Working with Unions

[HarryDaBroker]

I just hooked up with 2 union presidents, both with govt employees. One union has 5k members, the other has 20k members. I know I cant make a play on the health insurance. too much politics. I cant send enrollers into facilities because of clearance requirements.

they currently have aflac, which i can get the BOR on after elections.

If anyone has had experience with unions I would love to hear any ideas or suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ABC]

I have bid on of few and struck out.

There is a lot of politics.

If you really want to a shot at the deal.

Make a $10,000 donation to the elected official of their choosing.

Go stock their food bank.

This might be over kill but I really do not think it's that far off.

 

[leevena]

ABC is correct.

I have worked with many over the years and you will need to make a decision about the value of doing business with them. Just off the top of my head, I have had to deal with a variety of concerns/issues over the years including: get business cards and paper with union logo, be careful about the car you drive, be prepared to do business their way (trips, donations, etc), need to us UPS over Fedex, we ordered a gift basket for union leaders at a Nestle's plant only to have the vendor send Hersey's, make sure your vendors are union whenever possible, you will need to attend their conventions and possible get a display/booth, and many more things.

Additionally, the decision making process will be very slow and you will need to be prepared to spend $...not saying it will happen, but be prepared.

Now, balance all of that with the amount of $ and you can make a better decision.

 

[ABC]

I priced out the business cards with the Union bug on it.
They were $120 more than other print shops.

I personally would kill to be the broker of choice of any Union shop.

To get in the door is almost impossible.

 

[somarco]

I have had experience with union presidents and business managers longer than ABC or leevena. What both have said is true.

If you really want to play that game, you better be prepared to change the way you do everything with them and consider bribery, uh contributions, to be the law of the land.

 

[djs]

Walmart has a sale on Union Business cards.....
They come with a free yellow happy face on them though

 

[HarryDaBroker]

LMBO!!! thanx for all the good advice. I happened to help a guy out who was down on his luck and low and behold, he is very involved with unions.

i dont mind playing the game. My business cards have had the union bug since day one (some dont, depends who im dealing with). I used to be upper middle mgmt with diamler-chrysler and the UAW loved me. (not the union im talking about).

Long story short, the door is open, i just have to tell them what i want. My first question is, "what do you have".

Getting a BOR is no problem (aside from health), they actually asked me to take them. This is nothing more than being at the right place, at the right time, and just helping someone that i saw was in need.

i dont mind making contributions, but as i was told its not necessary, just say what i want.

im just trying to figure out what to ask for. thanks for all your advice.
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ABC is correct.

I have worked with many over the years and you will need to make a decision about the value of doing business with them. Just off the top of my head, I have had to deal with a variety of concerns/issues over the years including: get business cards and paper with union logo, be careful about the car you drive, be prepared to do business their way (trips, donations, etc), need to us UPS over Fedex, we ordered a gift basket for union leaders at a Nestle's plant only to have the vendor send Hersey's, make sure your vendors are union whenever possible, you will need to attend their conventions and possible get a display/booth, and many more things.

Additionally, the decision making process will be very slow and you will need to be prepared to spend $...not saying it will happen, but be prepared.

Now, balance all of that with the amount of $ and you can make a better decision.

I've done the golf outings, conventions, membership, etc... and its finally starting to pay off (I hope). The question now is what do i take in? I have contracts with most of the worksite carriers. If you don't mind sharing, what products do you put into unions.

I priced out the business cards with the Union bug on it.
They were $120 more than other print shops.

I personally would kill to be the broker of choice of any Union shop.

To get in the door is almost impossible.

I buy champagne with a beer budget. 1000 4/4 color cards for $60. check out hotcards dot com. Union bug included. Hope that helps you.

Some of the other brokers around here are still trying to figure out how i got so many accounts in such a short amount of time. I like impossible, I'm used to that.

I have had experience with union presidents and business managers longer than ABC or leevena. What both have said is true.

If you really want to play that game, you better be prepared to change the way you do everything with them and consider bribery, uh contributions, to be the law of the land.

I'm prepared to do anything that doesn't jeopardize my family, my integrity, or my license.

Thanks for all your feedback, but for those that have worked with unions, what makes the most money aside from the group/health (which is controlled by the state)?

 

[pscro]

"they currently have aflac, which i can get the BOR on after elections."


hey Harry..can you expand on this a bit? Is there a broker there that does just the Aflac as of now?

I work with a union in North Jersey (not government) and do just Aflac...offering short-term disability, accident, hospital, cancer, life...I haven't done any group products but fyi they have them now as well..

It might be a good idea to find out what products have been offered at your locations.

good job to this point! and good luck!

 

[Norwayguy]

Harry

I have a question for you about having the Union bug on your card. I work with an IMO shop that does Federal Benefits for Government Employees ie Federal Allotment for Life, DI TSP rollovers etc. This IMO requires thier own certification has some nice marketing etc...

Here is my issue recently the own of the IMO has decided that there is a benefit to being a union shop. They got the National Association of Allstate Agents which is part of AFL-CIO to vote to allow us membership and the owner is saying we must sign on to the Union or sever our relationship.

1. I can and actually do have access to the same carriers elsewhere and can use other TPAs for the allotments program so I'm tempted to tell him to shove it right now.

My question is there any benefit to being in the "union", Does being in 1 union allow you access to membership halls of other unions? The IMO owner is saying to look at it as a cost of doing business like E&O. The only way I can see swallowing my political objectives is if it allows me access where I don't have now. I have never had someone that I'm selling ask me if I'm in a union and no one has not bought from me because I wasn't in a union.

So is there any value to being in a union, because other than saying that I'm in a union if I do this I can't see any value. The other thing is I would pay the same amount as an Allstate agent but would be a non-voting guide memeber.

 

[HarryDaBroker]

"they currently have aflac, which i can get the BOR on after elections."


hey Harry..can you expand on this a bit? Is there a broker there that does just the Aflac as of now?

I work with a union in North Jersey (not government) and do just Aflac...offering short-term disability, accident, hospital, cancer, life...I haven't done any group products but fyi they have them now as well..

It might be a good idea to find out what products have been offered at your locations.

good job to this point! and good luck!

Yes, the broker now does just aflac. It's the only voluntary they have in there. he offered all of aflacs products and he hasnt enrolled since 2008. He couldnt play the politics, lol.

im thinking about either taking in colonial cause of the ease of getting enrollers or lincoln financial cause they are relatively new in the game and they will give me whatever i want for such a large case.

thanks for the input.

Harry

I have a question for you about having the Union bug on your card. I work with an IMO shop that does Federal Benefits for Government Employees ie Federal Allotment for Life, DI TSP rollovers etc. This IMO requires thier own certification has some nice marketing etc...

Here is my issue recently the own of the IMO has decided that there is a benefit to being a union shop. They got the National Association of Allstate Agents which is part of AFL-CIO to vote to allow us membership and the owner is saying we must sign on to the Union or sever our relationship.

1. I can and actually do have access to the same carriers elsewhere and can use other TPAs for the allotments program so I'm tempted to tell him to shove it right now.

My question is there any benefit to being in the "union", Does being in 1 union allow you access to membership halls of other unions? The IMO owner is saying to look at it as a cost of doing business like E&O. The only way I can see swallowing my political objectives is if it allows me access where I don't have now. I have never had someone that I'm selling ask me if I'm in a union and no one has not bought from me because I wasn't in a union.

So is there any value to being in a union, because other than saying that I'm in a union if I do this I can't see any value. The other thing is I would pay the same amount as an Allstate agent but would be a non-voting guide memeber.

I am by no means an expert in this arena, but from what I know an IMO means they have 100+ producers (thanx markingriffin for the educational post). So to have 100+ members join means that much is going o the union not only for dues, but for printing material, marketing, possibly rent, contributions, sponsorship, etc... Understanding politics, it means that somebody at the top is trying to make a move and whatever body they are working with gave their demand...

Being there are so many producers in the organization, i cant see it having a particular value for each member unless the top decides to share the proceeds. So to answer your question, I would ask the owner what access its going to give "you" to the union halls. Trust me somebody is getting it and you are going to be paying for it.

btw, "look at it like e&o"... e&o protects you from lawsuits. is membership gonna protect you from being broke? now that would be worth it!