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Back in the 1930's, unions were needed. This isn't the 1930's anymore. The numerous/various governmental entities have taken care of the "worker rights" issues to the inth degree.
Unions are simply no longer needed.
When I was in the steelworkers union in the early 80's, only union to cross our picket lines were the Teamsters. We picketed over unsafe working conditions. We were working with lead soldier and had to be tested every two weeks and the company stopped paying for the testing, even though it was in our contract.
Back in the 1930's, unions were needed. This isn't the 1930's anymore. The numerous/various governmental entities have taken care of the "worker rights" issues to the inth degree.
Unions are simply no longer needed.
Really? Did you know that if you are a "salaried" employee, you can be made to work for 40 hours or 60 hours for the same weekly check?
Unions rely on solidarity. If nobody crosses the picket line then obviously management will lose revenue and has no choice but to concede to the union's demands, whatever those demands are.
I would have to look at the union's demands before I would decide on crossing a picket line or not. I wouldn't go out of my way to cross one out of spite.
I was once a UCFW worker so I may have a pro-union bias.
I was a Union member all my working career. I did cross the line when I got the story. The Retail Clerks Union was organizing a small grocery chain. They had their demands. So what the owner of the chain did was go to the employees and ask what they wanted. They told him, he goes, ok. Done. I asked one of the workers stocking vegetables what they wanted, he said everything that the Union wanted. Wage scale, medical insurance for dependents, couple of extra holidays, better match to the 401k. So the owner gave the employees exactly what the Union was demanding except now they didn’t have to pay Union dues, and, the owner could run his business. And ironically the people out front of the store were not even in the Union, they were paid by the Union to walk the line. After a couple weeks they left.
Really? Did you know that if you are a "salaried" employee, you can be made to work for 40 hours or 60 hours for the same weekly check?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Axxlrod
Yep.
Most high-paying jobs with six figures plus def require putting in 60+ hours per week. So? It's worth it.
I call it the "hourly mentality". People who have an hourly mentality will never understand those who do not.
I put in lots and lots of long weeks with travel, and I worked jobs with straight commission which required me to travel and pay my own expenses.
I would have had it no other way.
I would cross a picket line if the issue was money. I grew up poor, but even as a kid I never understood how or why not working and causing problems for a company should arrive at higher wages, which is the only thing I myself have ever witnessed.
However, I would like to think I'd heed a striking crew that was doing so out of safety concerns that can be dealt with or regulations being thwarted.
If I came to the fish market and saw striking fisherman...
Cross if the only issue is money....nobody is tying you to this employer.
Don't cross if the issue is boats are not being maintained and required safety equipment is missing or not maintained.
Don't cross if the company is forcing employees to do something bad. (Fish with grenades, dump sludge into the water etc.)
I really don't understand all the comments from people who seem to think they're entitled to decide what certain employees should be paid. You don't work there, you don't know what the working conditions are, you don't know the workers are treated, whether they're respected or disrespected. You act as though it's easy to quit and get a better job.
Damn right I respect picket lines. I've picketed in support of union workers. I'm not siding with the bosses when the people who actually do the work and make the products or provide the services are saying that they should get more, or have safer working conditions, or whatever it is.
You can always decide whose side to pick, and I conclude that the workers are more worthy of my support than the bosses. I also think we are better off as a society if we can strengthen the power of the workers.
Most high-paying jobs with six figures plus def require putting in 60+ hours per week. So? It's worth it.
Some fast food places like Burger King do the same thing and those are not for big wages.
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