Unionizing Maine Loggers/Truckers

[repmma]

It appears that the state is looking at allowing loggers to form "co-ops" or unionize... hard to tell by the article.  I wonder how this co-op will work out for the guy cutting his own land or the part timers.  I know the folks across the border have the YSCNB co-op.  Not sure if its actually increased dollars to the loggers/land owners or just added a middleman to take their %.

[Texas Ranger]

best I can tell it only benefits the middlemen

[Southside]

Yup - and you know who is already been elected to be the head of the new middleman group?  The bills sponsor himself, Troy Jackson.  Oh the stories I could tell.  

What none of these guys seem to remember, and Jackson was around for it so he is just keeping quiet, is that the major land owners will simply sit on their hands for a couple of months, then attend the equipment auctions, buy the equipment back since in some cases they actually finance the equipment too, and then put the former contractors back in the same seat as a now hourly employee.  In which case they will have zero control over any of the conditions they are now complaining about, all while chipping away at a default judgement.  It was not all that long ago that it happened.  History repeats itself.  

[snowstorm]

that was tried back in the early 70's. the maine woodsmen assoc. from what i recall they broke into a woods camp downeast and told the canadians to get out while they could. they may have disbanded after a few days in jail

[sawguy21]

Years ago a local a rabid union man wanted to organize a local mill. The mill owners pointed out that they were getting union wages and were working while other mill employees suffered through work stoppages and grievances, they were very fair. He got his way, the employees now had less take home and had to take their marching orders from union headquarters. Morale which had been good plummeted. Not long after the mill along with four others in the area were bought out and consolidated into one large operation costing many their jobs. IMHO unions had their place but have become the bully, I quit two jobs because of the petty infighting.

[repmma]

Im not sure Troy Jacksons statement about the landowner running the show applies to the lower 1/3rd of the state where small lots dominate and are not corporate holdings.  Depending on what this entails ill just as soon see my land rot away then be muscled by some co-op/unionized program that prevents me from logging my property and getting it to a mill without their cut taken out.  The *DanG State takes enough on its own. 

[BargeMonkey]

 When the vote went thru I lost my company vested medical "after 10yrs" and had to pay into the union, then was told they where getting another 1.5% of my salary plus more dues, I politely quit paying, quit and took a lucrative land clearing job at home because I wasnt union 😂 Yeah unions have their place but it gets out of hand quick.