Posted by Gregory Howard on 8/19/09 8:32am
Msg #300744

Union

I received a call yesterday form Nation Direct and they were fishing around for the lowest price (and the guy told me that). They were looking for somebody to travel one way 35 miles for $50. The borrower was all the papers and I need to fax and mail them back. I laugh at him and politely told him NO. I said all of this to say we need to form a union and let's all of us get on the same page for our fees. I know from state to state the fees are different but each state can come up with their own fees post them somewhere on this site and everybody stick with it. I know some people are saying, "I will lose money that way". To be honest we are losing money any way. They are getting paid about $2000 and paying us $50. Tell me whatcha think.

Reply by Shoshana Roller on 8/19/09 8:39am
Msg #300745

Sounds like price fixing to me. That's illegal.

Reply by jba/fl on 8/19/09 8:41am
Msg #300746

Then why aren't unions banned, prosecuted, etc?

Reply by Bob_Chicago on 8/19/09 9:14am
Msg #300753

Then why aren't unions banned, prosecuted, etc?

Specific legislation passed by Congress, going back about 100 years.

Reply by 101livescan on 8/19/09 8:48am
Msg #300747

If we collectively refuse these low ball assignment offers, they'll be forced to raise their fees they are willing to pay notaries.

I got $125 for one QC signature traveling 40 miles, but it was on the way home, so it was gravy. After they agreed to my fee, they called me the next day to negotiate. I said, well, it's 40 miles minimum each way. If you want to contact another notary to handle this, okay by me (two hours before I was to meet the client). They said, no, go for it.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/19/09 8:57am
Msg #300749

I will never understand how Nations Direct can continue to get notaries to work for their ridiculously low fees. Unions have been proposed before by different entities. I think many have said that any attempt at price-fixing would violate anti-trust laws. Regardless, unions seem to be a thing of the past in America. I originally came from an area of PA that drove jobs overseas because of union demands.
This business thrives on competition. We are all independent contractors & establish our own rates.
I am my own boss because I have the option to say "no thanks" to any offer.

Reply by Roger_OH on 8/19/09 9:21am
Msg #300755

This has come up several times.

A union is an organization, duly elected by and comprised of EMPLOYEES, that through the collective bargaining process, negotiates a labor/working conditions CONTRACT with an EMPLOYER.

We're independent contractors, not employees; everyone runs their business as they see fit according to thier own business plan. Collusion to establish a set rate would be construed as price-fixing, and even so, there would ALWAYS be someone that will try to undercut you.

Never gonna happen, nor should it.

Reply by JanetLA on 8/19/09 9:59am
Msg #300770

Nations Direct... Not trying to start an argument

but they always meet my fees. Maybe it is regional. I don't even have to argue with them.

Reply by 101livescan on 8/19/09 9:24am
Msg #300756

Analyze this!

35 miles, roundtrip, 70 miles (at least 3 hours divided into $35 fee, around $10 a hour, without any consideration for gas. How many notarizations, say 6*$10 ($60), already a losing proposition.

Just say NO WAY JOSE! people have to frigging nuts to think we're that desperate.

Reply by Regal/NC on 8/19/09 9:50am
Msg #300764

Union: NOT!!

I am a independent contractor, business owner. I set my fees, hours, when, where, how and who I work for.

Reply by Vince/KS on 8/19/09 10:01am
Msg #300771

Kansas is a "right to work" state - so a union is pointless

But, the state limits the notary fee charged to "reasonable." So, some shop around for the cheapest, going-out-of-business special notary and others are willing to pay reasonable fees.

Reply by MichiganAl on 8/19/09 11:00am
Msg #300791

Unions? No until my dying breath. n/m

Reply by Louis/AZ on 8/19/09 12:51pm
Msg #300834

Re: Good luck organizing a union

You can't even get NSA's to informally agree to never go below $100 for a signing. There are plenty of newbies out there and some of them don't even know they can get more than $50 for a loan signing.

All of us, however, are aware that $50 notaries don't always provide the best level of service, and some of us have had the pleasure of turning down low-ball offers only to have the same company call us back a few days later for a clean-up job. (For our full fee of course).

Reply by John_NorCal on 8/19/09 2:13pm
Msg #300864

This is pointless to even consider......

Are you an employee or a self employed business owner operator? While I agree the fee that you were quoted is asinine, there is no way that any kind of organizing effort will circumvent that, not as long as this industry is one conducted by independent business owners. Anything else is price fixing.

Unions get their right to exist through the National Labor Relations Act which gives protection to employees not independent contractors.