[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

I'm in the union. I don't even think about it. The union has never told me to do anything, sign anything, vote on anything, ever. It has it's pros and cons. I never feel exploited -- and I have felt that way at other jobs. If they need me to work overtime, they pay me. I have a healthcare plan that is second to none. (OK, second to a US Senator's healthcare plan. But that's it.) I have what I consider a reasonable amount of paid vacation time. And they're pretty good about giving me extra unpaid time, because vacations are important to me.

The negative side is the reason that everyone hates unions. Yes, there are some real slack-ass nitwits working at the casinos. They have no business working in a kitchen. And it's impossible for management to rid of them unless they show up for work drunk, get into a fistfight or get caught flagrantly violating health code. Management should have fired these people before they made it past the probationary period. That's a management issue. Not a union issue.

Even so, there aren't nearly as many slack-asses as people seem to think. We have our own ways of getting rid of the dead weight.

A buddy of mine used to work for UPS. When they wanted to get rid of a slacker, they'd promote him to management which got him out of the union and made it easier to fire him.

If not for the culinary union, the standard of living in Vegas would be much lower - for everybody. Those culinary workers are not generally shifting their money to off-shore bank accounts. They are spending it here, in our community.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

A buddy of mine used to work for UPS. When they wanted to get rid of a slacker, they'd promote him to management which got him out of the union and made it easier to fire him.

If not for the culinary union, the standard of living in Vegas would be much lower - for everybody. Those culinary workers are not generally shifting their money to off-shore bank accounts. They are spending it here, in our community.

Wouldn't they spend it here if they weren't in the union?

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Raiderman

Wouldn't they spend it here if they weren't in the union?

The culinary union raises the wages for everyone -- even the people who aren't in the union. Las Vegas has a better standard of living with Culinary than they would without it.

Unfortunately for America, most CEOs are not anything like Costco's Craig Jelinek. They don't have the vision to realize that raising wages makes them more money. The average CEO has to be forced to pay a living wage, let alone a "thriving" wage. America works best when we have a robust middle class -- the very wealthy invest not spend, the very poor are a drain on the economy. It's the middle class that makes or breaks this country's economy. If every CEO thought like Jelinek, America wouldn't have any economic problems at all.

(And inflation wouldn't rise nearly as much as the lords of loud on the radio say that it will.)

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Raiderman

Wouldn't they spend it here if they weren't in the union?

Left to their own devices, the casinos would have everyone working for minimum wage with no benefits. (Think Wal-Mart with instructions on how to sign up for Medicaid and food stamps in the break room) I'm not very pro-union in general, but the culinary union has done more good than harm to the valley.

The carpenter's union on the other hand? Useless, bullying thugs.

[Raiderman]

I only deal with the IATSE and Electrical union.. overpriced hacks from what I've experienced. I understand a living wage, but charging $180/hour with a 4 hour minimum to watch my guys for 20 minutes is a bit absurd.

[irishspy]

Back on subject what is going down in this latest round of negotiations is one owner of the Golden nugget is trying to bull his way to get what he thinks is a union breaking item putting in non union restaurants. He thinks he is the big boy on Fremont ST and has a rich family to back him. He knew he had the unions to deal with when he bought the Nugget and he is just dragging this contract out to the end and will fold at the last minute. When people are filthy rich they get their ego's inflated by acting like they have power and are above others and they try to out do their peers. When the Mob ran things their motto was Feed them good,Give them drinks and screw them in the Casinos. Now that rich corporate America has control it is Screw them on the food, Screw them on the drinks and screw them even more in the casinos. The bean counters and corporate layers run this city and the comps have dried up what a joke it is each month to see the pitiful comps offered. So as the Corporations screw everyone their defense is the unions get too much and demand too much the UNIONS are their Scape Goat. The companies that pay good have good benefits and treat their employees correct do not need unions it is the greedy ones who screw everyone that the employees unionize. W Mart is the poster child for that. My prediction this contract will be settled at the last minute just like the last one DT so the owner of the Golden Nugget can save face and it looked like he got something and stood up the the Union.