Thank you so much for providing a way for me to let my coworkers know what a great place UNH is to work and also the wonderful and very generous benefits we have here. I do not want a union for the UNH OS and PAT workers, and I feel a lot of folks are not being realistic in what they feel the union can provide them and I also think they will be greatly disappointed if the union does come to UNH, when those expectations are not fulfilled; the dues we all MUST pay; the loss of freedom to speak directly with our supervisors regarding our work performance and salary.
Having worked over 20 years in the corporate world before coming to UNH 15+ years ago, I have to tell you that we HAVE IT MADE here and some folks just do not realize that. I can think of quite a few folks who have left the university for “greener pastures” in the corporate world, only to find themselves surprised how green things really are NOT out there and they regret their move. Some have even come back to the university, after the disillusionment found in the corporate world, and they were gracefully brought back into the fold, and are thrilled to be home. Sure the larger corporate salaries are tempting to our financial goals, but the benefits and time expectations really out-weigh those financials gains. When they add up the difference they pay even in just health insurance, that eats away quite a bit of that enlarged salary...never mind the time-off benefit and the flexible and respectful time schedules the university supports are priceless. There is also the corporate expectation of an extended work schedule, after all they are paying that larger salary and want their money worth. I feel my time with family and friends is worth more than the extra salary, which I would not get time to appreciate anyway, because I am working much longer hours in corporate world.
We are seeing all these emails from the union — which I am NOT happy they were allowed to get our UNH e-mail addresses and spam us relentlessly during working hours, yet we cannot fire back at them or reach out to coworkers in the same mass communication method they are allowed. Also, their emails are asking "Did UNH ask us if we wanted to change medical providers?" Or did UNH ask us if we wanted "them to speak for us and have a say in the decisions being made?" NO UNH did not ask us, because I/we do not own UNH, it is not our personal company where we would be making all the decisions. We work for UNH and I believe they have our best interest at heart and are striving to get us the very best benefits; salaries and work environment they can get, while still being realistic that this is an organization and we all have bills to pay — with much less support from the state, to keep the university functioning at maximum ability and capacity.
I hope my fellow coworkers will read my thoughts and think long and hard before aligning themselves in any way with the union. Having been in corporate world and at the university, I have to tell you that we have a really great work environment; our benefits are world class; the respect and continued support we receive from UNH have surpassed my greatest expectations when I came to work here. Please don't let the union lull you into thinking they can improve our work lives in any way, they are just lining their pockets with our union dues; speaking to OUR supervisors about OUR work; speaking for us at UNH meetings; basically grouping us all together as a position and not seeing us as individuals who work hard and want to be respected and fairly rewarded financially for that hard work. We already have that here at UNH and we do not need a union to speak for us or gain financially from us. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts and frustrations.
—Cathy Annese
UNH IT - Telecommunications
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