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Great idea but it would never work. I've been in the medical field since 1984. I transcribe doctor's dictation. 15 years ago I made more money than I do now - we have no union. Outsourcing to foreign countries has put the pay in our business at a standstill. I haven't had a "raise" in years because we get paid for production, in other words for every line we type. Now tell me, if we weren't on the job and your doctor saw you one day for an injury and the next day you had emergency surgery and there was no documentation in your chart, what would happen? They would have no idea about your medical history or even your problem. It'd be hit and miss as far as surgery - you may end up with one leg or one arm when you needed an appendectomy. You'd think medical transcriptionists would have leverage but no .... I'm not going to expound on unions but in our area they have artificially raised wages and when those people all of a sudden are laid off after having earned very good wages for years, and get thrown into the real world, they're sunk. They will NEVER make adequate money, or anything near what they made in the artificial unionized world.

Too bad karaoke hosts can't join the musicians' union.

The problem with unions is that they work against economic reality. Many jobs can be outsourced, and if the pay gets to be too high they will be. This is why so many people have re-invented themselves and gone into small business, so that they can break the straitjackets of a narrow job classification that constrains productivity.

The only reason the standard of living in the US keeps going up is that our productivity has too, largely fueled by computerization. We have hit a bit of a wall there. And we are going to keep hitting it as long as the current trend toward more government continues. I hope that people soon realize how inefficient big government is. And if the anti-growth people get their way and prevent new energy use with stupid "global warming" rules, we are really in for a tough ride.

Basically the vast majority of unions that are left have to do with government work. This is why unions are so fervently for the Democrats, who keep boosting federal employee pay to the point where it is now *twice* the average paycheck in the country. Your tax dollars are being spent on union dues and overpaying people who cannot be fired.

Unions are behind a lot of the current federal administration, and they will fight tooth and nail to keep the anti-competitive rules built into federal law. Because otherwise, they will not survive.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

The current trend is punish the ones that are competitive and make a profit and subsidies the non competitive companies. This is socialism Silicon valley is now having trouble competing with those abroad due to this and trade deficits.

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Angel, I'm still waiting. Who is your boss? Your company or your union? Where do your loyalties lay? Your union or your company?

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You can be strange but not a stranger

You have two different issues.

The boss that works for the company is who i take my daily directions from. He decides what work i will be performing. He (the company) has the right to decide if i did something that requires my termination.

I have the right (because of the union protection) to file a grievence to address the charges. To determine if they are baseless or fact. I pay union dues for this worker protection and the many other money, pension and health benefits.

OSHA, NIOSH and other worker safety groups have been started and many government safety rules are there because of unions and workers rights. Because companies were making workers do many dangerous jobs without proper safety equipment and regulations. So when you come home every night to your family with all your fingers and toes or not in a box, thank the unions. You are receiving many unseen benefits because of unions and the people that died in the organization process. Fighting for ALL workers rights union or not.

I do my job to get a pay check. I am loyal to the company until they want to screw me.

I pay union dues to keep that from happening. I love my union and the wonderful benefits they achieved for me. I like the company i work for and i'm glad they hired me.

Do i want to kiss the company CEO, no. Do i want to kiss the head of the International Union, no. I know where i get my bread and butter.

Boeing in So Carolina (I believe) just voted to oust the Union.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domestic ... ZJ20090910

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Angel, so if you're happy with the company and the way they treat you, pay, benefits, etc, and the union decides to go on strike, work slow downs or whatever, either against your company or in support of another union, do you 1) keep on working as you have no grievances against your company or b) join the union in work interuptions. If you decided on 1), what would your union do to you? And yes these situations definitely do happen.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

As a member of the union in good standing, i walk out with everyone else. I don't scab and backstab my union brothers and sisters. Together we stand, divided we fall.

I have walked the picket line. I did see my pension double when it was over. That alone was worth thousands of dollars to me.

If you walk out in a nonunion job, you may as well find a new job. That's the difference. Scared to stand up for what's right. Always kissing A&& to be sure you have a job the next day.

Union offers me peace of mind. What price do you put on that?

The company is always trying to screw us. They are not our friends. They will try every trick in the book to screw us. It just doesn't happen in union job companies.

I have never voted for any of our contracts. I have always voted no.

I have taken wage freezes and concessions. Give backs. To "help" the company stay profitable. Negotiated by the union.

I am part of a work force that made our company "owner" a BILLIONAIRE. Should we not have a share in the spoils for our efforts?

You want loyal workers you treat them fairly.

I go to work for a paycheck, pension and health care. Why do you work?

Particularly if you work in an AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT state.

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"You know that I sing the Blues and I do not suffer fools. When I'm on that silver mic, it's gonna cut ya, just like a knife"-The SWINGCAT

Explain that please.

Wikipedia.


"At-will employment is a doctrine of American law that defines an employment relationship in which either party can break the relationship with no liability, provided there was no express contract for a definite term governing the employment relationship and that the employer does not belong to a collective bargain (i.e., has not recognized a union). Under this legal doctrine:

“ any hiring is presumed to be "at will"; that is, the employer is free to discharge individuals "for good cause, or bad cause, or no cause at all," and the employee is equally free to quit, strike, or otherwise cease work.[1] ”

Several exceptions to the doctrine exist, especially if unlawful discrimination is involved regarding the termination of an employee.

As a means of downsizing, such as closing an unprofitable factory, a company may terminate employees en masse. However, there are legal limitations upon the employer's ability to terminate without reason."

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Pensions are only good if you live long enough to collect it. I'll invest my money and do just as well as any pension plan. But you have shown your true colours. If your employer is so terrible then find a better one. I am very well compensated in my job without benefit and handcuffing of a union. I am treated with respect and we fire each other if we make mistakes. My boss has paid for some of my vacations. I'd be nuts to leave for a union job.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

People that have private pension plans have lost tens of thousands of dollars in the last 3-4-5 crashes. I personally know many. My pension plan lost nothing.

I can retire at 49 years old. With 30 years service. My union got that little benny for me just for paying my dues and being a member. Ooops. I'll get over $500,000 from my plan if i live to be the projected average lifespan of 84 years. For not working.

How much will you have to invest to get that kind of money considering you lose $20,000 with every crash? I know the people that have lost $50-60,000 already. By the time it's over the only money in their account will be just what they put in, if they are lucky.

I know many people that have died before they could retire. That's no reason to not be in a union.

My mother makes more money now than when my dad was alive and working. She gets 95% of his union negotiated pension and a % of his Social Security.

How is a union going to hand cuff you? You still get vacations and lunch and health care and retirement plans and cost of living raises and hourly raises and holidays, peace of mind, the right to strike and still have a job when it's over, seniority rights, job security. What am i missing? Worrying if my boss got up on the wrong side of the bed?

My boss paid for every one of my vacations. And health care and pension and houly raises...but he really didn't want to. The union made him. And i didn't have to put my puckered lips on him anywhere.

I don't know where you get your facts but they aren't very accurate.

This will be my last post on this subject in this thread.

Spoken as a true union wonk. I guess they put your pensions contributions in a matress, unless you're government.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

Never saw that one, that was funny!

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

The routines back then by Abbot & Costello, Marx Brothers, Hope & Crosby, Chaplin, etc were much better than the garbage spewed today.

BTW Who's on first?

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You can be strange but not a stranger

BRILLIANT Cue! Thanks for posting that. Brings back a lot of memories of A&C.

Watt

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Dave's not here.

Wear?

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]