Economy & LaborAPR 27, 2023

Worker Outsmarts Boss With A “Reverse Uno” After Being Pressured To Increase Productivity On Manufacturing Line

Mindaugas Balčiauskas and Adelaide May Ross

Working with a supervisor breathing down your neck is never enjoyable, but there are a few things that might make it slightly less painful: having colleagues you like, enjoying the nature of your job, and of course, being protected by a labor union!

Below, you’ll find a story that was shared on the Anti-work subreddit, detailing how one manufacturing line worker put his manager in his place by reminding him who is actually responsible for how much product they send out, as well as a conversation with the worker himself.

This manufacturing line worker was pressured by his supervisor to speed things up

Image credits: TheStandingDesk (not the actual photo)

But instead of complying with the request, he reminded him what would actually happen if they started sending out more product

Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)

Image credits: CrankNation93 (not the actual photo)

"Unions are not the end-all be-all of employment, but they're generally a lot better than your average job"

We reached out to the worker who shared this story, Reddit user CrankNation93, and he was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. We were curious if he had ever had any other issues with this particular supervisor, and unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. "Not only myself, but everyone had issues in some capacity with this supervisor," the worker shared. "He was generally known to try to flex his authority. He has since moved to another manufacturing plant within the company, but the rumor mill is that he's currently on the chopping block for similar conduct at the new facility."

CrankNation93 also shared a bit about how joining this union 5 years ago has benefitted his life. "Being in a union has been leaps and bounds better than non-union employment. The pay and benefits are better than anything I've had previously, and I'm more protected from wrongful termination or unsafe working conditions," he explained. "Not to mention, management actually having some sort of accountability for their poor decisions, as demonstrated in my post. In a non-union environment, that would have been a write-up for insubordination and a second write-up later when that product inevitably would have been rejected and sent back by the customer."

And if anyone out there is considering joining a union, CrankNation93 says, "Unions are not the end-all be-all of employment, but they're generally a lot better than your average job." However, not all of them are wonderful. "As with anything in life, do what is best for yourself to provide for you and your family and always support your fellow working man. The working class built just about everything we have today, and that's something we should be proud of. After years of working non-union jobs with poor compensation, poor working conditions, and poor treatment from management, I'd never work a non union job again."

Image credits: Kateryna Babaieva (not the actual photo)

Thanks to the benefits they provide, unions have seen their membership rates rise

On average, union workers earn $191 more than their nonunion counterparts, and they can have peace of mind knowing that when they find themselves in situations like this particular manufacturing line worker, they can’t be unjustly terminated. Among the many things unions advocate for, the AFL-CIO notes that unions fight for consistent schedules and mandatory overtime pay, flexible schedules like four-day workweeks or work from home, family-friendly work environments, guilt-free paid vacation days, student loan repayment and scholarships, job training programs for career mobility, reimbursement for fitness club memberships and other wellness benefits, and wages that keep up with rising living costs.

If you’re not a member of a union yourself, you may not realize how prevalent they are. But in the United States in 2022, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 33% of public-sector workers belonged to unions. Workers in protective service occupations, including education, training and library occupations, saw the highest unionization rates, and men have about a 1% higher union membership rate than women workers. Union membership in the private sector also increased by 193,000 individuals last year. Unions are growing in strength and numbers, and there are plenty of reasons why workers want to get on board with them.

According to War on Want, unity means strength. Massive corporations that provide countless jobs are much more powerful than any one individual. But if all of their thousands of workers ban together, they suddenly have the strength to make changes to how they’re treated. Along with all of the benefits we’ve previously listed that unions fight for, they also are passionate advocates for equality and protection against discrimination. “Women from across the world have joined together to speak out about the sexual harassment they have faced whilst working at McDonald’s,” War on Want notes. “Workers in the USA have even taken strike action. In the UK, the BFAWU-led campaign has led to McDonald’s entering a legal agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to protect workers from sexual harassment.” Strikes and protests are only impactful with many people coming together to rise up.

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

Unions provide protection and peace of mind

Health and safety is another important concern that labor unions focus on, particularly in factory jobs. In the UK, there are 50% less accidents in unionized workplaces, and unions provide local safety representatives who handle a variety of issues ranging from hazardous materials at work to the stress and mental health issues that employees face. 92% of union employees in the US also have job-related health insurance, compared to only 68% of non-union workers. And if you’re concerned about your future, (Because let’s face it, who isn’t?) a union can take care of you down the line as well, as members are more likely to have guaranteed pension than non-union employees.

The idea that we must go to work, hate our jobs and struggle for decades to earn a living wage is preposterous. Unions work to ensure that laborers are treated fairly, and in situations like this one on Reddit, they can keep supervisors in check. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas, and if you have experience with being in a union, feel free to share your own stories as well. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing how beneficial joining a labor union can be, we recommend reading this piece next.