Big Labor, big troubles
Here is your Labor Day graph of the day, via Gallup:
And the bottom line:
Bottom Line
This year’s Gallup update on views toward unions comes in the midst of an economic recession, and in the aftermath of major economic interventions by the U.S. government on behalf of two of the Big Three domestic auto companies.
The update also comes as the Employee Free Choice Act — a proposal to significantly change collective bargaining laws — is still under consideration by Congress. If passed as originally proposed, the bill would most likely make it easier for unions to organize. In fact, proponents of EFCA (who feel the current system is stacked against unions) say that’s the intent. However, those changes may be going against the tide of public opinion, which currently is at a historically low ebb for unions.
Intruding into the livelihoods of at-home caregivers, calling fellow Americans participating in the political process “terrorists”, flexing their thug muscle at town halls, lining their own pockets and pension funds while ripping off their own workers, threatening legislators who don’t bend to their agenda, an laying their own workers off in violation of their own labor agreements, and covering up for corrupt embezzlers in their top ranks ain’t helping their image…
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Categories: SEIU
As a former Metro-Detroit area resident, I can say that the Unions absolutely destroy jobs. The only purpose I can see for unions is to keep the fat union chiefs pockets lined and to pay off politicians for favors.
We need right to work laws and the unions will be gone and the corruption that come with them. I would much rather walk into my bosses office once each year and get a raise based on my work than the collective.
It’s about time we shed that vestige of communism as well.
Happy Kiss Summer Goodbye Day everyone
Like the Civil Rights movement, the Unions have yet to realize that their mission has been accomplished. They need to stoke the fires of discontent to try and remain relevant, and of course to keep the money rolling in.
Historically, I understand why unions came into being. I also know why they should not be furthered by the state. Having once been a member of one, not by choice, I am familiar with the duplicity they display toward their own members. I now work for a company that is not unionized, and has successfully resisted unionization because of the way it treats its employees. Enlightened capitalism is a huge improvement over a union.
Years ago I was a reservation agent for another airline while Eastern was in the fight for its life. A man made a reservation for first class from Las Vegas to his home city back east (NY or Boston). He mentioned he was a union rep working for Eastern Airlines and was involved in the negotiations. He was quite cocky and made some snide comments about the airline which irritated me. I asked him if he would really try to put an airline out of business just so the union would win. He said, “Damn right, I would.”
Well, no more Eastern. That’s what happens with a union. Thank goodness we were non-union in a right to work state. When the union came in to my airline, I quit. Things went into the toilet and those who promoted joining the union said that if they had only known what would happen, they would not have voted for it. I reminded them that I DID tell them and they wouldn’t listen.
And, the pendulum continues to swing. Unions have been good, and unions have been bad.
Bottomline, I like being an American where there is the opportunity for each, Union and Business, to push the pendulum.
***
Support the Troops. Enlist.
I believe this is yet another example of the American public waking up. Polls in themselves do not bring about change, but people sure can. It is clear to me that there is a rising tide of realization that their has been a fundamental change in direction for this country, and we need a course correction. Badly, quickly, and with the authority of we the people.
This may be the highlight of my weekend
Whatever good the unions ever came up with has long since been codified into law.
All they’ve done from the 20th Century onward is to destroy the businesses that they blight, much like a parasite hollows out its victim from within until the host eventually dies.
The only reason unions still exist is because the donkey party keeps them on life support; they do that because the donkeys require a source of coerced money contributions and — ultimately — of storm troopers.
Mark my words, if we ever end up with an American equivalent of the SA, or Noriega’s “Dignity Battalions,” or the motorcycle-riding and billy club-brandishing thugs we saw attacking Iranian protesters, you can count on two things:
1. They’ll work in the service of the donkey party; and
2. They’ll come from the ranks of the unions.
A friend of mine and I were in the union (UAW) together with the same pay rate until 1997 when I went on salary. I got an immediate 6% raise. We now are both salaried employees after he came over to the dark side in 2004. Same salary grade but I make about $10/hr more than he. Why? During the time between 1997 and 2004 I was getting annual pay raises while his union was negotiating lump sum bonuses of 3%/yr. You tell me that the unions are for the “people”.
When was the last time you ever heard of the labor union office being hit by recession
Never
The union offices and bosses exist to suck dues from the union members
“Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory.” Worf, Star Trek TNG.
I was once a member of the IBEW union when I worked for Lucent Technologies. It had it’s good points. But, one thing that REALLY galled me about it was, it would fight tooth and nail to protect workers that we would be better off without. There was one worker who would tell us exactly what he would and wouldn’t do, would file a grievance against anyone who called him lazy, and actually knew the union rep’s number from memory because he called it so often. The union protected him.
I’ve worked for some non-union places where bosses blatantly played favorites. I didn’t like that, of course.
I think unions still have a place, but they need a BIG shake-up.
3. They might find out what a .40 hole looks like in their chest.
Labor Day weekend is special for us – married 56 yrs! Do we have hope for the future of this great country? Absolutely! That’s because of people like Michelle, you, the military (partial to Marines) and God who has blessed us through good and difficult times.
To all of you who have provided your union experiences, thank you. I’ve never worked in a company that had union employees. I have worked with people who are lazy, bosses pets, whiners and basically non producers. I suppose that’s just part of what’s in our human race but those people having a ‘union’ to protect them … good gosh, the mediocrity.
Maybe that’s what it is all about, eh?
The union protecting mediocrity???
Look for the union label, and then buy a different brand.
These numbers are a reflection of what happens when you try to be nice. Now that they have taken off the gloves to beat up old people at town halls and Tea Parties, I’m sure their image will improve. America loves its “bad boys”.
Here Here gramma. My son is about to graduate from MCRD SD. His attitude and commitment do indeed give me hope.
And congratulations of 56 years!
On September 7th, 2009 at 10:06 am, Regulus said:
You are absolutely right!
Not just protecting, but encouraging it Gladz. Lower productivity means more workers paying more dues. Makes my blood boil.
Well USMCgramma, what are you doing here?
Get out and enjoy the day with that studly man you married!
Best to you both and your soon to be MCRD SD graduate son.
the union bosses of the uaw have poured untold millions into the democrat politicians pockets, and are getting their just rewards. just like black america, and gay america, and women americans who vote and support democrats no matter how they dump on them. blacks have been poor, been uneducated, been on welfare since the 1960s when the democrats convinced them that they were going to war against poverty and were going to raise black life in america. how’s all that working for you. we have the culmination of 50 years of progressive social change, and we now have a liberal elite of millionaires and a working class with no jobs. welcome to every socialist/communist state in the world.
JSDreamin: Sort of the modus operandi of the democrat party, eh? Maybe we’re on to something ….. or maybe the light just went on in this head of mine.
can someone tell the Won that he won!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090907/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_labor_day
I work for a hotel and am not part of the union but for the last five years I have seen them protect some of the most useless employees. One of whom has been trying to sue the hotel for any reason she can think of. Her recent attempt is to accuse a coworker (that she despises) of sexual harassment. She has also been faking an injury for about two years. We have seen her walk normally on the street!!! The rules for termination are so crazy and management has only 12 months to do so or a new cycle has to begin. The entitlement mentality is outrageous and sickening to watch.
Gettin’ somthin’ for doin’ nuttin’.
A legal process for picking your employer’s pocket.
Which goes to show (per a previous comment I saw here) that we don’t need unions to ‘protect’ the individual worker.
Happy anniversary! May God bless you with many more. Semper Fi!
I’m surprised that there are that many people who still think unions help companies. Anyone who has ever worked in management or accounting can tell you unions are harmful to companies’ bottom lines.
Slightly OT: In nearby Reading, PA, there was a stink caused by some members of the firefighters’ union who didn’t want volunteer firefighters to take part in Reading’s annual Labor Day parade. Fortunately, someone in the government reminded them that Labor Day was for ALL workers, not just union members. The volunteers are being allowed into the parade.
It took government to tell them, as opposed to common sense and decency.
With the exception of that strike back in the late 90s, I am very impressed with UPS.
Their employees are professional and extremely hard working (I have a long steep driveway.)
Is that an example of where a branch of the union does the right thing?
My story is very similar, but in the medical field. Once we were out from under the union bargaining, raises and benefits were not only great, but MUCH more timely (didn’t have to wait 6 months, only to get half the benefits & pay).
Wow, HotAir just posted a link to a report in London that Obama was kept informed of the release of the Lockerbie at every step. There is going to be hell to pay if this is true.
Here is the Atlas Shrugs link but there are many others.
correction:
Wow, HotAir just posted a link to a report in London that Obama was kept informed of the release of the Lockerbie BOMBER at every step. There is going to be hell to pay if this is true.
Here is the Atlas Shrugs link but there are many others.
This post over at NRO is so good, detailing what Obama is up to with his Union buddies, that I thought it worthwhile to quote in full. Mark Mix is president of the National Right to Work Committee.
Just noticed that the Stop the ACLU link on the Lockerbie story is already up on this page.
Whenever you leave your income, health care, retirement, etc. in the hands of others you become thier slave and it doesn’t matter if it is the government, a union boss, or people just trying to “help”. You are only free if your life’s decisions are in your hands.
It is that work part that bothers them. We hear the UAW and others still singing the blues of the twenties and thirties. Well if the UAW and others haven’t improved things by now they need to give back all those dues. If the union bosses bosses cared at all for their members they would not be supporting low wage immigration.
There was a time when iron men drove their workers into the ground and damn near had them in bondage-especially in company towns such as the coal and copper mines. Those days were gone before I was born. As with the Stanley Steamer they have outlived their usefulness.
Many years ago we had a little run-in with a union. My husband, Robert, fresh out of the Navy, was going to college and working the swing shift at Lockheed in Marietta, Georgia. There was a union, but he couldn’t be forced to join because Georgia is a right-to-work state.
The union called a strike (don’t remember why), but my husband chose to cross the picket line. We were buying our first house, and we had three little children, so we needed the money.
One night, about 8:30 PM, my phone rang, and when I answered it, a man’s voice said, “Don’t wait up for your husband. He won’t be home tonight.” I called Robert and told him to come home the back way. Then I called my next-door neighbor, Ron, who had formerly worked for Lockheed. He figured the union thugs lived in our own neighborhood, and that he probably knew them, so he promised to patrol our street when it was time for Robert to get home.
What happened next couldn’t have been more perfectly choreographed. Just before 11:30, Ron turned on his carport light and stepped outside, whereupon a car full of union idiots pulled into his driveway. As Ron began to try to reason with the thugs, my husband drove his car into our carport, got out, and came inside.
All’s well that ends well. But what none of the other players in this little drama knew was that I was standing at a darkened, open window with my gun in my hand. Fortunately I didn’t have to kill anyone.
Another union story: When I started at the newspaper where I used to work (not in news – don’t blame me!) the reporter’s union had been without a contract for something like 11 years. They were operating the entire time under the old contract.
That meant they were also operating under the old pay scale. When I talked to news people about money and found out how incredibly little they were making I was shocked. They never did figure out why management was perfectly content to let them go without a contract.
Shortly before I left 5 years later, they finally did get a contract. This was followed immediately by several rounds of layoffs, with the union’s complete agreement.
The interesting point in this was that the people who belonged to the union were fanatics. They talked about the need to protect workers and so on, but the union did no such thing. Their allegiance to it was purely ideological.
Little Ma – WOW – just WOW! I’m impressed
I’m less impressed with UPS all the time. They took 4 days to get a package from Chicago to Houston, total 6 days to get it from origin to destination, and called it normal service. Even the Post Office is faster than that. Fedex for me.
Aww, shucks, birdlady. Thanks.
Here’s an idea:
Big Labor has ruined America as an Industrial force. Let’s pack them all up and send them to China to organize the labor force there.
If they survive, we let them come home.
Everybody wins.
Does anyone remember when the unions were formed to help laborers get a more equitable pay and benefit package? When did they become a political machine that is used to thwart the will of the people, at the will of a few undereducated, overpaid, corrupt socialist thugs. and…and, have the “ear of the President” in every aspect involving capital production?
With few exceptions, the unions MUST go…laws should be enacted that make any action, by any official union, made in contravenance of public welfare, liberty, be judged criminal, and punishable by massive fines, mandatory disbandment, and long prison sentences to all involved.
The “Right of the people to petition congress for a redress of grievances” is being pushed aside, redefined, and subjugated by lobbyists, for the benefit of greedy and corrupt businessmen, politicians, unions, and statists. To them, “the people” are just means to an end, and with neo-socialist officials in office, the “people’s” money is being purloined right under our noses, to line the pockets of the willing con men and women of the unions.
I noticed that today Obama is screaming at his union goons and asking them to continue to support his communist healthcare manifesto. Why does he insist on hanging around the rust belt. He should get out into the rest of the country and ask them what they think of his destructive policies.
Obama’s love affair with the unions just confirms his living in the wrong century. The 19th would have been more in his taste.
A capable worker is much better off perfecting and marketing his own skills (forming a small business) and achieving the benefits of his own labor.
Unions are collectivists and only have contempt for such a worker. They impose a common denominator effect in which NO ONE EXCELS. Hence we have government schools which enforce mediocrity of its teachers (by the NEA) and students.
Time to take back our jobs, our schools, our government before we regress 200 years.
Right_on,
I agree with everything you said except for the term “Neo-Socialist”. Other than getting sneakier, I don’t think these Socialists are any different from any Socialists that we have dealt with before. Nope – they are old fashioned Socialists and just as contemptable as ever.
Does anyone doubt which side Obama is on?
Another Union Story:
In the late ’80s, I was an owner-operator in the trucking business. I once had a load of auto parts to be delivered to a union factory in Flint,Michigan. When I arrived and went inside to show the paper work and ask which dock they wanted me to back up to…I was invisible. Everyone walked within inches of me and ‘pretended’ that I did not exist.
Being in business for myself, time was money, so these jerks were costing me. I even screamed at them and waved my arms in front of their faces and got nowhere.
I finally got infuriated and starting walking around the factory looking for a “suit”. Finally I found one! He asked very politely if he could help and responded with shock and a promise for immediate action as soon as I detailed my dilemma.
I do not know who the guy in the suit was, but he must have had some clout. By the time I got back to the docks, the workers were extremely angry, but cooperated in unloading my rig very quickly and silently.
However, about a mile away from the factory I discovered that someone had drove a huge steel spike into one of my trailer tires. At the time, the cost of these tires was approx. $400 each (more than the profit on the delivery). This was my ‘punishment’ for being the one responsible for them having to do their job.
They were either mad at the company or mad at any non-union person making a living, but either way, these people are nothing more than thieves and out right criminals who get paid more than they are worth and will destroy a company by demanding more money and refusing to do their jobs.
I have many more stories, but they get me so upset, I don’t even like to think about them.
Nope.
President Obama is at a Union meeting-on Labor Day? Why isn’t he, his wife and daughters in church screaming God D–n AmeriKKK? What kind…Maybe they only do that on Sunday.
How did you like that “ya’ll” of his? Was he raised in Southern Honolulu? Did you see all those “typical white persons” there? It must have been hard for a race man to bite his tongue.
I have never really had any use for Unions in my past as a member of the US Air Force for 25 years or now as a simple servant working for the same company. They tell me I can join the local union on base, but have no desire to even speak with them. I have found most of the hard core union members in civil service are the ones that you can expect the least amount of productivity from. I guess I should stop thinking like a Senior Noncommissioned Officer one of these days, but “the mission” has always come first. Damn those character flaws!
Interesting how similar the Unions are with the USSR in that both encourage mediocrity, reduce/eliminate individuality and enslave those within it’s power.
Boomer: Hang around the water fountain, or the head, whine about not enough time to get the job done, Da Man and life in general and you will do just fine.
INCOMING!
the only ones pushing the union scam are the fat cats that need other’s money to maintain their life style, without that money they would have to find real jobs and actually earn a living. unions have lost whatever it was that made them necessary many years ago, now they have become very political and frankly make workers become utterly unproductive, and as a result put out substandard and too expensive products that are not worth buying. why pay unions to sell you garbage.
Just wonder how many members of unions hate that they have to be in the union and see every day how their union is destroying their company. Just wonder if there are union members who don’t like themselves much, seeing themselves as sell-outs.
Would be cool to see a reverse Norma Rae movie.
“You like me, you like me, you really, really like me” turned into “kiss my arse”? Like that?
Now we wait for Bambi to talk of his days in the factories and mines. That is how he paid for his way through Punahou, Occidental, Columbia and Harvard. Same mine, same factory! They followed him.
===========
Be sure to look for That Union Label on those Chinese made goods.
Union rules:
Takes a minimum of x union employees to make that label.
‘x‘ to be updated yearly or as contract allows.
On September 7th, 2009 at 3:03 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:
I’ll see what I can do about my significantly slowing my productivity and cancelling my “can do” attitude, but I may be too late. I was named the 366th Fighter Wing’s Resource Advisor for last quarter and damn if my Commander doesn’t expect results! I think I’m hosed!
Many, many years ago, I worked for Eastern Air lines and watched my union “Protect” me right out of a job.
I’m sure it isn’t an uncommon story.
I work for a Union company to make some money during College. I never realized the bad part of a Union until then.
The “Bosses pets” seem to be the people thy know they can rely on to actually do their job and show up. The lazy people bosses pets is the Union. Every time they get in trouble for just not doing their job or even stealing stuff on camera the Union comes in to defend them. This allows them to keep begin lazy and pushing all the hard work to the actual productive workers. Of all the employees the worse tend to be the Shop Stewards who have assumed some god-like power to boss other employees around.
I have one CW who was fired form several non-Union jobs before coming here for not showing up, not doing the jobs, etc. They once told me “I’m so glad were Union because if I screw up I can’t get fired!” Yeah, I appreciate the fact that I end up doing you job.
Once the same CW told the Store Manager on a Tues. they woudl not be in on Wed. and Thurs. SM said, sorry no can do as the only exception (according to the Union contract) is a family emergency or death. This was a Concert. They whined to the Union, who called me and told me “CW will not be coming in on Wed & Th. and you have to cover for them.” I told them I had classes and could not come as indicated in my availability, well they had the payroll clerk change that. I called the SM and explained. SM to me school is important, you don’t need to come in. The Union tried to get SM to write me up, but SM never did.
When unions first started out, they did some good for the regular worker. They improved working conditions, especially. Then they were taken over by the U.S. communist party and the crime syndicates. It’s been downhill since then. Now, union bosses are more interested in power and money, than doing anything for the worker. Corruption, like our government, is rampant. Instead of improving a worker’s environment, extortion is the norm. By paying off the politicians, they survive; a symbiotic relationship that is hard to break. The worker today is stuck between a rock and a hard place; either working for the “company store” or a USSR type “central committee”.
Forgot to add that I don’t celebrate “Union Day”. Patients are just as sick today, as yesterday, and need my help.
My father is a retired union member. He came dislike the union structure. Productive union members are shortchanged in the union workplace, while the slackers are rewarded.
The unions are now themselves big business and the members they have come to represent are just wallets to pick for those who run the union to make themselves rich. Just like the members of Congress and the taxpayers.
While there was a large need for unions in the beginning of the industrial revolution, they are now anchors to US industry in competing against industry in other countries. Not that management hasn’t themselves had their responsibility in the demise of US industry.
When Management and Unions start to work together as a team instead of as advisaries to improve the competitiveness of their respective industries, then the US will be back on top.
You took the words right out of my mouth! Or, well, the typing equivalent. Even though I am not in the Corps, a Master Gunnery Sergeant did authorize me to use the hallowed expression on suitable occasions, which is why I included it in the quote.
It has taken a long time but finally the American people are waking up to the fact that the unions are THIEVES! They steal from their own workers when those workers do not support their liberal agendas and spend their monies in the millions on Democrats.
I had hoped the union WORKERS would wake up and throw those unions down the memory hole however WE can still destroy their name out here and pick off intelligent Americans one by one to the insidiousness of unions and stop CARD CHECK (stealing on a GRAND scale).
I’ve consulted at union shops in the past on the salaried side. There’s usually a bell in the afternoon 3:30 or 4:00. The typical joke from the salaried people is
“That was the bell to wake up the union people and get them to go home. The shift is over.”
yes congrats on the longevity of your marriage. My father was a senior drill instructor at Parris Island…I joined the AF only because both the Marines and Army looked at me and said tunnel rat material…I knew what they were so off to a bit safer ground for me…lol..I got my draft notice for the Marines my 2nd week in basic at Lackland…
I’m from originally from Pittsburgh and remember the double whammy of what the steel unions AND the environmentalists did to that city starting back in the 70′s. In about 15 years there was an enormous sucking sound of every business related to steel closing and or moving away. A few years after that came the sucking sound of people just giving up and leaving – not unlike Flint, MI today.
Congratulations-I think-on the hosed or the other? More effort in doing less? Now you have me confused!
Any entity that utilizes thugs and strong arm tactics, takes mandatory dues from people who dont even want in, and advocates non-secret ballots, is not there to help you.
Where’s the folks that took care of Jimmy Hoffa when ya REALLY need ‘em????
between a gubmint which regulates businesses out of business, and an irs which taxes them out of business, and unions which cost them out of business, is it any wonder that americans aren’t going into business here in this country. no businesses, no jobs.
oh btw, wasn’t it funny how last week the uaw announced the NUMMI plant in california would be closing, but that gm, yes the new gubmint motors, would be building a new plant in china to build buicks. WHAAAAHAHAHAHA.