Do you work for the union? do you like it?

I don't have any disagreements with that. The air traffic controllers were well paid and the strike was dumb. He warned them, they didn't come back, so he canned they asses.

 

Unions will always be here.The intelligent workers know the benefits.Membership is GROWING on a daily basis.UNION YES

 

Obviously opinions vary. I've spent a few years in the teamsters and another Union. Unfortunately, unions are not as strong as they used to be. They protect the biggest pieces of shit on earth. Benefits are not as good as they once were. I now work for a non Union company. I have better benefits, am treated better. I suppose it's an individuality thing.

 

WOOT!

 

This thread is shut down! No second gate, no union members allowed through!

Especially you electricians!!!

 

Well, after reading your pro-union posts... I'm curious what you do for a living?

... Do tell.

 

You mentioned the Teamsters; that brings to mind a great example of one group of people that is really being hurt right now by not having an effective union: truck drivers. Right now the government is literally running a lot of them out of their jobs with one ridiculous regulation after another. Guys who have never had so much as a fender bender are being told they can't drive because the DOT has decided that practically everyone has sleep apnea. This is happening to a friend of mine.

That's something people often forget -unions can and have protected citizens from excessive government interference in their job or industry.

 

This is a hard part of public unions, they should still be able to strike and negotiate but it should be a last resort becuase of the public. But when its against the law for them to strike they get pushed around and abused becuase they have no real recourse. Thus they get lower wages and lower benifits and are demonized for asking for changes. Look at how teachers are treated for wanting funding for classroom supplies. I find it interesting when some one does a nessicary and useful job in the public sector, they are expected to be abused and underpaid becuase they choose to do it. What if we said, "I'm not paying you becuase you chose to be a doctor, lawyer, plumber, or what ever cause you enjoy it."
Look at jobs that are refered to as callings and see how they are paid less and asked to do more.

 

True, and for some reason a lot of people here and elsewhere seem to reserve their strongest hate for the teachers' union. I don't get it.

 

Ours goes on strike every time their contract comes up for negotiation

 

They do have some good points. When I started at my highschool there was 0 portables at the school. When I left we had 6. The same thing happened at my elementary school. The year after us had to share lockers and every year after them had to share too.

They finished an elementary school down the road from me and the first year it opened they already had portables.

They really do need to open more schools and make classes smaller.

 

I think, becuase everyone went to school or has kids in school they assume to know how to teach. So they think they know better than the professionals.

Oz- it sucks that the unions go on strike so much. Here they can't, but in other places they all get laid off in may and have to move out then reapply for their jobs in august. I think a strike is the last thing one should do, but often its the only thing that makes the public listen. Nothing gets attention like kids being out of school.

 

Yep , but they always say it's about class size etc , which does have some merit but really it's about money and the kids are the ones being held hostage . If if it was all about the kids why didn't they negotiate through the summer this time rather than wait till school was about to start ? because they would lose their bargaining chip , public pressure to get a deal done

 

"Since teachers won the right to collective bargaining in 1987 there have been 52 strikes, a series of controversial legislation, bitter court battles and only a single new contract signed without the aid of strikes or legislation."

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/b...d-governments/article20285359/?service=mobile

 

Often the negotiagtions start in january, but the whole thing has to wait till the state or province sets the buget for the year in july here in the states. Often its late july before they know what the money per pupil is and what enrollment will be.

 

In Chicago a few years ago the teachers went on strike and there was a spike in crime when the kids were on the street. Doesn't that kind of tell you what the teachers are dealing with?

 

I love working for a union. I'm 23 and have been in local 18 for 4 years. It's a heavy equipment operators Union. Benefits and wages are amazing. Unions are the way to go! Really don't see why anyone would be against them unless people are up set that they aren't in one?

 

Well in fairness they get paid pretty shitty compared to the rest of Canada. We also have the highest cost of living here too iirc.

http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedfiles/public/bargainingcontracts/teachersalaryrankings2013-14brief.pdf



Imagine if they hadn't gone on all those strikes how much worse would it be now? It clearly keeps getting worse and worse.

 

Or their parents own a business