There is one reason installers get fucked year after year. No legal recourse or legal recourse is too expensive.
The reason it is too expensive is because installers have not formed a nationwide association to start lobbying for legislation on their behalf. I am about as far from the political spectrum of government regulation as one can get however as long as we are living in a fucked up country let us at least 1) acknowledge how the game is played 2) play it better. Hell, even cable and/or satellite companies recognize how important it can be to work together when it comes to lobbying for their respective industries.
I have nothing against unions but unions are company specific and don't have any influence outside of a given company. Even then there are mixed opinions on unions and the perceived benefits of collective wage bargaining.
I am proposing collective lobbying. This is the power of an association and where the real victory for career installers is.
Imagine lobbying to enact some fair labor or contract laws in every state with severe penalties covering shit like wage deductions, charge backs exceeding the piece rate, retainage regulations capping the amounts and length of time they can be held, requiring compensation in law for non-compete clauses on independant contractors, shutting down the loopholes that allow companies to utilize illegal immigrants as contract labor because eligibility to work in the U.S. for independent contractors is based on a business versus W-2 employees being based on the individual, piece rates must be clearly defined in non overlapping scopes of work, etc (i was just getting warmed up).
Once you get a few nice laws on the books with severe penalties those legal fees will take a nosedive because attorneys will line up like sharks the same way they chase ambulances.
There are other benefits to forming an association such as leveraging group discounts on tools, insurance, legal fees, etc.
I am willing to put my money where my mouth is and get the ball rolling. If you are too, chime in to the thread or pm me so further discussion can occur.
An association is more viable than a union
Member #: 43860
Registered: 1/23/2006
Posted:
82
Name:
TDD
Company:
Cable
Occupation:
Slave
Location:
U.S
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