Unions boycott Geauga Lake and Cedar Point

As a union member "Ironworkers Local 404 in Harrisburg" our picnic is always at Knoebels. Knoebels NEVER hired unions to do any construction. Hersheypark "which is also in our unions territory" hired us for many of the ride construction sooperdooperlooper, White Water Rapids, Tidal Force, Kissing Tower, Great Bear to name a few. I actually worked on Storm Runner and The Claw.

I know in Harrisburg alot of our guy say there is no work. There is plenty of work we (the union) just aren't getting it. Thats mainly because I think our rate is way too high for the amount of work in the area. I personally think we deserve a higher wage then non union workers since we went thru schooling, like Sparky said we are "skilled" in what we do. But not so high that it puts us out of work like is happening to us in Harrisburg. From my experiance working construction when we are subcontracted (meaning one of the main contractors hired us to do a part of their work) 2 of us showed up to tie rebar. They asked us where the rest of us are and we would tell them were all they got. They would tell us what they want to get ready for concrete later that day and we would tell them we'd have that by lunch. They would usually think we were joking, then by about 11 we would be finished with their pour and be working on the next days. Eventually we would catch up with them then have to take a day or two off for them to get ahead. There was one time one contractor told us it would have taken 6 of his guys a day and a half to do what we (2 of us) got done in 3 hours. 6 of his guys for a day and a halfs work (72 hours) would cost more then our 3 hours (6 hours). I'm sure it works both ways.

Would you want someone who went thru several years of flight school and had the proper training to fly your plane, or some guy who played a flight simulator games and watched a few WWII movies about flying?

Then again at the moment am I actually working a union job? NO

Enough of my rant I gotta get to bed!

*** This post was edited by coasterpunk 6/14/2005 7:55:18 AM ***

So your telling me workers, non-union, are stupid and have no clue what they are doing? Some of the best workers out there are the non-union guys. And believe me, when they get the chance to work before a union gets the chance, they BUST THEIR ASS to show up the union guys.

I used to be union, but I always wanted to just get the job done, while everyone else was pissin' off. So I'd be there unable to continue what I'm doing because I'm waiting for some jackass to quit blabbin' for an hour. I've since moved on, and am much happier now.

I never said non union guys are stupid. There are non union guys that are just as good as union guys if not better out there. We also have some worthless people in our local as well. If you had the chance to work someplace for one wage or another place doing the same exact thing for more money wouldn't you take the job paying more money?

So then what is the point in the union boycotting CF? You yourself say that people inside the union are doing the 'exact same thing for more money'. They hired the lowest bidders, which weren't union workers. Perhaps union workers should do more working and less protesting.

I never said anything about them boycotting the parks. I know Cedar Fair has hired unions in the past for building rides, Millennium Force, Talon, Steel Force, Hydra, Supreme Scream that I know of in the past few years. By boycotting the parks like they are could mean the next time another job comes up the unions may not get the job.

Like I said in my first post even though I'm still union I'm not working union at the moment. I'm not doing anything related to what I was doing in the union.

Whether or not you're in a union, you owe one if you work a 40-hour week...or get time and a half for working more than 40.

-'Playa

I don't understand why people are having so much trouble accepting a Union Boycott of Cedar Fair. If, in your opinion, unions are a relic of the past, then why do you care if they come to Cedar Fair or not.

Its pretty straight foward here guys, Cedar Fair has the option to or not to use Union Labor. Union Labor has the option to or not to use Cedar Fairs picnic shelter.

... next

So Sparky, you're saying that anyone who joins a skilled trades union gets a 4-year education paid for by the union? That's cool.

CPJ: Uh, this is a discussion forum. It's what we do here. If you don't have anything to add, don't post or don't read.

GoodBear, I wouldn't call it a FREE education. after all when you join the union you need to pay an enterance fee (at least with the Ironworkers I did) then your monthly dues too. Even though you don't have to pay for the classes once your accepted you still need to pay the initial fee.

My classes were 3 nights a week from 6pm to 10, 3 nights a week from late August to around Thanksgiving time for 2 years. It doesn't seem like much time but when you get up at 4 am to be at a job 60 miles or so away at 7 then be at work till 3:30 then get to class for 6 then after class drive home an hour and a half then do it all again the next day!

In all honesty I learned more about what I was doing on the job working with guys that have been doing that stuff for 20 + years then in class. The one guy Joe Bro taught me alot more about more the just construction, like being as worthless as tits on a boarhog, crookeder then a dogs hind leg, and few other saying I'm not even going to mention. I can't speak for any other trades but thats my experiance.

I have a piece for all of you. Union is important. Yes, some people do slack including teenagers, but seeing how is I am one, that would be critisizing and grouping that all teenagers are slackers. Wake up People, just because we are a teenager doesn't mean we can slack, you know some people actually do thier job. I know, its amazing huh? Its Geauga Lake's problem and its a bad decision at that. Sure these guys work hard and long and right, but why not look around for a cheaper, people who do their work and that are union. I think that GL wanted to take the easy way out of not looking around and hiring some jacka** non-union (even if they are hard-working) they just don't want to waste time by actually looking around for somone that has better qualifcations.

As I am also entering the business field, if they loose people that are from the union, not only do they pay admission, food, souveniers, games, ect....thats alot of missed profit that Geauga Lake could of had and missed out on. Its becuase of decisons like they just made that cause loss of profit. Seriously its dissapointing. I know union isn't for everyone, but If they have financial problems this year....or don't get what expected.....well I'd just tell them they downright deserve it, they were being stupid and lost business. In business the point is gaining customers not loosing them, everyone think of that. If they keep up this bullsh*t I don't know that they would have the capability to run as a succesful park until they do something to improve upon themselves.

Get a clue. It's about the bottom line. The water park is not going to fall apart because they used non-union workers to save money. Doing it as inexpensively as possible is what they have to do so your sorry ass can get in for $24.99.

Trust me when I say this will have little to no impact on either park's finances this year.

Well I'd rather pay $10 extra dollars and have them use union. I know I won't go and refuse to go because they arn't using union. So I couldn't give a **** either way.

I don't agree with what they did, but I would probally go anyways.... I just wish they could of done something right for once, even if its a small wave that doesn't affect them, it would be nice if they did use union.

What it boils down to is when all the contractors placed the bids for doing the job erecting the waterpark the lowest bid won. Maybe Cedar Fair had good relations with the unions before and even if they were a bit higher in price they still went with unions. This time the unions could have been way higher and just went with the non union instead.

The park may loose the money from 2 dozen picnics but i'm sure that loss is about the same as having a few bad weather days.

Now that i think of it, I never thought of it like that, thanks coasterpunk.