"I won't subsidize my income for those who can't market themselves because of the 'greater good of the group". I'm a capitalist and I'll stay that way. "

How many business owners, entrepeneurs or profesionals are represented by unions. Unions are for the weak and lame that cannot compete in todays society based on their own merits. Independent Adjusters are self employed business people. If you cannot accept the fact that you are a business person you need to find a JOB.  Some people need the security of being employed by someone else. In the world of the self employed there are no gaurantees. We are currently confronted with a situation they call in the buisness world-SUPPLY AND DEMAND-some people post 2005 encouraged everyone under the sun to become an adjuster and get rich. Now that is biting the profession in the (censored). Time will take care of this.

Now that all the inexperienced newbies have joined our ranks why dont we form a union to cover their (censored) and make sure they get 100 claims that they cant handle, a high fee schedule to insure they get rich and a high milage fee so they can pay for the new truck they went out and bought when they got their three day wonder license. 

"Maybe not every one has your knowledge or financial ability but what I do know is that the majority probley do not."

Then this is not the business for you to be in, get a job. I have been a self employed entrepreneur for twenty five years. There have been good years and bad years. No one has ever gauranteed me a net profit. If you cannot make the deal work for you then take a walk.

My uncle Donald and I discussed this extensively while he was in office.

An group rate is available to all adjusters who work as temp. employees for a least two of the largest vendors. They have a saying when I worked for the best vendor I know. "you are only as good as your last storm". I am a multiline adjuster who has worked inside as a "temp" many months in the auto claims department. I could bill out 12 hours per day for 6 days time xxx per hour. All the annual employees put in 40 hours per week. Well I liked the overtime.

Another very large carrier would limit me to 40 hours per week no overtime. But the employee's were doing the same thing I was doing had to work before I got to the office and when I left just to keep up and got no overtime. Why don,t all adjusters join NACA who ask for references from other Adjusters and have been around for 30 years.

Many years ago I got a lot of direct storm work from the carriers themselves, because I was a member of NACA. No vendor involved 100 % of the fee bill. Their are still some very good IA,s working on Katrina, Rita etc and they did not need a local union to get the position.

Having worked as an adjuster for the past thirty four years on commission or other similar form of remuneration I would want to stay as far away as possible from a union. Like the previous poster I believe in capitalism and the principle that the cream rises to the top. I do not want to ensure benefits for the mediocre or plain lazy. An association of qualified adjusters marketing their wares and benefits would be a far more respectable venture. People wanting and willing to work hard and honestly for their money will survive just fine. Unions filing petty grievances to protect the weak are nothing but an encumberance in today's society.

Every couple of years, someone tries to resurrect the "Union" thing.

It has never had a chance and never will.

We have all been in seminars, schools, luncheons, etc and have been in groups in a room.

That being said,  tell me about the time when everyone in the room agreed on anything.

I have a landing strip in my back yard for the flying pigs in case they can't return to their home base.

Its funny that as I sit here and read all the response to the Union how stuff comes out that was never mentioned. Such as the retirement fund? where did that come in at. Take your freedom away from you who is going to do that. A Union would not make it easier to get a job for the newbies propable make it harder. Bottom line is that as a group call it Union, an Assoc or anything that makes you tick,,We would have our voice heard instead of it falling on deaf ears. There is no telling what we could do. Here are some of the things I thought about today. If we had a large group of qualified IA that could handle anything why would the INS COs go to anyone else. If that happened as a group maybe we could payout 80% of a fee bill and the left over could cover the E&O, good quality training not the 4day wonders. Start an appentrice ship, have ride alongs, newbies become helpers for a while before your let loose. Become a good people person heck anybody can learn to estimate thats only half of the adjustment. The left over 20% could cover any of the extras like a retriement fund, health insurance or anything else we as a group see fit.. I don't see where a Union is going to get you anymore work than whats out there. I don't see if the Union is getting 100% of the fee bill and it pays you 80% back how that would cost you anything. I know this Union thing is only a Pipe Dream but I got nothing else to do but dream.

For some more pros and cons on this subject >>click here for a discussion we had in 1999 <<.