Labor Unions and Special Interests

[JAYBIRD]

I love how people think all unions are the same. They are not. Each one is different. Do you think I absolutely trust all of my union's officials. Absolutely not. I'm in it for the benefits and pay. Most companies are reducing workers benefits now days. Unless you have worked in a union, HOW THE F*&#K DO YOU KNOW WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU. Companies are always going to look for ways to cheapen wages, whether union or not. You think unions are bad, your own goverment is a million times worse.

[Big Fish Billy]

I love how people think all unions are the same. They are not. Each one is different. Do you think I absolutely trust all of my union's officials. Absolutely not. I'm in it for the benefits and pay. Most companies are reducing workers benefits now days. Unless you have worked in a union, HOW THE F*&#K DO YOU KNOW WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU. Companies are always going to look for ways to cheapen wages, whether union or not. You think unions are bad, your own goverment is a million times worse.

Now that's a 10-4.........

[Hallnass282]

Third generation. Its treated us right ... work hard and get paid for it. We'd be trailer trash without LU 520

[shiv67]

I'm in an ibew local and we went to 32 hours a week for 7 months just to save the person next to me from a layoff for along time. It all depends on what kind of an union. I 've seen an abuse of power with the unions and I've seen guys running around the job just doing the best workmanship ever.And Bill your right with out the unions nobody would have benes or a decent retirement plan. Its the people in office who reap all the money.

[extreme angler]

I'm a Union Carpenter and proud of it..I've been a member since 95..Before that I spent over 10 years non -union.I know both sides well..I've argued this BS before.I've found out ,minds are already set..There is no changing them,But I will say...No one in their right mind is going to pass on a job that offers
1 Safety-- to return home each night
2 training --to make yourself more employable
3 Great pay-- to live comfortable
4 health care-- for your family
5 savings --for rainy days
6 pension--To live in dignity after your career is over

As A long time Officer of my Union I have found 2 things common.

If you hate unions 99% of the time ,you never worked union and are operating on hearsay OR you did and feel wronged by your Union..

If you fall into the second group 99% of the time it was your fault you got the shaft..You had a pi$$ poor work ethic ,stole, just got plain fat and sassy and felt entitled ,or did something else your not willing to share..It's everybody's fault ,but your own..

Of coarse there are few other reasons such as personality conflicts..Shouldn't happen ,but it does.

Union jobs are some of the best still left in America..Together we Bargain ,Divided we Beg.

Unions were created to combat Greed and Exploitation..Until those 2 things are eliminated from the World ,Unions will be always be needed..JMO

[worldcat lemon]

This should get some opinions flaring .

Does anyone else agree that the Unions that were created to protect the worker from abuse are becoming abusive and have too much power now. It's amazing that everyone else takes pay cuts and rolls with the punches during tough economic times, but the unions and their bosses continue to get raises and benefits and special deals from the gov't for their continued support.

If people don't wake up and see what is REALLY going on around them, we will be the next Greece.

This is not about republican vs. democrat . We need to unite as AMERICANS and get this country back on track. GREED and ENTITLEMENT is destrying us !

I think unions have protected the worker from greed and employer abuse. However, unions are not the real problem. If we want to help the economy, let's cut the pay of our elected public officials who continue to get pay raises in spite of the economic slump, forget any bank bailouts, eliminate special interest bribes into offshore bank accounts, and get the economy stimulated.

Union workers don't make the big bucks when they sit at the union hall waiting for jobs, but I think it is a shame when a union worker can't work for a non-union company for fear of penalties, loss of benefits, and loss of membership when the union doesn't have any work for the workers. A guy still has to feed his family.

[FXRScotty]

I have been involved with several unions over forty years on both sides of the fence. When it comes to protecting your job and holding benies I have no issue, when when it comes to roughing up 75 year old men & women at politcal functions (this was the IBEW twice shiv67) with my own eyes and both were for are old freind Teddy K. And I have been assaulted personally by UAW thugs while trying to modernise a GM power steering plant in Saginaw mich in the 80's. I came out on top and charges were filed but then I wasn't a 75 year old man either!

These are kind of things as well as corruption that give unions a bad name. Scotty.

[Bligh]

Blame the executives of large corporations that want the Govt to bail their company out and still pay them their entitled bonus even if they were the cause of the company woes? Or the greed of a company like walmart that caused every manufacturer that they buy from, to move to china to build at a competitive cost price. Then they dont offer a very good health plan if any for their own employees {mostly part time unskilled} So who picks up the hospital bills? The uninsured or underinsured end up on charity care and we as taxpayers pay for walmarts rise????? Greed should be attacked from the top down not the bottom up. But that would take guts and most people have none. If you want to go into politics go to washington and learn that when you get to the top you are either beholden or bought and owned by K street Lobbyist$$$$ or Blowhart Union Bosses { most unions are powerless except for white collar public employee and teachers unions} Which is worse????? The buck stops at the top so they can put it in their pocket and ask for more?

[Big Fish Billy]

I'm a Union Carpenter and proud of it..I've been a member since 95..Before that I spent over 10 years non -union.I know both sides well..I've argued this BS before.I've found out ,minds are already set..There is no changing them,But I will say...No one in their right mind is going to pass on a job that offers
1 Safety-- to return home each night
2 training --to make yourself more employable
3 Great pay-- to live comfortable
4 health care-- for your family
5 savings --for rainy days
6 pension--To live in dignity after your career is over

As A long time Officer of my Union I have found 2 things common.

If you hate unions 99% of the time ,you never worked union and are operating on hearsay OR you did and feel wronged by your Union..

If you fall into the second group 99% of the time it was your fault you got the shaft..You had a pi$$ poor work ethic ,stole, just got plain fat and sassy and felt entitled ,or did something else your not willing to share..It's everybody's fault ,but your own..

Of coarse there are few other reasons such as personality conflicts..Shouldn't happen ,but it does.

Union jobs are some of the best still left in America..Together we Bargain ,Divided we Beg.

Unions were created to combat Greed and Exploitation..Until those 2 things are eliminated from the World ,Unions will be always be needed..JMO

Blame the executives of large corporations that want the Govt to bail their company out and still pay them their entitled bonus even if they were the cause of the company woes? Or the greed of a company like walmart that caused every manufacturer that they buy from, to move to china to build at a competitive cost price. Then they dont offer a very good health plan if any for their own employees {mostly part time unskilled} So who picks up the hospital bills? The uninsured or underinsured end up on charity care and we as taxpayers pay for walmarts rise????? Greed should be attacked from the top down not the bottom up. But that would take guts and most people have none. If you want to go into politics go to washington and learn that when you get to the top you are either beholden or bought and owned by K street Lobbyist$$$$ or Blowhart Union Bosses { most unions are powerless except for white collar public employee and teachers unions} Which is worse????? The buck stops at the top so they can put it in their pocket and ask for more?

Both good synopsis-es (if that's a word), union life isn't for everyone, when times are good and everyone is working you never hear a complaint, when things are tight, companies pear down to their best workers, guys that make money for them, etc., people that don't work consistently usually just find something else to do, go in business for themselves etc. The good thing people forget is the importance of being able to serve an apprenticeship, learn the trade the right way, and have a chance over a three or four year period to become valuable to a company. We've all come across folks that "didn't need" an apprenticeship, or didn't see the value or try to fake their way along. Union apprenticed tradesman are generally among the best because they have to be marketable to earn their wage and continue working. Not saying you can't learn any trade non-union, just the union way is more structured, and more diverse. As mentioned, general workplace Safety, Fall Protection, LO/TO, First Responder, etc,. are all requisites...I could go on for ever...