Labor Unions and Special Interests

[Tricia Lynn]

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 !

[retainage]

Just wondering exactly what sparked this thread, any one particular incident or experience?
Thanks

[Hatterized]

yes the unions are relied upon heavily at election time.....and with certainty their vote/endorsement comes with a price.....who reaps those rewards......the union workers whose dues are constantly rising.....or union execs.....well with past corruption seems the execs get paid handsomely

[Big Fish Billy]

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 !

yes the unions are relied upon heavily at election time.....and with certainty their vote/endorsement comes with a price.....who reaps those rewards......the union workers whose dues are constantly rising.....or union execs.....well with past corruption seems the execs get paid handsomely

eeeyeah, but, in MA the unions spoke back, Coakley(D) thought it was a done deal (as I suppose she should have), but as if by magic union membership went against it's own exec's mandate and went for Brown(R)...shades of things to come in November...methinks...I'm not going to make an argument for or against unions, personally I was a member for 20 years, a VP of my local for 3, and believe in them for the most part. The idea of good men and women, getting a good wage with benefits, having some bargaining power, is where it begins and ends for me. When times are good, and memberships are working, they tend to go along with union directives and sleepily vote accordingly, in times such as these, brothers and sisters aren't as steerable, they use their heads as in MA, and make a more correct decision..... I love the argument against Union Auto Workers, "stupid bozos that get paid $36 and hour to turn bolts." Well if a guy can get paid that amount for that work, more power to him, but consider this, the average car takes 15 to 20 manhours to build (and that's a generous estimate), $6,000 in materials (and that's a generous estimate), even at $100 and hour that's $2,000 in labor, $6,000 for parts, so for a $20,000 car, where's the other $12,000 going? That's it....

[NY Bearhunter]

BIG FISH BILLY. I'M WITH YOU ON THAT ONE...

[jawz12]

there's little manufacturing left in the us,due to the cost of labor-you can thank the unions for that...unions,at one time they were needed,now,they're a waste,they actually are the cause of no manufacturing in the us,US steel is a great example of what the unions have done...

unions,bankrupting companies one at a time...

[Big Fish Billy]

yeah right...if it wasn't for the unions, you'd still be making a $1.30 and hour and have no benefits at all...of course the way it's going, we may get back to that....

[Tricia Lynn]

Just wondering exactly what sparked this thread, any one particular incident or experience?
Thanks

I am actually starting to explore getting involved in local politics and I was listening to the teachers union refuse a 2 year pay freeze to avoid massive layoffs of teachers. Here is a case of a union "flexing" their power and the ones who suffer are the taxpayers children who will be crammed into classes of 30-35 kids and the other ones suffering are the teachers who will need to find new careers.

The autoworkers unions are also another example of the abuse, they slaughtered over 100k of their own because they didn't want to work with companies until they got back on their feet. Now, we have GM ( gov't motors) and we are moving closer and closer to being a socialist country everyday.

[Big Fish Billy]

Much like the fishing threads running wild with mis-information, and inabilities to sacrifice in a multifaceted problem, a union discussion is much the same. The two issues you brought up, I just have a couple comments...Teachers...my whole life, teachers have been underpaid...they are charged with not only teaching a nation's kids academics, but disciplining them, and knowing and bringing them up better than their parents in many cases...to my way of thinking, they are worth whatever they can collectively bargain for...Autoworkers are working for the nation's second greediest companies behind banks...the reason they are in trouble is because they have the technology to build the best vehicles in the world and they build crap and charge way more than they have to for them, way more...is this the working man's fault?...No way...an American car should cost no more than $8,000 considering parts and labor, not $20-$30,000...but in either case, it is supply and demand...if the teachers don't come to an agreement, they'll lose their jobs, and it will be their collective faults...and although the UAW are blamed for their companies woes, it is not their fault and no way we should have bailed any of them out..."supply and demand, if they don't build it right, they will not come." They'll buy Hondas and Toyotas, and if they don't straighten out, it'll be something else....

[offshr]

well said billy $1.30 might be on the high side.