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20 years ago you might have gotten away with paying 30 to 40K for new truck outfitted. Around 2000 my Uncle purchased a new oil truck and If I remember correctly it was 50K. Today that truck is 100K. These aren't large trucks but small ones. Plus there is the ridiculous amount of expenses to maintain all this new equipment. It's one of the reasons I "retired".
I heard a lot of stories like this. A few years ago my company had to refurbish all their heavy equipment to keep up with new environmental laws and regs. To afford it, they had to lay off a good number of employees. Thankfully, as business picked up (before the economic crisis), they were able to hire a few back, but not all. Though a good number of people with families had to go on unemployment, I'm sure the Occupiers are still happy that my company is "greener" right?
I was disappointed that there were no Occupiers near the part of the port of LA I work at, so would have loved to see the looks on their faces if they tried to get in my way of getting to work!!
A day's inflated wage is a terrible thing to lose.
8) West Coast longshoremen
In early 2002, West Coast ports shut down as the longshoremen's union fought to preserve generous health-care benefits that would make most Americans drool. The union didn't demand much in wage hikes for good reason: Its members already were making a boatload of money.
Next year, West Coast dockworkers will earn an average of $112,000 for handling cargo, according to the Pacific Maritime Association, their employer. Office clerks who log shipping records into computers will earn $136,000. And unionized foremen who oversee the rank-and-file will pull down an average $177,000.
Unlike their East Coast union brethren who compete with non-union ports in the South and Gulf of Mexico, the West Coast stevedores have an ironfisted lock on Pacific ports. Given their rare monopoly, they can disrupt U.S. commerce -- as they did during the FDR years -- and command exorbitant wages, even though their work is more automated and less hazardous than in the days of "On the Waterfront."
The OWS shut-down of West Coast ports didn't go as planned. Only a few hundred at best showed up in Long Beach, CA and many ports reported that their operations, while disrupted momentarily, were not shut-down so much that it would hurt them . This could be because the OWS, ironically, had no union support for the attempted shut down, and some port workers were even upset with them!! :
Duh, what else would you expect from overpaid union workers who are almost in the top 1% themseves?
8) West Coast longshoremen
In early 2002, West Coast ports shut down as the longshoremen's union fought to preserve generous health-care benefits that would make most Americans drool. The union didn't demand much in wage hikes for good reason: Its members already were making a boatload of money.
Next year, West Coast dockworkers will earn an average of $112,000 for handling cargo, according to the Pacific Maritime Association, their employer. Office clerks who log shipping records into computers will earn $136,000. And unionized foremen who oversee the rank-and-file will pull down an average $177,000.
Unlike their East Coast union brethren who compete with non-union ports in the South and Gulf of Mexico, the West Coast stevedores have an ironfisted lock on Pacific ports. Given their rare monopoly, they can disrupt U.S. commerce -- as they did during the FDR years -- and command exorbitant wages, even though their work is more automated and less hazardous than in the days of "On the Waterfront."
So basically, it's no longer about Wall Street or "the 1%"... now the agenda is about dismantling any closest element of capitalism and industry, which by definition is evil and must be replaced by some form of collectivism. It's not surprising that the agenda is much more radical than they would initially have you believe.
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