Comments on: The future of work looks union free: Does it matter?

By: jackowick

jackowick — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:35:22 +0000

There was a time when a union was about safe working conditions (now covered by a ton of regulation) and peer training. Now it’s only about “fair wages”. I don’t need someone to tell me when to stand up for myself, or when it’s more important to work and “cross a picket line”. I have seen firsthand how unions will strongarm their members and have seen many new teachers leave the profession due to being rag-dolled by senior union members.

By: Alexander White

Alexander White — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:54:50 +0000

Living in Australia, with a relatively strong union movement compared to the USA, living conditions and wages are much higher, job security is better, there is free health care and we have amazing superannuation pension schemes, the benefits of unions is clear.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:29:54 +0000

Unions made sense back in the days of company towns, where if you didn’t like the deal the company offered you really had very few choices. Today, there are plenty of opportunites available and web-base workers have even more opportunities.

Unions foster a lowest-common denomonator mentality where there is no incentive for an individual to try any harder than anyone else. The fact that the unions work very hard to protect their members from any accountability shows that they really don’t care about doing a good job, they only care about getting as much as possible for themselves, even to the detrament of the employer. Sometimes the unions act like they would rather drive the employer into bankrupcy than give an inch. If union workers were really doing the job that much better than non-union workers, employers wouldn’t need to be strongarmed into hiring union labor.

As Mr. Writing says, if you think you are getting a raw deal from your employer, quit your complaining and go get another job.

By: Mr Writing III

Mr Writing III — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:57:44 +0000

Businesses are not jobs programs. Another thing….do people lack spine? If you continue to work at a business (govt) then you’re not underpaid. If you continue to work at a business conditions must not be that bad.

People aren’t slaves….if it’s bad…leave. Your ancestors probably came to the US with little in their pocket and not even speaking the language but you can’t relocate to another town. Are you all that much of sissies?

By: Gene

Gene — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:10:56 +0000

Unions were a great thing when they first started, now they’re part of the problem. Buckle down on Union rules or do away with them.
example union day I deal with (note this happens daily, I cant do anything about it)
start work at 7..means starting getting dressed out at 7, no work, get to work site around 7:45 ish, work 1 hr then
9 o’clock break…have to leave 15mins before 9 to get back to “shop” at 9 take 15+ min break, get back to work around 10, work 1.75hrs, oh lunch time! get back from lunch around 1, work a bit, then another break, blah blah get back, then time to go wash up and change at 3 to leave at 3:30 (next day rinse/repeat)
so in a 8 “hour” day they make work…4 hours if that sad sad sad

By: Margy Rydzynski

Margy Rydzynski — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:51:33 +0000

Workers need representation and bargaining power, no matter where or how they make their living. It’s a sure way to beat the economic inequality that has led to where we are right now.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:52:18 +0000

Of course it matters.I have not been a big fan of unions,but i have to say that the trend of the last few years Where the fruits of American business increasingly go to the top percentile of Americans while the remaining 90 percent get poorer, coincides with the Decrease in union power. Sooner or later that must be corrected or American capitalism will cease to exist as we know it.