Comments on: Big Labor’s Comeback

By: Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:54:03 +0000

Obama and the Teamsters Union:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/teamsters-set-to-back-obama/
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/05/05/obama-teamsters-deal-to-end-federal-oversight/
(I’m sure it’s just a coincidence)

By: SCredneck

SCredneck — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:56:13 +0000

I wrote a paper in college about why unions should be limited in the U.S. I’m in a right to work State where we attract major companies because we:
A. have lower corporate tax rates
B. are a right to work state

I don’t understand why union members don’t realize the damage their respective unions are doing. For example, the UAW strikes against GM earlier this year, GM caves in to their demands, then to pay for it, GM lays off 25,000 workers. The Dems then BLAME BUSH!

By: Old Sailor

Old Sailor — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:56:50 +0000

I used to work at Norshipco in Norfolk, Va, way back in 1989-91, which was/is a shipyard that was unionized. The union was the Boilermaker’s Union. During a conversation I had with one of the local union leaders, he freely admitted to being a Communist. It seemed clear to me at the time that he wasn’t alone.

One of the episodes I remember involved the ongoing dispute between the union and the owner of the shipyard over their lack of a contract. Many times, I would hear the word go out to “slow down the work”; which meant that the union was attempting to punish the shipyard by forcing contracts to be finished late and make them look bad to the government. Of course, all it meant was that we were punishing the taxpayers, not the shipyard; but the union didn’t care about that.

The whole structure of the shipyard was totally communist because of the unions. Everyone worked according to the same payscale, no matter how long you worked there. A journeyman (at least 5 years exp) would make 10.50/hour; the next level would make about 11.50 or 12/hour; and the third level would make about 13.50/hour. So unless you got into management, the most you could ever make (even after 30 years) was 13.50/hour, adjusted upward by new contracts, which was very little. Back in those days, 10.50/hour was fairly decent money, but still…

I will take good old American Free Enterprise over the Communist way any day. Forget the unions.

By: TBinSTL (just typical)

TBinSTL (just typical) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:29:42 +0000

I’ve been in a union once in my lifetime and that was at TWA. They(the IAM) were so corrupt and lied so easily and obviously that I was always amazed to see my coworkers go right along with the party line time after time. I may find myself at odds with Littlefox on this one but I think that the IAM’s suit on behalf of the Flight Attendants was the last straw that drove us into the arms of AA and ended TWA forever. It was so logicly flawed that it should have been thrown out but as usual the other guys had better lawyers than TWA and the company lost.
So…long story…..um….longer… I’m no fan of unions. They are important for protecting the rights of employees on one level,(Government regulation has taken over that role for the most part) but they then begin to try to justify their existance(and dues collection) by creating issues and demands over which to get the “rank and file” riled up. When, at a meeting, I heard “if TWA is going to go down, we’re gonna be the ones to take it down!” I knew the end was nigh.

By: drillanwr (Today I am an Alaskan!)

drillanwr (Today I am an Alaskan!) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:33:00 +0000

SCredneck

YAHTZEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: SCredneck

SCredneck — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:39:03 +0000

So how do we fight them?

By: sully

sully — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:44:57 +0000

A Dhimmi Congress and White House and ‘right to work’ states are a thing of the past and union membership through EFCA* will be mandated. A significant portion of the proceeds from the commensurate rise in union dues will continue to find their way into the DNC creating an insurmountable $$$ advantage and voila… no more RNC and ‘evil conservatism’.

* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_Free_Choice_Act

By: sierrahome

sierrahome — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:55:11 +0000

I grew up in Anderson, Indiana– 2 GM Divisions now GONE…litarally empty lots.

By: TerribleTroy

TerribleTroy — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:12:22 +0000

Every time I hear the word Union I think of the USSR.

By: PDizzle

PDizzle — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 08:03:40 +0000

I was in a union for 9 years and I never agreed with the union leadership, but I found the majority of my fellow employees were not as politically radical. Still, I lost all respect for the union cause when the longshoremen decided to skip work on May Day to protest the Iraq war. Screw them. The only guys who really need a union are cops because of the liability and potential to be fired unfairly, and in case of criminal prosecution.

By: dad3-7

dad3-7 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:17:47 +0000

i joined a union once because the union recruiter told me “it makes for a safer work environment”

By: Rudemeister

Rudemeister — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:45:43 +0000

Corporations have been limited from gaining monopoly status. The assertion is that a corporate monopoly uses whatever power it has to maintain it’s status. It also delivers poorer service and value because of the lack of competition. This is true of any human endeavor. Yet labor unions are given a government exception to this economic truth. The steel business in the US was destroyed by corrupt union practices. US Steel used to be one of the biggest companies in the world. It’s extinct. The US auto makers are suffering from Unionism. many other US industries are as well. These unions are parasites that will eventually kill off their hosts. Not very smart.

By: ji

ji — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:42:49 +0000

I am a union now. Have to be. You have to be very careful about what you say about unions, while in a union.
Lets just say most union people dont like upper management of unions. But its the upper management that does all of the negotiating. The little guy has no say.
Actually where the union is gaining is in government. The bigger the government, the bigger unions get.
Did you see where the American unions want to join with the British unions and create a giant union.