BS: Do we still need unions?

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: ddw
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 07:13 PM

Well said, Joe. I don't have time to go into details now, but when the paper I work for unionized about 20 years ago we lost all kinds of perks, made management too scared to actually DO anything about deadwood workers and cost each and every employee about $500 to $700 a year in dues. So far the union has not protected one job when the big cuts came in the '80s and again in the '90s. They have not solved a single case of supervisor persecution or — as far as I can figure out — done anything useful for us.

They have settled for some of the smallest salary increases we have ever had, locked us into impossible schedules and generally screwed up the business of news gathering and processing.

For regimented (i.e. manufacturing) jobs they might make sense, but for lots of other kinds of work they are nothing but a pain.

david

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 07:03 PM

I'm generally in favor of unions, but they don't seem to work well in certain work situations - particularly in civil service and in small business. They can add a layer of bureaucracy or build a wall between labor and management wich can make it difficult to come up with common-sense solutions to problems. If a work situation is good and communication between management and labor is good, maybe there's no need for a union.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: RichM
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 07:02 PM

I listened to a radio program in Canada last night about a union drive to organize some workers right now.

The comment that struck me as profound was that employer talked about their "employees" and union talked about the "members".

The very sane comment was that employees and members are the same people! It all distilled down to the fact that it's important to have dialogue and consultation with the people involved. Both company and union should work together to make it a win-win situation. The adversarial approach is only one method of communicating. Why not try others?

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Stevangelist
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 07:02 PM

As long as there are people driven by love for their jobs and families' welfare being supervised by people driven by the bottom line and 'upward mobility'... there will always be (and always be a need for) unions.

"...oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking with the union..."

Stevangelist

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Bert
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 07:00 PM

Yes, they are still necessary.

Bert.

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Noreen
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 06:58 PM

Since I got here before the likely candidates, I'll say yes- because the tripe wouldn't be so tasty without 'em...

Sorry,Alex... but it is friendly...

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 06:58 PM

Hi Kendall, tell that to Barry & his cousin when their local planned to put out a contract on us because we spoke out against crooked/greedy officals. The real insult was when they said we weren't worth it. Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 06:55 PM

When we've lost them we'll realise that we did!

Subject: RE: BS: Do we still need unions?
From: kendall
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 06:51 PM

Too often employees have a choice between greedy employers and crooked union bosses. Take your pick. I believe in unions because the history of the robber barons is just plain evil, far worse than the crooked union bosses.

Subject: Do we still need unions?
From: mousethief
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 06:35 PM

Okay, this relates to a zillion folk songs!

I work at Boeing, as a computer programmer. Currently there are about 17,000 of us who are being potentially "organized" by the IAM (a very large union which already represents our machinists (the people that actually make the planes)).

The company is sending out electronic rivers of e-mails about why we should vote no. The union is going around to people's homes telling us why we should vote yes. My cow-orkers seem to think that if we are unionized we will automatically become hourly employees instead of salaried, and lose all our salaried perks (flex time, ability to take time off during the day for "personal business" and the like).

I come from a strong union family and am tending toward voting YES.

Any other union members out there? Former union members? IAM members? Is it worth it? Should I vote no? Why?

Thanks in advance. Let's keep this friendly, please.

Alex