National Union for Opticians

[rdcoach5]

What do our leading Opticians think about a national union for opticians which would naturally lead to national licensure? To my knowledge this has never been tried.For this to work, lab opticians would also be included in a different category than dispensing opticians and so would a different category for contact lens dispensing opticians. Just like the other trades, there would be mandatory years of on-the-job training and after hours education followed by testing. Licensed states already have the basics in place for this and we need a national movement. There is no other reason that electricians make at least $10 more per hour on average than opticians. Thoughts?
Bob Taylor

[gemstone]

Can't happen. The trade is controlled locally. The local controllers will never relinquish their control.

[OPTIDONN]

I wouldn't be a big fan of having to join a union. I know that there used to be on here in the 70's (I think) but dissolved. I really can't picture it happening.

[Johns]

Unions are losing their power, as well as the relevence in every other industry. There's no way they'd even come close to making an impact in the optical industry.

[Fezz]

Unions are losing their power, as well as the relevence in every other industry. There's no way they'd even come close to making an impact in the optical industry.

Yeah, what Johns said.


:cheers::cheers::cheers:

[chip anderson]

Hey, could we also all join the Socialist Workers Party. Could we have divisions where only certian opticians could replace screws, others bend plastic, still others soldier. None of us would have to sweep the floor as that's another Union I'm sure. We could all "donate" out of our dues to the democratic party even if we personally are right wing republicans. If we our leaders find fault with the head man he could disappear.
Of course we would have a voting block that would claim to be anti-business. We could force suppliers to sell only Union Members!
We could get all kind of health and retirement benefits, so much so that the industry would cease to be profitable and move to China and Mexico (Oh, it already has hasn't it?).
Just think of the potential, of all the overtime pay, the politicians what claim to love us but actually fear us.
Let's all unionize today.

Chip

[rep]

What do our leading Opticians think about a national union for opticians which would naturally lead to national licensure? To my knowledge this has never been tried.For this to work, lab opticians would also be included in a different category than dispensing opticians and so would a different category for contact lens dispensing opticians. Just like the other trades, there would be mandatory years of on-the-job training and after hours education followed by testing. Licensed states already have the basics in place for this and we need a national movement. There is no other reason that electricians make at least $10 more per hour on average than opticians. Thoughts?
Bob Taylor

Not a big influence on wages.

They are not the answer

Rep

[rbaker]

Labor unions would have nothing to do with national licensing. Each state establishes and enforces its own regulations for opticians, plumbers and Indian chiefs. If you want to see the impact of contemporary labor unions go to France or Italy. It has been tried, countless times. Someone overdoses on stupid pills and tries to start a union.

[Uncle Fester]

IMHO we'd need to hitch our horses to the Teamsters or another well established union. We also would need independants to be on board. This is a bridge to far IMHO.

[Diane]

I fought against unions in the 70's and would do so again. That is NOT the answer for having a voice. The voice must come from within, and unless enough of us use our OWN voice, we won't go forward.

Unions promise the sun and moon and don't even deliver a candle. Just take your lighters and matches and give you flint.

Diane

[cocoisland58]

IMHO we'd need to hitch our horses to the Teamsters or another well established union. We also would need independants to be on board. This is a bridge to far IMHO.

Some opticians are members of the Teamster's union. This was done to obtain the Teamster's contract and the UAW contracts many years ago.

[myspayce]

Michigan is an unlicensed state. I have worked in the industry over 30 years. Ohio is licensed, and they make on average double the salary of Michigan Opticians. They are paying Opticians less and less for more work in this state. Grueling schedules in low income areas.
If a union membership is able to secure better benefits and raise the cost of operating an Optical, there would be less of them and better jobs.

[lensdex]

If you scrap the word Union and form an Association dedicated to a national goal perhaps we would have an impact of some degree.

[Uilleann]

...there would be mandatory years of on-the-job training and after hours education followed by testing. Licensed states already have the basics in place for this...

*OOF. Just realized this is a decade old thread. Apologies for flogging a deceased equine.*

Bob, in fairness, no, the licensed states really really do NOT have this in place. Their requirements are ALL over the place. Some licensed states have dramatically different requirements than others. And there are plenty of reports of terrible licensed opticians just as with unlicensed.

Dispensing licensure in the US is simply to fractured a model to follow. It is what it is.

While the idea of an international union sounds good on paper, the practicality of bringing it to fruition globally, particularly in today's world, seems unlikely in the extreme - regardless of model. I wish it weren't so, but that's our world.

[Chris Ryser]

While the idea of an international union sounds good on paper, the practicality of bringing it to fruition globally, particularly in today's world, seems unlikely in the extreme - regardless of model. I wish it weren't so, but that's our world.

The goal of unions is to make money for their brass ..........................

They have no interest in professional qualifications, they just play politics to push employees salaries up.

I have had the experience of unions infiltrating my own business some 40 years ago and it is one of the most negative factors one can experience in business, for the owners as well as the employees at the same time.

[Uilleann]

Gee Chris, sounds like you were underpaying your employees? Unions are hardly all bad, and their existence has been (and remains) beneficial to millions of workers. Of course, most abusive employers detest them.

Regardless, you don't have to worry - a national optical union isn't going to be a reality in your lifetime or mine.

[AngeHamm]

Unions are also responsible for outlawing child labor, establishing pay for vacations and maternity, safer work environments, health insurance, competitive salaries, and other little things like that. Simplifying it to "Unions only exist to make money for their brass" is silly.

[Uilleann]

Unions are also responsible for outlawing child labor, establishing pay for vacations and maternity, safer work environments, health insurance, competitive salaries, and other little things like that. Simplifying it to "Unions only exist to make money for their brass" is silly.

Agree 1,000%!!

And while I find the concept of a national (or international) optician union intriguing, it will (sadly) never gain enough traction to become reality.

[UtilityDave]

I feel like national licensing standards would probably be more helpful than a union. Nv opticians absolutely make more than OR opticians, and frankly the quality difference did not seem as big as the pay difference (may be sampling error)

[Bill West]

There are lots of "Opticians", I would not want to be put in the same anything with. There are many great ones and many good ones and just as many pretenders. It would be a shame to treat them as all the same. Union Baloney.