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I think I agree with you, Steve. I think it would cost Cat adjusters more than it is worth since the work can be so slim. Unions were useful back in the day when there were no labor laws.

In answer to the question to a group of adjusters forming a union or such. As a union delegate from way back when in the teamsters I have discussed this in depth with James Hoffa Jr. and my cousin who is number 2 in the teamsters and he handles all the contract and benifits negoations. In my talks I have found that as adjusters with a union behind us  the benifits are great. We will have representation with both the carriers and ia firms.There will no way an ia firm would  be allowed to not pay their adjusters and with collective bargining we would have contracts that are to our advantage. It would set standards for training and allow us the health and unemployment benifits that we should be allowed as american workers. Also the carriers would be held accountable for timley payments to the ia firms and the ia firms would be held accountable for full payments to all adjusters. And we would have access to delagates and lawyers who will stand up and fight for us. But lets get honest at least 80% of adjusters fight this idea as they feel that doing it by themselves is to their advantage. But lets look back at the threads dealing with bad ia firms and whatnot.

These practices would not be allowed and every ia firm would be held accountable. The power of the union  as a whole is better then a group of us complaining on this site and not achieving any results.doing it one person at a time. Just look at how many adjusters have still not been paid for loses they worked in new orleans and surrounding areas. with a union delegate the ia firms would be held accountable to and have to justify to the union lawyer why the adjusters have not been paid when they have already been paiid.. the union would set up standards that we as adjusters  and the firms that hire us have to live by thus making our employment more desirable to clients.The power of the union would force the bad apples out of the industry. But in all honesty this is just my opinion and I already know the negative reaction this statement will bring in our community.but untill we as a group decide to take this matter head on and realize that there is strenth in numbers nothing in our industry relating to adjusters will change. We are not leaders in the industry we are disposible to ia firms and carriers and the past 2 years prove it. With collective bargining our industry will see an increase in quality,experianced adjusters getting the positions that they deserve and with the big guns from forming a group like this there will be no more fighting for money from bad ia firms.. Also unions can get us to be w-2 contract for a deployment thus relieving us of the tax burden at the end of the year. And it also gives us a voice in our industry that will be heard far and wide.

being in a union or anyother group does not make you less of an independant but more of a group of professionals that have a voice and power. No one says that you can not pick and choose your assignments but what they are saying is that we should have the same rights as every one else that works as a group in an industry. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have the power for health insurance , 401k benifits and retirement plans for our futures.

I know the negatives that other adjusters wil voice allI am doing is putting out there another idea with teeth that will help us in these changing times and make our profession one that people and the industry will respect and take notice of. Change is good why even migrant farm workers have a union so why shouldn't we have some thing similar?

Once again the word union is mentioned. I never in a million yrs thought I would say this but a Union is needed for us. It would at least open the eyes of the all the IA companys and maybe we could get 70%, 100 claims when we travel to a storm. You know the old days that was the 1st question you asked am I going to get 100claims. If you did not you stayed home, cause you werent going to be making anymore than a WalMart greeter. The whole point to the pay we get is to make it thru the slow times but be on call all the time. Most of the IA companys have forgot this. The insurance companys have tried to turn us into staff adjusters and work a storm as quick as possible but keep adding more and more for us to do on each claim to where you can't hardly get any thing done. I have heard stories thur the yrs about adjusters traveling across country and sitting there for a week and then sent home with we will make it up next time. A Union could address all theses problems and stop things like that. Safeco use to have a pollicy where you were to get a 75 claims evertime they called you out. I have heard they have stopped that. A Union could start a rotation for working the storms so that all the Uncles,Aunts, brothers and such don't get all the work when we have times like these.  Has their been a fee sch change since the gas prices went up. I don't know of any. We tried this while working at the LA Quake, out of 400 IA we only got 27 to come to a meeting about starting a Union. Word was that everybody else was scared of there job. I don't think a standard of 70%, min of 100 claims, compensation for travel with out working, a rotation of some sorts ect is too much to ask for. So in the mean time keep running up those credit cards and hoping that thestorm season will start soon and be a better yr than next.    IT IS NOT FAILURE ITSELF THAT HOLDS YOU BACK:  IT IS THE FEAR OF FAILURE THAT PARALYZES YOU.

I agree with you on the union, I don't like them. They were necessary many years ago, but not now. A good organization, geared toward providing very qualified adjusters would work, however. But there are many like you that want your independence. Of course, nothing would have helped during 06 and 07, there just was not any work to be had. Hopefully 08 will produce some work for the qualified adjusters and old timers like me. We are working a lot of daily claims right now and after working the fires in Ca. for Cunningham Lindsey, at least we are not starving.

"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 <<.