What do you think about unions and striking?

[PrincessPerky]

Many ills that unions were started to fix, like unsafe conditions and unfair work hours or racism are very much controlled by the gov't nowadays.

Call the ACLU or Osha if you feel threatened in any way.... unions are a business, no longer run by some one trying to make a change. Instead they are run with an eye on the bottom line, not the company line, the unions.


We don't need more unions, we need more education about individual rights. It is amazing to me how often folk are unaware of the laws regarding work...and how few read their contract before taking a job.

[bjl584]

I never worked in a union environment, but my Dad and several members of my family have all their lives. I would have to say that they have their positives and negatives just like anything else in life. With a union comes better pay and benefits, and a voice to stand up to management or unfriendly company policies. However, with a union you also get a situation where everything is reduced to a level playing field. There are no shining stars. You can be the laziest person in the world or the best most efficient worker in the world, aand often times you will make the same wage. There is no incentive to go above and beyond your job, because there is no greater reward to be had or promotion to gain after a certain point. It is a steady paycheck and in most cases a guaranteed job, but for me, I would rather have the opportunity to advance and grow even if it means that there is a chance that I could lose my job or not make as much money early in my career. I credit unions with giving us the 40 hour work week (although this is almost a thing of the past anymore), weekends off, better benefits, and safer working conditions. However, a union is a business too that collects dues and earns a profit. Sometimes when the union gets too big and powerful, the individual worker will be lost in the mix. Also, there is also the very real possibility that it can become top heavy, beaurocratic, and corrupt, ending up being no better or worse than the corporation that it claims is misrepresenting workers.

[cptacek]

I question that the 'companies across town' chose not to hire back any of the workers who were getting close to retirement or were getting a decent wage.

I just said that they were taking naps on the job. And you said the company should hire them back because they were getting close to retirement! You really think that?!?

[prosper]

5 years ago I used to work with a company that had a union. Overall, unions are expensive and can place a company at an unfair advantage in comparison to its cometitors that do not have a union. Howerver, one thing that firms should understand is that they have to provide an environment in which their workers will flourish. Unions are neccesary. Even in this day and age. My former company had the following items:
- No benefits
- High employee turnover
- required employees to work odd hours
- forbid employees to work second job
- employees were guaranteed only 32 hours a week
- two sick days a year

In addition, the pay was really good and there were workers that got away with not fulfilling their duties. Smart firms realize that happy workers are good workers. Companies that look at the bottom line and make decisions on this concept are only creating tension between management and employees. My current company has an excellent work environment and management make an effort to let employees know that they care about their future and well-being.

[Angio333]

No! The unreasonable expectations of management started the demise of the US auto companies. In what way do they do more harm than good? What are the unreasonable demands that unions make?

One example of an unreasonable demand by the unions were job banks...where you were paid not to work. See the link below.

Jobs bank programs -- 12,000 paid not to work - 10/17/05

Also read the book "While America Aged" by Roger Lowenstein. The 1st third of the book deals with the auto industry. It shows how the unions and the companies both destroyed tghe company. Check out the book at:

Amazon.com: While America Aged: How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego, and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis: Roger Lowenstein: Books