Monday, April 16, 2012

Which Side Are You On?



H/T Michael Rosen

10 comments:

  1. I'd be on the side of the unions if those pre-WWI conditions existed today. They don't and that's why the unions are fighting for very different things today.

    I really like the ability to call in sick on a regular shift, then work time and 1/2 on the next shift. Or the bus drivers in Madison making over $150K/yr. And teachers receiving two pensions. They are are future, eh?

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    1. I reckon you're also sick of weekends, vacations, health care coverage, eight hour days, forty hour work weeks and not having your kids working 16 days too, right?

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  2. This video gave me goosebumps. It is the unions and employees that made America what it is today. Of course, things have changed, but we can't get away from the initial purpose of unions, which is to protect workers. Here's how I look at it today. The only organized group that is looking out for everyday employees today are the unions. The corporations are taking over America and their number one reason for existence is 'profits' i.e. greed. They could care less about their employees. So if unions aren't there to protect us, who is?

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  3. @anonymous6:23

    One reason the pre-WW1 conditions don't exist today is because there are unions.

    Beyond that, have you ever worked a fast food job? Are you aware that they are never given 40 hours a week, that way they don't have to be paid benefits. That is why the people with those jobs need to work 2 or 3 jobs and don't get any health insurance. And the fast food companies do make a huge profit. That is one example, if we get into mining and jobs like harvesting agricultural produce, conditions are not always so great. Yes, something should be done if overtime pay is abused, but the solution is not to cut out unions across the board. That will bring down everyone's wages and make conditions worse for all of us. I can only understand your position on this if you are already retired.

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  4. Anon @ 4:30. If you like working fast food you can go into management and have a W4 job with vacation and benefits. Nobody should make a career out of entry level jobs in that industry.

    I have never paid a union due yet I get, weekends, vacations, health care coverage, eight hour days, forty hour work weeks and not having my kids working 16 hour days. Thanks to organized labor before WWI. They have done nothing but overreach in the public sector, with their own paid-for elected officials on the other side of the bargaining table. I agree with FDR on this issue.

    Honor history but don't live in the past.

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  5. Walker didn't get rid of unions. He took their money away their taxpayers money to play politics with. He took away their taxpayer funded collection agency. He did not get rid of the state agency that oversees workers rights, he did not change any labor laws, OSHA is still there, he simply made state workers pays some of their benefits in exchange for the same job security they have enjoyed for decades. You would think the sky was falling if you believed Capper. Every state will follow suit. They will have to.

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    1. Um, that's the money I earned that was, and still is, going to the unions.

      OSHA doesn't cover gov't sites.

      He did change work rules, and forced every county, municipality and school board to do the same, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. So much for fiscal responsibility.

      And we are already paying for our benefits, as per our negotiated contract. Now we are paying more for something we already paid for in full. That's called double taxation, by squawking parrot friend. Your conservative cred just went out the window.

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    2. You can pay all the dues you want, but its the WEAC money I was talking about. Seems the insurer was overcharging, just a bit.
      I am curious though about the work rules he's changed that have cost us money. All I hear about is the savings from the changes. If its furlough days your going to recite, save it please. Otherwise lets hear these increased costs.
      Well my friend, the double taxation, thats called sharing the burdon. Luckily, Walker has been keeping all the other taxes from going up. Because if Falk makes it you can plan on more taxes almost immediately, without getting your bargaining rights back.
      Since I wrote that comment I've read Michigan is next to take aim at collective bargaining. And with the miners unions breaking from democrat allegiance because of the war on coal, as well as iron mining, I think solidarity might be a thing of the past.

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    3. Funny thing is more and more districts are turning to WEA Trust for their health care coverage, since it is the least expensive. So all of this is for nothing.

      As for taxes, he claims that we're saving. Mine went up, as did everyone that I've talked to. The only ones that had it stay the same also took a hit on their property values.

      Are you crediting Walker for the drop in property values?

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  6. Speaking of a war on women, isn't Barrett waging one right now?

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