Fact. The countries in the world with the best public health statistics have a very strong percentage of union members. The union membes have strong inpurt into one or more of the dominant poltical parties. A country with weak unions has politics run for the well off only. It leads to obvious injustices and anomalies such as people dying from lack of common medications for common conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and mental illness in this the richest country in the world. The millions of members of the AFL-CIO are a much more representative group of Americans than the very small group of Americans with enough stock to have influence in how corporations run themselves. No one likes incompetence at any level. You are just as likely to see it at the executive level as at the shop floor level.
glynch, do you have any evidence -- any at all -- to support these wild generalities? Provide links to prove yourself on this issue.
SJC, Can you elaborate? Some will point to European countries and the benefits of Unions. Since you're there, you can give us insight from inside that environment that a certain someone pulling facts from unionsrule.org may not be able to.
Unions, like communism, can seem like a good idea at first glance, however, quickly fall apart under their current structure. People have been making the argument that Unions have brought us all these wonderful working conditions, which from a historical perspective is true. However, others factors could have changed things for better working conditions. It is illogical to think that Unions will always equal better working conditions, or that it is only because of unions that we have these things. That said, I am not advocating an anti-worker/union response. I just think that they have been severely misused as of late... and in that respect they might have ran their course. This doesn't mean that they should be done away with, just reformed.
LOL, that is a great comeback. The sad thing is that I shouldn't be laughing because of the truth in that statement.
glynch, do you have any evidence -- any at all -- to support these wild generalities? Provide links to prove yourself on this issue. Jorge. lol. I'll give you an A for hutzpah. Have you ever linked to anything to backup a statment? If I provide the links will you then comment, without the usual "game point, match rookie" stuff. Give me the word and I'll get you your links.
They got all the benefits the union negotiated for. Did they have all the privaledges no, but I'm sure they got the same salary, same number of sick days and so on.
Well, I don't know for sure about this. See, my dad acted like it was a "watered-down" union but was claimed a union by the union detractors. However, the impression I got from him was that this "union" for teachers in TN was far from being a UAW or IBEW, etc type union. Now, I learned last night that TN is a right-to-work state, so I think that might have something to do with it, but I am not sure.
the problem with unions is the same problem with welfare or workers compensation - while they are designed to help and protect, they are often misused by the worst of individuals. the sorriest SOB will be the guy who uses union to save him. the person who cheats at workers comp is the one who will sue, instead of just take the check. the welfare cheats will always be a small group, but they will be the focus of welfare news coverage. every bust period in America reveals sins of the boom period which preceded it. Unions have been no more unsavory the past 10 years than business, but their methods have less and less importance to most Americans. most Americans have a prejudice AGAINST anyone striking, so that leaves unions with limited ability to negotiate.
Management should be allowed to give workers the minimum they are willing to work for. That is the very essence of a free labor market.
then we haven't had a free market since your grandpa was a boy, and we won't be having one again any time soon
I have given this a lot of thought and have decided that while I don't believe that unions are necessary in this day and age, I do not believe that they should be banned. Everyone has the right to associate with who they want and say pretty much what they want as long as they don't break the law. Unions are just a group of guys who decide to negotiate together instead of seperately and that type of action is permissible in a society that supports freedom of speech. If the market accepts a union and that union provides a service to the people, it has the right to exist. In many places in the country as well as many industries, unions are a thing of the past. When unions do not have a perceived benefit, they whither and die, but as long as management tries to take advantage of workers, unions will spring up. That is their right and it should not be abridged.
I´m just ver very shocked!! reading how many of you that are "against unions". Who do you think´s telling you that unions are corrupt and bad for you? Why do you believe it? Those who should logically be against union are those who want people to work as much as possible for as little as possible (very probably not including themselves). I just can´t believe that´s what 30% of you feel. Unions are about the only ones who fight for the workers who are not in a position to fight for themselves. 1 worker (without special qualifications) is not very important to anyone, and doesn´t have the power to negotiate anything with his/her employer. 10000 united workers though, they can accomplish a little more. Higher wages, fewer hours, better company health care, etc. There are problems in some unions. I won´t deny that. The people at the top get paid to much and accomplish to little. This is however not a reason to "be against unions" but a reason to join one and try to change it. Who do you think is corrupting the unions? Edti: All of you who don´t think unions are necesary in this day and age. Do you think everything is just great? Do you think it´s ok that you can work full time in the states and still not be able to support yourself, much less your children? How do you think all the things that unions have accomplished would have come about without them? Out of the kindness in employers hearts?
