45000 Verizon union workers go on strike

[Mark C5]

Originally Posted by BuckyThreadkiller

if the Union wants to provide benefits to its membership, let them develop healthcare and retirement packages tied to union dues/membership and administered by the Union - keep the employer out of it completely.

The Teamsters tried that back in the 70's as I recall. I also seem to remember many union officials went to jail and the government had to take over the pension plans as they had been robbed of just about every red cent.

[TabuIsMe]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

You stand corrected: I knocked nobody down. I've worked at both customer service and dispatch jobs, so I know what I'm talking about. The only thing I did was point out the reality that neither one requires much training or skills.

Being an electrician or a technician that installs cellular and rf high-speed data networks, on the other hand, does. I also have a degree in electrical engineering and spent 8 years working as one, after 5 years as a soldering and wire-wrap technician for NASA/ Kennedy Space Center.

I went back and read my post several times. Where did you get the mistaken idea I was putting anyone down?

Cause of the smiley you put at the end of it, I misunderstood your post then.

[DAB]

‪One RingyDingy‬‏ - YouTube

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by BuckyThreadkiller

Unions don't go on strike because some guy in an office says so - they meet and decide as a membership if striking is their last resort to bring about negotiations.

It's a far more democratic process than Congress. Its so 5th century BC.

sorry dude, but my family was BIG-TIME Teamsters and AFL-CIO. The strongarm tactics are so pervalent... it does come down to just what one union thug commands. You talk about a "democratic vote" to strike; the scared members do not vote, and do not show up at the meetings either.

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by Mark C5

The Teamsters tried that back in the 70's as I recall. I also seem to remember many union officials went to jail and the government had to take over the pension plans as they had been robbed of just about every red cent.

And this is what kills me. Why does the .GOV have to step in ?

[Mark C5]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

And this is what kills me. Why does the .GOV have to step in ?

As best I can remember it has to do with the financial institutions the pension plans are run through. It's like when the government takes over a bank only not as good for the investors (pensioners). I think they got something on the order of $.30 on the dollar.

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

sorry dude, but my family was BIG-TIME Teamsters and AFL-CIO. The strongarm tactics are so pervalent... it does come down to just what one union thug commands. You talk about a "democratic vote" to strike; the scared members do not vote, and do not show up at the meetings either.

I was in the Iron Workers Union back in the early 80s. As our contract was ready to expire, we were TOLD that we would be striking and not to work ( or even go into the building ) if we didn't have a new, approved contract. No option to continue working under the previous agreement ( being the young buck, I asked )

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Unions had their place. Anyone who would deny this is a complete fool. However, the tactics and mindset that worked then do not work now.

Gotta change with the times. HEAR THAT UAW?

[Y2Kvert4me]

Originally Posted by BuckyThreadkiller

Unions don't go on strike because some guy in an office says so - they meet and decide as a membership if striking is their last resort to bring about negotiations.

Oh, they absolutely do.

I have many friends who love their job, hate the union. They don't have a say in the matter in these sorts of issues.

It's union rep vs corp. management...Union worker be damned. For the individual worker, it's become a game of battling two managements.

Unions should be outlawed, period.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

... we were TOLD that we would be striking and not to work ( or even go into the building )

Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me

Oh, they absolutely do.

I have many friends who love their job, hate the union. They don't have a say in the matter in these sorts of issues.

It's union rep vs corp. management...Union worker be damned.

but the union cult still has some believing that they do have a choice.

Nothing you can do to help a cult member - until they finally wake-up and see things through their own eyes (and stop believing the hype they are being lied to about).

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by BuckyThreadkiller

I agree. IMHO labor unions need to be held responsible for the welfare of the workers. I would like to see a company cut a deal that transfers the bulk of benefits burden to the Union. Let workers get a check for gross pay with taxes taken out and then, if the Union wants to provide benefits to its membership, let them develop healthcare and retirement packages tied to union dues/membership and administered by the Union - keep the employer out of it completely.

This would take too much money away from Union bosses and campaign donations.....

[Joecooool]

Originally Posted by Uncle Pervey

IMHO-- In the past unions provided a valuable service for the entire country's work force. They basically held a gun to the head of early industrial robber barons. If it wasn't for labor unions it is very possible that the USA would have had a communist revolution back in the early 1900's. Or at best we'd all be working in Chinese style sweat shop jobs.
If it wasn't for the unions very few of us would be working at jobs with vacation, paid medical, pensions, 401k, etc. The nice thing about them was that a business did not have to go union for the employees to get the benefits the union asked for. Fear of the unions was enough for business owners to start providing better working conditions, higher wages and benefits.
However with the current business climate and the changes in the whole economy, labor unions no longer have a function in our economy.

How soon do you think all the benefits that unions forced companies to provide would disappear if unions went away?

[Chuck A]

So they did go on strike?

[...Whitepower...]

Originally Posted by Chuck A

So they did go on strike?

Yes.

I have a friend from NY coming into town for a couple of the Braves/Cubs games next weekend seeing that the are on strike.

[Chris Fowler]

Originally Posted by Joecooool

How soon do you think all the benefits that unions forced companies to provide would disappear if unions went away?

Hmm...no unions at my company and we have them.

Must be the unions that we don't have that caused that.

You see, there's something to be said for competition for employment that causes salaries to go up above minimum wage, for health benefits above the minimum being offered, for bonuses being granted, that have nothing to do with unions...