to join the union.

Yes, I’ve been a union member several times in my life.
No, I am not now a union member.
No, I did not participate in rallies and demonstrations, nor did I attend meetings.
No, I am not an agitator.

Yes, yes, and yes. I come from a strong union family. I am a proud member and am very active in my union (NALC) and have been a delegate to our national convention since 1998. I’ve been in rallies and have manned phones as a political activist for my union as well as the California Labor Federation. I’ve served two terms as shop steward at my office and multiple terms as alternate shop steward.

Workers of the world, awaken! Solidarity forever!

Yes, I have been a union member. I am not currently a union member, but my spouse is. I did not participate in any way other than by paying my dues. In retrospect, I’m not sure why that is. Both of my parents are union members, and the UAW has benefited my life more times than I can count, so I am definitely pro-union, and if there is ever a point in the future where I am again a union worker, I would probably be more involved.

I am a union member, and have gone to meetings, and walked picket lines during strikes.
I don’t consider that activism. It feels like being a good union member.

I have been a member in the past but a long time ago. They never did anything for me and I never did anything for them. They took what they wanted from my check and I took what was left. Kinda like the government.

As a teacher, I was required to be a union member. I objected, but they simply removed the union dues from my paycheck. I went to a meeting or two out of curiosity, but I couldn’t reconcile the idea of having both tenure and a union. I still think that’s a contradiction and should not be allowed. And not being able to opt out still infuriates me. I’m not against unions by any means, but I’m against unreasonable demands.

I’m retired now, but I was an active member of the CWA (Communications Workers of America) for 35 years.

I once walked a picket line, and that was in August, 1983.
We also had a strike in 1989, but I managed to be on vacation then, so I was actually paid for about 2 weeks of that one.

I also voted in several union elections for delegates and for strike authorizations.

Thanks to the CWA, we got 1½ times our regular pay for any time worked over 8 hours in a day or over 40 hours a week, a 401K for non-salaried employees, a dental plan, health care (although I now pay over $100 month thanks to AT&T and/or Kaiser), and paid vacations.

Thanks to the CWA, my own foresight, and my father, I’m now enjoying a comfortable retirement.

I was a member of a public employees union for a good while…..from my point of view all they did was take some of the money that I had worked for…..oh, and gave me no choice about it.
I am not a member now. Some of my co-workers and I were attending meetings to try and get some things changed but the union basically told us that all they wanted from us was our dues, not our ideas or input. No, I am not a union activist as you may have guessed by now…

My police departments very first union was established in the late 60s and early 70s. I was elected as it treasurer and stayed in that position for three years. Soon after, The Fraternal Order of Police was voted in by the sworn and civillian personell.

During the reign of The Independent Police Union (IPU), we were very successful in lobbying for pay raises, better healthcare for its members and protective vests for all sworn officers. We fought for many improvements in our department, like, bucket seats for the police cars, changing the color of our police uniforms from a white shirt to a dark blue, and although we did not have collective bargaining, the Metro Government essentially gave us what we had asked for. Most of our requests were for officer safety and their health.

In the early 70s, our department had gone without a pay raise for about 5 years. We knew money was tight in government, due to Nashville being the very first city in the nation, to be voted in as a metropolitan area(city). So, the IPU waited for the next fiscal years budget to be presented to the Metropolitan Council, on July lst. Again, no pay raise was presented to the council and the IPU members saw red. This was the closest our police department has ever been, to calling a complete strike in Nashville. Our police chief and key council members came to our strike call meeting that night and assured us that our much deserved pay raise would be granted in the next fiscal budget year. The IPU members voted to hold off on our strike vote for 10 more months.

The Metro Council and our police chief held to their promise. At the July council meeting, history was made in Nashville, Tennessee. Never before had any department been give three pay raises, within a ten minute period. Two raises were voted in before midnight and one other pay raise was granted at 1201 am. We held to our end of the agreement and the Metro Council held to its agreement, concerning our pay raises.

The Independent Police Union was a good driving force for a new Metropolitan Government and Police Departmet. I guess you could say we “grew up together”.

The Fraternal Order of Police was then voted in, by the IPU membership, to take over representation of the good people of my police department. The FOP today, continues as the nation’s No. 1 union to represent sworn and civillian employees throughout America.

Both my wife and I are union members (educators). We live in Madison, so we’ve been quite active in union activities and protests these last few months. It’s illegal for teachers to strike, but my wife has gone the “work contract hours only” route in years past.

What does that mean, @GladysMensch, “work contract hours only?”

I’m a member of the union at my place of work. I never go to meetings or demonstrations and I usually ignore any correspondance from them!!!