I met a lovely middle school teacher in the industry lounge on the Saturday of NYCC. There, we talked about jobs, education, and the ups and downs of union membership (I am a member of AFSCME).
Teacher: Things get bogged down quickly in the union. Everything becomes really litigious really fast. Change- necessary, good change- comes slowly. But we are secure in our jobs. I can not teach more than 5 classes a day. 5’s a lot, but 7 is worse. It can be problematic at times, but ultimately the union makes sure the school treats us fairly.
Me: I find it frustrating sometimes that there’s an upper limit to how much I can earn at the library. There are a lot of restrictions in how I am able to perform in my job function. But, it’s also true that I have an insane amount of job security. I know sexual harassers, drug addicts, and people who have actually stolen money from the library who are still gainfully employed. I could commit a crime in front of my boss and I would get sent off to rehab for a bit and then I’d be right back to work. Is that a good thing? I don’t know. Some of those people deserve compassion and rehabilitation and the ability to work. Some of them do not. The water is muddy, and unions are a really complex issue.
Someone from the other side of the room approaches me.
Attendee: Hey man, uhhh
Attendee: Y’all hirin?