There is one local union that is attempting to correct the long held traditions that make their workplaces misery zones. LU 134 IBEW has seminars for 3rd, 4th and 5th yr apprentices on Emotional Intelligence teaching them to think correctly for themselves and not to accept the actions of the abusive House Slave Straw Boss, called the foreman in the industry, and his or her insecurities and lack of human skills as the last word.
They pointed out to the contractors why their segment of the industry is dying - supervision is awful, and offering a solution to the problem is to the local's credit. While it may take some time for the payback of training young men and women to disperse into the workforce, overall the jobsite will become more tolerable and compassionate.
Dr. Donohue and Mr. Lynch started this program after years of stories concerning abuse of apprentices by those returning to the school training course of several weeks a year. I, personally, went through over a dozen shops in my apprentice time because I never took well to being treated with disrespect and the coordinator at the time seemed to think I was a malcontent. He supported the systemic cruelty of the system and would have never questioned the contractors choice of who was running their work, no matter how psychotic a person it was, we were supposed to take orders. I feel this program of EI and possibly other courses of the mind taught to all members of the local would only improve interpersonal relationships and make the union stronger. They are on the cutting edge of the labor movement and I salute them.
I have removed myself from all worksites because of the attitudes I'd been fighting for over 25 years were continuing to be impressed upon me as normal. I was treated like a farm animal and I have no more interest in being one. These workplace interactions, my struggle for respect over the years, and the sadness that came upon me realizing the hell we put ourselves in during the workweek welled up and left me, not without much mental pain. I will not return to the mindset of a slave, unquestioning and dutifully silent. It made me a incredibly negative person and someone not to be around. Finally, I see a program that may change the working people's mindset and a little hope goes a long way in my personal journey.
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