USPA Member ??? READ THIS !!!

IN RESPONSE TO EVERYONE:

Okay,


A. I was not talking about forming a Union. I was talking about how they were able to take a member base of 500-600 over a 40 year period and invest properly to have a fund that has well over 80 million (noticed I missed a zero in my original post) and grows constantly thereby providing all the benefits including retirment to their members.

B. Said that so that we could discuss doing the same sort of thing for the USPA to somehow afford Insuracnce etc.

C. In response to the Union Argument.

Yes, Unions have done a lot for the working conditions for this country. Now they are bastardized versions of what they once were. Collective bargaining in it's purest form says, we will provide a service to you the company but we want good wages, good benefits and certain protections from being abused. In return we will offer you better quality by training through apprenticeship programs and such.

Now this is how it really works. I a union member work for x dollars an hour and you cannot fire me without due process and I will only do so much for you, the employer, each day as we have negotiated. Should lay-offs be necessary you cannot lay me, the lazy only do what I am required by contract worker, off. Why? Because I have 12 years here and you have not layed-off the guy who has 6 years but does far superior work in a shorter amount of time. My seniority guarantees that I keep my job.

The union mentality of lots of pay for little work of poor craftsmanship has become part of the problem with this country.

Now, before any union brothers go getting pissy. There are many within union ranks who work hard, take pride in what they do, and provide top quality work. Unfortunately, I would bet many of you experience problems with your co-workers who do little and reap the same benefits as you. In my union experience, which spans insulation, steel, freight and communications (I was a member of the Heat Frost Insulators Union, My wife, father, mother and Mother-in-law were all CWA, my grandfather was Teamster's back in Jimmy's day, and I currently work with SteelWorkers at my new company, but not with the union as I am now on the other side) and spans my entire life, I have seen the unions become fat and lazy. And yes I was actively involved in things like strikes with my father and grandfather, and they taught me to be pro-union and why. They are sickened by how things have changed.

As an Insulator I was told to only do 3.5 rolls of duct wrap per day, no matter how quickly the job went because that was what we were contracted for. On many jobs I was able to do, not 2, not 3 not even 4, but 5 times that much and when I did I was chastised and ridiculed by my co-workers for making them look bad. I believe I do the best I can with what I am given and that I am being paid good money to WORK. Doing 3.5 rolls when you can clearly do more, to me is not work. Then we wonder why companies want to send jobs oversees where more work is done for less pay?

Unions done right are a great thing. Today's unions? They are a disease. The nepitism within the unions is killing them like cancer. You got a guy who doesn't want to work bringing his son, who he has taught the same values, into the local. Hell one could call it inbreeding.

Now back top the real reason for my post. Not union BS but investment of Membership dues. Is the idea I preposed even remotely viable?

How about this? If every USPA member DZ were to add one dollar to the cost of every jump and place that into an insurance fund we would be seeing well over 3 million a year, right?

Invested properly by the board of the USPA we could easily be self insured in no time.

Is this a viable option?

Just looking for answers.

Unfortunately this thread has been hard to follow and I may be proposing something that has already been proposed. If I have refer me to the responses and I will shut up.

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Maybe it has outgrown its usefulness. I just think someone who says they "hate unions" is showing considerable indifference to history.
***
Point taken.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Invested properly by the board of the USPA we could easily be self insured in no time.


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Geeze has this thread ever wandered since I started it!

You present an interesting and yes, viable solution.
One that has been considered by our
governing organization...


BUT-
Unfortunately, it would NOT be plausible at this time.

The old story of being between a rock and a hard place.

From what I understand of the situation currently...

We're paying in roughly 1/2 a million a year in premiums
to cover both the general membership and demo policies.

You're correct in the assumption that we 'could'
self-insure...
but that would mean taking at least 2-3 years of
'premium designated' funds and diverting them
into an interest bearing vehicle that would be available
in case of a claim against the organization.

Obviously that would mean we would have to be
without any coverage for those years of building the
'self insure' bankroll.

And heaven forbid something tragic should happen
and totally drain the fund...

Without a back up the organization would be ruined.


Now...
On a lighter note;

We're a week away from the BOD
meeting that will hopefully resolve this situation.

The current policy runs out soon...

BUT, there a some other bids on the table.
I don't know if they are comparable in price and coverage...
I 'believe' them to be...

I has some discourse with one of the insurance
companies involved in a new policy proposal.

From the conversations we had...
at the ICAS convention in Dallas last December...
There 'should' be an extremely attractive bid forthcoming
from them.

At that time anyway, this person felt that their
company would certainly be able to extend pretty much
the same coverage we now enjoy, both general and demo...
for a significantly reduced rate!

I'm hoping to be able to personally attend the
BOD meeting in Va. next week...

Should be interesting!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Thanks for the update.

As far as having to be un-insured for 2-3 years. There is nothing that says we can't have a policy in effect now, then in preparation for self-insurance or higher premiums, we could still raise the price per jump by 1 dollar and in a few or more than a few years see where we are?

This way we are not diverting current funds we are creating new funds with a specific goal in mind.

Of course we would probably have to somehow vote on it or soemthing to protect jumpers from ever increasing unecessary "jump taxes".

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we could still raise the price per jump by 1 dollar and in a few or more than a few years see where we are?
***
Sure...
Give them MORE $
and we'll have two museums!!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Guess I don't get that one. You saying the USPA would not use the money for it's intended purpose? Or am I reading that wrong?

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When I was living in Florida I was a Union Insulator in Local 60. We had less than 500 members and we had our own retirement plan within the Union. Everyone paid dues and they contracted with the different companies to pay a certain amount per hour into the Union Pension Plan for the union employees. The Union local has an elected group in charge and as of 97 when I left the union they had well over 8 million in the fund.

I see no reason why we could not do the same thing with the USPA. It will take a while to get it done but we could make it happen. There is a wide range of expertise within our ever expanding community.

The problem with a large bank account is that it would become a lawyer's target. The skydiving community needs liability relief similar to that enjoyed by the ski industry.

I belonged to a union for 30 years. And I agree with you that at one time unions did wonders in improving the lot of the common worker. But beginning in the late 60's and more so in the 80' they stopped being for the worker and more for the union. They are a large part of the reason some many jobs went out of country. Many of the large AFL/CIO unions are nothing more then organized crime in union clothing. jmo

I think you are all missing the point. If I owned a dz, had multiply planes, buildings, gear, and livelihood, it would be up for grabs. How much would I have to charge you? One who does not have but the cost of a jump ticket to rub together, no cares in the world, would be lucky to set foot on my dz, much less set foot in my plane. It is a matter for all jumpers to consider. Do we group together and try to come up with a fix or exclude the true enthusiasts who live for the altitude from setting foot on a dropzone. It is not USPA. It is the loss of insurance, an item that has become a fact of life, that we must be concerned with.