HAPPY LABOR DAY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY ... I hope everybody is enjoying their Labor Day, a legal holiday established by Congress in 1894, and brought to you by the liberals, progressives, and socialists of the American Labor Movement. Today, Labor Day is a bittersweet affair - part of a long weekend marking the end of summer. In my city it has always meant a three-day air show featuring a display of America's military might by the Navy Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds. But not this year. It was canceled due to the Republican-induced sequestration. In the weeks leading-up to the holiday this year there has been a lot of discussion about working people and the low minimum wage. Rush Limbaugh thinks it shouldn't be raised and that it's too high right now, at $7.25. This despite the fact that Rush's hourly rate is $75,000.00 - ten-thousand times as much! And fast-food employees are doing honest work, not tricking people into voting against their own interests! It seems to me that Republicans hate working people and that they also hate people who don't work. What's wrong with this picture?
Tell us how the union members in Detroit are making out!!!!!!! Tell us about the union thugs and the connection with the mob. Tell us about the beating and murders by union members.
Beatings? Murders? Union thuggery? Did you make it up? How about pension funds stolen by corporate execs through legal scams and bankruptcy? Or workers killed in non-union shops because there was no safety enforcement? Now that's real stuff. Not your made up junk.
As a lifelong labor member and activist, I'd like to remind all our non-union workers that this holiday is brought to you courtesy of the American labor movement. If it weren't for us, you wouldn't be having your bbq today and instead would be working at your underpaid, non-secure jobs lamenting the end of summer. Organize and make a positive difference in your life and career.
I doubt I would be underpaid and my job unsecure because I have something it seems union members don't have; actual marketable skills. If today wasn't a day off I could have just used one of my paid vacations like I did with Friday. As for fast food employees, no I won't be supporting them making $15 an hour. I don't know why anyone thinks that is reasonable. I think a lot of people need to look up the term "job market" and look at how it applies to them. To sum it up if you have a skill that not everyone has in a field that isn't over crowded, you will be paid better and treated better. If on the other you don't have such a skill and work at a job that anyone can do with minimal training then you will make the minimum wage and likely not be treated as well because you can be easily replaced at any time. There is no competition, you are at the very bottom. I knew that when I worked at McDonalds, I knew it when I worked at 711, I knew it when I worked security. It's really not a difficult concept.
You have one poster boy Jimmy Hoffa you hang everything on? Cool, I'll do the same: Reaganites ruined America.
I think that is strictly conjecture on your part; some employees are college grads unable to find employment due to the poor economy; others are people laid off from their jobs or seniors who need to supplement their income. there not all 16 year old kids. So I'd say that most union members have marketable skills as well. Because we have a labor contract with the company, we get this holiday off, not because the company is feeling generous or benevolent but because its in the labor contract. I'm sure they don't expect someone with your viewpoint to support their goal. After all, you've done well for yourself, so why worry about the welfare of others; it must be great of (and don't take this personally) having a mindset of "looking out for #1. That's the way many American's feel these days. Too bad for America that this attitude exists. If they are successful in organizing, then what your saying is strictly a moot point. By the way, I've noticed in your post that all you've mentioned is the money aspect; there's more to a contract then money, tho' its certainly important. What is equally important is working conditions such as Lunch breaks, reasonable rest periods, safety in the workplace, penalties such as short turnaround, night shift differential and other benefits such as vacation pay, paid holidays, overtime for working holidays, mandatory days off consecutively, grievance/arbitration procedure. They will will bargain from a position of strength and hopefully achieve a fair and equitable contract. I think they'll do alright and organizing is going to spread as time goes on. I wish them all the best. About time people woke up and stood up for what they believe in.
Hoffa is only the best Known Google Yablonski sometimes The Teamsters reputation for corruption murder and duplicity goes back to the days when the name refered to some one who handled a team of horses that pulled a wagon. There are enough skeletons in the UMW's closet to fill the biggest hotel in the country. Most Other Unions have been as bad or worse.
I think on this labor day we should take a moment of silence for all the Blacks,, Italians, Jews, Poles, Hispanics and all the Easterns Europeans the Labor movement kept out of a job and forced into poverty. A moment to reflect on all the men and women called "scabs", especially those that were beaten with clubs or killed. Let us never forget that the AFL-CIO has harmed more black Americans then the KKK. Let us never forget on this Labor Day all the hard working people who crossed the picket lines in search of a better life for their family.
Really ... Who needs Unions if the government will collectively bargain for you? I guess the only difference between Unions bargaining for better wages ... And the government writing legislation to improve wages for workers ... Is that with the government, someone else pays your dues. Skip the middle man ... Make someone else pay for whatever changes need to be made ... And keep more of your own money.
Who needs to bargain when you can strong arm? There is no such thing as a bargain or a negotiation of one side can't walk away and get its business back and enforce its rights not to have its contracts and access interfered with. [video=youtube;iqYfsACqfN8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqYfsACqfN8[/video] The people are villains. These guys are heroes: And the Pinkertons of course. If the government won't do its only legitimate job; protect life, liberty and property, then the people have every right to step in and behave as an arm of the state. With force if necessary.
The union members in Detroit are making-out almost as bad as the NON-UNION members in Detroit! On the slim chance that you are interested in the facts, rather than proudly exhibiting your subservience to conservative billionaires, via their spokesmen at Fox News and talk radio, you might want to read about the early days of the labor movement and how union-movement sympathizers were often fired, beaten, and killed by industrialists and their hired thugs. Check out Philip Dray's book THERE IS POWER IN A UNION. It's 772 pages, but good reading.
With a union you get to vote on a contract that is specific to your company or industry. You are apparently likening an increase in the minimum wage to collective bargaining by the government. Horrible comparison!
