Republican Party, Teabag Party and the Libertarian Party absolutely SUCK!

[Henry Hawk]

Public Unions....

[Palehorse]

Public Unions....

Police, fire, teachers, etc. most represented by public trade unions (IE: Teamsters for laborers and heavy equipment drivers in Illinois), are ALL going to get dry humped by the states and federal agencies within which they work and have fought hard for the paltry compensation and benefits they earn. . . Within 5 years there will be a crises surrounding available head counts to cover capacities in those areas, as salaries and benefits tank. Just watch and see. . .

These unions will collapse in short order and then what? In states like this one, right to work and/or at will, the advantage has moved over strongly to the employers; in this case the state/city/federal governments. This has been one of the root causations for the sharp decline in hourly and salaried compensations / benefits since 2000 when they began making these declarations.

All this being the case, while I have been a dues paying member of the IBEW, UAW, Teamsters, and GCIU, at various points throughout my career, I always felt them to be nothing short of a scam as they leeched money from their members in my early career. Then I moved to an "at will / right to work" state, and saw/lived the sharp decline in compensation and abuses that status drives. I no longer feel that way.

In these RTW / AW states labor representation has been the ONLY protections afforded the hourly workers, and the negotiated terms of their collective bargaining agreements the only legal leg they have to stand on. Especially when it comes to separation of employment.

[Henry Hawk]

They shouldn't have made it political....demanding employees WHO to vote for isn't a very American thing to do.  AND THAT IS EXACTLY what they do...

[Palehorse]

They shouldn't have made it political....demanding employees WHO to vote for isn't a very American thing to do.  AND THAT IS EXACTLY what they do...

So instead of addressing the issue as you see it, we just dismantle them and by proxy put public safety and the future of our children at severe risk?

Kind of like cutting your nose off to spite your face isn't it?

Moreover, why shouldn't they make it political? The Scotus already said that corporations can make unlimited contributions toward political campaigns and candidates. Aren't unions the same thing? Don't corporations do the same things? They "suggest" candidates they support. . .

[Henry Hawk]

So instead of addressing the issue as you see it, we just dismantle them and by proxy put public safety and the future of our children at severe risk?

Kind of like cutting your nose off to spite your face isn't it?

Moreover, why shouldn't they make it political? The Scotus already said that corporations can make unlimited contributions toward political campaigns and candidates. Aren't unions the same thing? Don't corporations do the same things? They "suggest" candidates they support. . .

and a person has a right to NOT pay dues if they choose........With that said, I understand the ramifications that go along with that...but it ISN'T mandatory.  I think it would behoove one to think long and hard before making that decision...weigh out their options.

[Exterminator]

Moreover, why shouldn't they make it political? The Scotus already said that corporations can make unlimited contributions toward political campaigns and candidates. Aren't unions the same thing? Don't corporations do the same things? They "suggest" candidates they support. . .

You don't get how this works.  If Fox News supports something, Henry supports it as well.  If it's exactly the same thing but then Fox News doesn't support it, neither will Henry.  It's a pretty simple concept.

[Palehorse]

...but it ISN'T mandatory.  I think it would behoove one to think long and hard before making that decision...weigh out their options.

It isn't "mandatory" because the businesses and governmental agencies don't want it to be. Their historic theory has been the very same for centuries; divide and conquer; and once conquered they can slash wages/benefits and subject the entire workforce to "at will / right to work" methodologies that favor them and not the employees. . .

I'll give you this, you're lucky in the fact you are a long term employee with a somewhat independent firm. You've had a great run of luck personally, but where you fail yourself and your family is that you do not look beyond your little portion of the world. As long as that doesn't change you are safe and so is your family; but when it does you will be thrust into the real world and have to deal with the ramifications of the things you support and the oppressions it drives.

One day a large corporation will come along and buy your little portion of the world, or rather your employers. Or the owner(s) will grow tired of the treadmill and give up the ghost. Hopefully you will be retired long before that, but the odds are not in your favor and growing worse as each second ticks by. . .



Amazon just agreed to purchase "PillPack" for just under a billion dollars. Once approved by governmental regulators you can bet your ass that they will go straight to work replicating their current business processes and improving them. Then they'll install them in their distribution centers across the world.

Just the news that they are purchasing this small company sent pharmacy stocks like Walgreens, and CVS plummeting. (And Anthem as well since they now own CVS).  Bravo is the initial reaction from consumers, but only because they fail to realize or consider the end results this news will drive. (Less competition, depressed wages for those that currently earn high salaries in the private sector, and doing next to nothing for the costs compared to what is available today.)

It's the same old same old with major corporations; drive out the small guys, suck up their market share, do it for less cost per unit but leave it the same price to consumers. Or possibly more in this case as big pharma continues to jack up its pricing, which we can conveniently blame on "Obama Care" even though it has nothing to do with it what so ever. . .

And each day the working man/woman and their families see their quality of life and value to their government erode away toward less value than toilet paper. . . 

[The Troll]

 
  Any person who works in a union shop and receives all of the union benefits and don't pay dues,  is a SCAB.   

[Exterminator]

I'll give you this, you're lucky in the fact you are a long term employee with a somewhat independent firm. You've had a great run of luck personally, but where you fail yourself and your family is that you do not look beyond your little portion of the world. As long as that doesn't change you are safe and so is your family; but when it does you will be thrust into the real world and have to deal with the ramifications of the things you support and the oppression it drives.

The only flaw in this argument is that Henry designs systems that are virtually all installed by union workers.  Without them, he wouldn't have a job.

[Henry Hawk]

The only flaw in this argument is that Henry designs systems that are virtually all installed by union workers.  Without them, he wouldn't have a job.

Not necessarily true.  There are many competitors of mine that are NOT Union and are very successful. With that said, I am very grateful for the awesome workers that I have that work for me.  I am a fan of the IBEW on many levels.   I have turned down positions at non-union shops.  Without bragging, but I am good at what I do and that has been recognized by my peers.  BTW, Trump is GOOD for Unions...and it realized by many of my guys and their brothers at the IBEW.

[Exterminator]

There are many competitors of mine that are NOT Union and are very successful.

Then they are paying a competitive wage...and they can thank the IBEW for that even though they aren't members.

BTW, Trump is GOOD for Unions...and it realized by many of my guys and their brothers at the IBEW.

I'll ask them about that next time I go down for a smoke break.   

[Henry Hawk]

I'll ask them about that next time I go down for a smoke break.   

I have one guy in particular, who HATED Trump......he says, he only votes democrat.......Now, he says it's a hard pill to swallow, but is glad Trump won.  He thought for sure our economy was going to crash with Trump in charge.  We have been booming and he gives Trump credit.  There are a couple of others, who will talk politics to me, in private, and are avid Trump supporters, but will NOT publicly, in the work space, discuss it.  FEAR of ramifications.

[Exterminator]

He thought for sure our economy was going to crash with Trump in charge.

Time will tell!

[Henry Hawk]

Time will tell!

It will indeed....

[The Troll]

   

  Why did 7 Republican senators go to Russia?     Was it to turn over the keys to the White House that Trump thinks he bought.   

   They are all traitors.