max pay not paid to all

[Colleen Baker]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan. Just found out today some members of our union are getting paid more then others who do the same job and have been working there longer. It is my understanding that these people and union stewarts were told not to tell us about this unless we asked about it then we could make a grievance but if its part of our contract or verbal agreement how can they keep this a secret or why would they want to people who are getting 1.00 more a hour also were told this at a union meeting and were told not to tell people so if you didnt go to meetings you didnt know about this can they do this

 

[adjusterjack]

Obviously, they CAN do it because they did do it.

Now that you know about it, file your grievance.

 

[Colleen Baker]

Yes we plan on filing a grivance but can we get back pay i just dont understand how they can do this it sound like the union is working more for the company then the people who pay them to be all our voices not just the ones who go to union meetings

 

[Silverplum]

Yes we plan on filing a grivance but can we get back pay i just dont understand how they can do this it sound like the union is working more for the company then the people who pay them to be all our voices not just the ones who go to union meetings

We don't know anything about your contract/s, therefore cannot know if you could get back pay.

 

[commentator]

Get rid of your preachy tone, your "I just don't know how they can do this!!!!" business. File a grievance. Let the union figure it out. If you have a legitimate complaint, they should deal with it. But rest assured, your "how could they DO this?" isn't helping. File the appeal. Then see what shakes out. If they are doing something that is not right, the union should fix it.

 

[LdiJ]

Get rid of your preachy tone, your "I just don't know how they can do this!!!!" business. File a grievance. Let the union figure it out. If you have a legitimate complaint, they should deal with it. But rest assured, your "how could they DO this?" isn't helping. File the appeal. Then see what shakes out. If they are doing something that is not right, the union should fix it.

I thought that even in union shops people who had more seniority could earn a higher wage. Have I been thinking that all wrong?

 

[cbg]

No, you're not. And my first reaction was the same as yours.

But on a careful re-read, I think what the poster is saying is that employees A, B and C are earning more than employees D, E and F, who have been there longer than A, B and C.

Of course, even that is not a violation of the law and is not necessarily a violation of a union contract. I am union; my contract allows for a range for each position and previous experience and/or negotiating skills can have as much to do with where in the range you fall. So Alice can have been with the employer for longer than Deborah, but since Deborah had more experience when she was hired she gets paid more than Alice even though they're in the same job, and that would be in violation of neither law nor contract.

So the OP needs to bring it to the union's attention and then let it go. If it's a violation of the contract, it's up to them to deal with it. If it's not, then it's none of her business.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

it sound like the union is working more for the company then the people who pay them to be all our voices not just the ones who go to union meetings

The union's priority is the union. Any benefit to the membership is largely coincidental.