Is this a scam about joining the Teamsters?

[Tgo01]

My friend was approached by two people claiming to be part of The Teamsters union. They told him they can guarantee him a job paying 2000 dollars a week but he needs to pay 500 dollars upfront for union dues. I've been a part of a couple of unions before and they all required union dues but I never had to pay upfront before I even had the job, they were always taken out of my paycheck.

Also from the way my friend is telling it (he may just be confused on this part though) from the sounds of it the union itself is the one hiring him, not any sort of company.

Does The Teamsters require an upfront fee of 500 dollars? They told him with 500 dollars they will give him some sort of book. They also said if he gave them the money on Monday he can start as early as Tuesday. How can a union guarantee a job within 24 hours? I know The Teamsters are powerful and all but I had no idea they were that powerful.

[Parkbandit]

My friend was approached by two people claiming to be part of The Teamsters union. They told him they can guarantee him a job paying 2000 dollars a week but he needs to pay 500 dollars upfront for union dues. I've been a part of a couple of unions before and they all required union dues but I never had to pay upfront before I even had the job, they were always taken out of my paycheck.

Also from the way my friend is telling it (he may just be confused on this part though) from the sounds of it the union itself is the one hiring him, not any sort of company.

Does The Teamsters require an upfront fee of 500 dollars? They told him with 500 dollars they will give him some sort of book. They also said if he gave them the money on Monday he can start as early as Tuesday. How can a union guarantee a job within 24 hours? I know The Teamsters are powerful and all but I had no idea they were that powerful.

If the Teamsters is mob controlled, would it be considered a scam?

[Liagala]

I'd guess scam. I dealt with the Teamsters a couple years ago at work, when they tried to get our drivers to unionize. There was no mention anywhere - either during the process or in any of the research I did - about upfront fees, or recruiting unemployed people for the union. The only stuff I saw was normal dues taken from employee paychecks.

[Androidpk]

Definitely sounds like a scam.

[AbnInfamy]

When I was inquiring about becoming an ironworker apprentice I was told that people call the union with jobs. They go down the list of available workers, you do a job, you're back to the bottom of the list. So in this regard, yes, I imagine he could be receiving work directly from the union. What he needs to do is contact the union headquarters... They're going to have a website, and chances are a union hall, it won't be too hard to establish legitimacy.

[Latrinsorm]

YOLO, go for it.

[Tgo01]

When I was inquiring about becoming an ironworker apprentice I was told that people call the union with jobs. They go down the list of available workers, you do a job, you're back to the bottom of the list. So in this regard, yes, I imagine he could be receiving work directly from the union. What he needs to do is contact the union headquarters... They're going to have a website, and chances are a union hall, it won't be too hard to establish legitimacy.

That just seems very odd though. The company doesn't care who the union hires? They just pick out random people and the company goes along with it?


YOLO, go for it.

I had to google that, I like it.

[Liagala]

That just seems very odd though. The company doesn't care who the union hires? They just pick out random people and the company goes along with it?
What AbnInfamy is describing sounds more like a temp agency than a union, but I suppose there's no reason they can't be combined into one. I still think the $500 sounds like a Nigerian scam, but the Teamsters don't exactly make themselves difficult to find. Your friend should be able to get someone to confirm/deny pretty easily.

[Tgo01]

What AbnInfamy is describing sounds more like a temp agency than a union, but I suppose there's no reason they can't be combined into one. I still think the $500 sounds like a Nigerian scam, but the Teamsters don't exactly make themselves difficult to find. Your friend should be able to get someone to confirm/deny pretty easily.

That's all true enough I suppose. I don't understand how the Teamsters has trouble finding people wanting to make 2,000 dollars a week though and they have to recruit random people, but anything is possible I suppose.

He really should look into this more, of course they are pushing him to join in as soon as possible because there aren't many positions left, I imagine jobs paying 2k a week with no special training (other than a license to drive a semi) or education required would go fast.

[Liagala]

That's all true enough I suppose. I don't understand how the Teamsters has trouble finding people wanting to make 2,000 dollars a week though and they have to recruit random people, but anything is possible I suppose.

He really should look into this more, of course they are pushing him to join in as soon as possible because there aren't many positions left, I imagine jobs paying 2k a week with no special training (other than a license to drive a semi) or education required would go fast.
1 - They don't hand out CDLs in cracker jack boxes. I can see a qualified driver being worth some effort to find.

2 - Every scam on the planet (and almost every legitimate enterprise) includes "Act now, limited supply!" It makes people stupid.

[Kerranger]

I know a couple of drivers with a few years of experience and hazmat certs that make up to 1200/week driving gas tankers back and forth between Spartanburg, SC and Charleston, SC. I don't know their Union situation. Wages up north would certainly be higher and it all depends on how much you want or are able to drive, but I really can't see 2k starting out of nowhere.

[Warriorbird]

Scam.

(Also, LOL Tgo01 in a union)

[Tgo01]

1 - They don't hand out CDLs in cracker jack boxes. I can see a qualified driver being worth some effort to find.

I didn't mean to imply that having a CDL is no big deal. Just that it's kind of fishy that they're going around seeking people out for 2k a week jobs that only require a license that only requires a 3 week class. They didn't even ask for resume or anything.


Scam.

(Also, LOL Tgo01 in a union)

What? I was required to join the union :(

Red Is this a scam about joining the Teamsters?

You like it because you, like your unemployed friend, are a moron.

I like the acronym "YOLO" because I'm a moron like my "unemployed" friend? I don't expect much from negative rep but come on, at least put some effort in to them.

[4a6c1]

What I get out of this thread is that Tgo (Terrence?!) is now a libtard hippy with rainbow shorts :::I spit in my spitoon::: .He votes for that thar Muslim Obummer who wants to tax the farts of our cows :::I fold my arms and they rest comfortably on top of my beer belly:::. Tgo might be a teerist. :::My belly and arms jiggle as I nod affirmatively:::

[Asile]

My friend was approached by two people claiming to be part of The Teamsters union. They told him they can guarantee him a job paying 2000 dollars a week but he needs to pay 500 dollars upfront for union dues. I've been a part of a couple of unions before and they all required union dues but I never had to pay upfront before I even had the job, they were always taken out of my paycheck.

Also from the way my friend is telling it (he may just be confused on this part though) from the sounds of it the union itself is the one hiring him, not any sort of company.

Does The Teamsters require an upfront fee of 500 dollars? They told him with 500 dollars they will give him some sort of book. They also said if he gave them the money on Monday he can start as early as Tuesday. How can a union guarantee a job within 24 hours? I know The Teamsters are powerful and all but I had no idea they were that powerful.

I haven't read the other responses yet, but since I'm the one who administers the collection of dues and sending the check to the Teamsters for two of our locations, this has MAJOR SCAM written all over it to me.

First, we don't start collecting dues from new members until they've been employed by my company for 30 days, and the initiation fee (which is WAY less than $500.. holy crap that's alot, the highest initiation fee set up for any union I work with is about $103 and I just had a new employee who qualified for that rate).

Second.. If it's the Teamsters actually hiring him.. It doesn't sound right that he should have to PAY in order to get a job. It's kinda like the warning Craigslist puts up when you look at the job postings on CL.

Your friend would do well to contact the Teamsters office directly and ask about this. If it's legit, they can tell him, or they can direct him to legit work while being notified that people are scamming while using their name.

ETA: Even if it's something like a temp agency kind of deal.. why should he pay them, especially when they're the one who approached him? I don't pay people to find work for me; the times I've worked for temp agencies, the company I went to work for paid the agency. And I certainly wouldn't pay someone $500 to find work for me. Tg, your friend needs to contact his local Teamsters office ASAP.

[GS4-Seomanthe]

Have him find out which local office they allege to be representing. Google that office. Call and confirm the story.

[Tgo01]

Surprise surprise, this must have been a scam. I told my friend to call the union and they had no idea what book these people were trying to sell and they are completely full on the jobs these two were referring to and have been for quite some time.

[SHAFT]

Have your friend give me the $500 and I'll work out a deal with the Teamsters. My great uncle was Jimmy Hoffa and my whole family works for GM. I'm tight with the Teamsters. Have him send it to my paypal.

[Androidpk]

Teamsters sounds like some gay pokemon shit.