PDA

View Full Version : When I worked for Budweiser,,,



Trailer Park Casanova
10-14-2003, 09:38 PM
When I got out of the Marines, I got a job for Budweiser. A former commanding officer I was under in Viet Nam was now the personel manager for Bud, so I got hired on the spot.
It was good for a while,, sometimes it was great.
We had tropical birds around that could immitate anything like garbage trucks backing up, delivery drivers yelling out my name "Is Ross Here?", pagers going off,, the birds had the sounds down perfect.
You could bring your dog to work, you could drink beer on the job,, and yes, the story of a 6 minute beer break every hour is true. It ended when an employee ran down some kids in a crosswalk in front of the brewery.
OK,, that really sucked, awfull and tragic,, and it brought about needed changes for the good.
The point of this post is that while I worked there,,,, we were almost always on strike.
One barganing unit would settle,, then the bottlers, or warehousemen or some other bargaining unit struck,, and we would honor it. It was on and off for years.
I started up my own Air Conditioning biz during this time and finally never went back to BUD.
Talk about turning a lemon into lemonaide.
Some of the property Budweiser owned is next to the nearby Van Nuys airport. The aircraft controllers had a building that the Feds rented from Bud and they manned some air traffic control equipment there.
When we were on strike,, we asked the Air Controllers to not cross our picket line. Their answer:
"We're under contract to not strike,,, we have to cross"
OK, a short time later the Aircraft Controllers held a wildcat strike and asked us not to cross their picket line,,, we mentioned to them what they had told us on our picket line a few months earlier,,,,
Bottom line:
The controllers were asking for the same pay as pilots,, in those days over $50 an hour and they lost. You know the story, no sympathy from anyone.
Think about that, probably the equlivant to $150.00 per hour today.
I think the grocery workers aren't asking for very much. Mostly holding on to benefits. Several newservices are reporting different things the union wants. Damfino.
If you don't like unions,, then let me point to Disneyland.
Until the mid 70's, Disneyland was an excellent place. The management busted the Union in, I think it was 1976. The super, excellent, dedicated career employees left,, and now the place is a mere shadow and nothing like what it once was.
Some of the regulars on this board are absent because they're walking the picket line at their store.
I've been in their shoes and I feel for them. No paycheck, the prospect of reduced pay and benefits, not a very bright future.
Damfino if unions are any good, just my observations.
[ October 15, 2003, 04:55 AM: Message edited by: Trailer Park Casanova ]

Nubbs
10-15-2003, 06:45 AM
TPC,
I might get flamed on this but I don't have any sympathy for the grocery union people. My dad's benefits got reduced this year and so did mine. We got two choices: deal with it or quit and find a different job. It sucks, but we don't cry and piss and moan and look for others to feel sorry for us. There wasn't no union people there to picket for my benefits.

al cole'holic
10-15-2003, 08:32 AM
..whats the name of your company TPC?? :D

phebus
10-15-2003, 08:43 AM
I believe in checks and balances. If it wasn't for the union, management would walk all over their employees. If management didn't hold a hard line, the unions would run them right out of business. Bottom line is, both sides need representation. I just hope they come to terms before either side suffers ireversible damage.

al cole'holic
10-15-2003, 08:49 AM
Trailer Park Casanova:
I started up my own Air Conditioning biz during this time and finally never went back to BUD.
...nevermind, I found SimiCool. Are you part of the "good ole boy" network?? :D

Sea Esta
10-15-2003, 09:06 AM
I understand what you are going through out west. The grocery store workers are on strike here in St Louis as well, for what I understand to be the same reasons....mainly Health benefits. The strikers are saying to use the non-union grocery stores that are left and almost impossible to find with-in the county of St Louis. I personnaly cross the lines as I am not a union person. That's just me. But In the consulting field, our insurane constantly has been increasing by about 18%-20% per year and our pay increase has been minimal, about inflation. In other words, we have been taking pay cuts for several years. If the union wins this one, it wont be the grocery stores that loose. All those payments will be passed on to the consumer in the cost of the goods we purchase. The unions here in St louis have kept out the Walmart grocery for some time. This may be the blow that brings Walmart in. That would have an effect on the owners of the 3 major grocery stores here in StL. Just this morning they were saying Walmart was the number one business in the United States and in 5-7 years they would have 35% of the market shares of the grocery stores in the United States!!! I don't know if this is good or bad. At that point I don't know if the unions even come into play anymore.

ssmike
10-15-2003, 10:49 AM
RiverDave:
6 minute beer break? Who ever heard of a 6 minute beer break? Step into my office..
River"7 minute beer break"Dave ....."step into my office because you're ****in' fired!"
LOL :D

h2oski2fast
10-15-2003, 11:24 AM
This strike stuff is ridiculous. I pay all my own healthcare, dental etc..... If you don't like where you work, QUIT! It's really that simple. I understand that most of these people couldn't keep a job without a union. Another thing these people don't realize is the money they pay to the union, would supliment their income, and maybe even pay for other aquired costs.
Obviously I'm not a fan of the unions. Yes, years ago, I was part of one. I feel I'm better off now worry about myself rather than letting someone else be in control of my well being.
I think we should contact yawyers and sue the unions for encouraging picket lines and obstructing our rights to choose where and when we want to shop. yuk

Caribbean Jet
10-15-2003, 11:50 AM
Sea Esta:
I understand what you are going through out west. The grocery store workers are on strike here in St Louis as well, for what I understand to be the same reasons....mainly Health benefits. The strikers are saying to use the non-union grocery stores that are left and almost impossible to find with-in the county of St Louis. I personnaly cross the lines as I am not a union person. That's just me. But In the consulting field, our insurane constantly has been increasing by about 18%-20% per year and our pay increase has been minimal, about inflation. In other words, we have been taking pay cuts for several years. If the union wins this one, it wont be the grocery stores that loose. All those payments will be passed on to the consumer in the cost of the goods we purchase. The unions here in St louis have kept out the Walmart grocery for some time. This may be the blow that brings Walmart in. That would have an effect on the owners of the 3 major grocery stores here in StL. Just this morning they were saying Walmart was the number one business in the United States and in 5-7 years they would have 35% of the market shares of the grocery stores in the United States!!! I don't know if this is good or bad. At that point I don't know if the unions even come into play anymore. My wife works in the Grocery industry but not one of the stores on strike. Her benefits were just cut and we did not get to say much about it other than "THIS SUCKS." She explained that many of the Grocery stores are trying to compete with Wal-Mart and many of the bulk stores and they are just trying reduce their overhead. I don't see the strikers really winning this battle because the stores can not pass on the cost to us because they are already losing. Wal-Mart is one of the lowest paying retail stores benefits included and this is one of the reason that their over head is so low. I can see both sides and why everyone is frustrated and scared. For many people its hard to just quit a job that they may have had for mare than 10 or more years especially if they are older. What do you do if you are in you late 40's and they cut your benefits, what do you do then? But on the other side what do you do if your not making a profit? Its easy to look from the outside on many things and say there wrong, but who is wrong?
Shit happens

JetBoatRich
10-15-2003, 11:54 AM
Trailer Park Casanova:
this time and finally never went back to BUD.
I quit the BUD along time ago to :D

Sea Esta
10-15-2003, 01:17 PM
I understand that Walmart is non-union. Aren't the people who work for Walmart paid more than the competition? I'm sure they wouldn't work for Walmart for less than a union person, but I don't know. Maybe there is someone who can enlighten us on this. Walmart is such a large company and has put quite a few people out of work by gobbling the competion.
The strike here started out with the union striking one grocery store. The other two chains locked out the workers. The store were open from 10:00 - 7:00 once the strike began. Now the stores are open from as early as 8:00 to as late as 9:00. People have to eat. This is a no win situation for all.