September 4, 201412 yr Unions do not, and cannot create jobs. Have yet to see a Union start up a business. Nowadays, big biz is better at moving jobs overseas than it is creating jobs in the USA.
September 4, 201412 yr Nowadays, big biz is better at moving jobs overseas than it is creating jobs in the USA.Wonder why that is...
September 4, 201412 yr You're actually 100% wrong. The money big labor has forcibly taken from workers against their will and then used in 2012 alone was over a billion. They are pledging to spend $300 million in just five states this election year. That's not counting money they'll be donating to candidates, PACs and parties at the national and state level. Also, since 1984, the largest contributors, vast majority from unions, went to Democratic candidates, parties and leadership PACs. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php I hear being in a Union is great, tho. So great, you have to be forced into joining. We had an open shop where I worked for close to 30 years. About 75 to 80 percent of the hourly workforce voluntarily joined the union and paid dues, which were about $15 every two-week pay period. Funny thing was, whenever we had contract negotiations or big issues, the non-union "freeriders" were always the most concerned ... asked the most questions. The 9-1 number you inquired about was the amount of money spent by big business and organized labor combined in either the '00 or '04 national election. The breakdown was actually 91 (big business) to 9 (organized labor).
September 4, 201412 yr Wonder why that is... Because big biz is in the business of maximizing profits, not creating jobs at home.
September 4, 201412 yr The Union Created those Jobs, not Corning? I understand those jobs have been unionized since day one. The only job the Union "Creates" is the job of those working for the Union, right? Unions do not, and cannot create jobs. Have yet to see a Union start up a business. Semantics. The union decides which jobs are union jobs and which ones aren't and negotiate with the company over that status.
September 4, 201412 yr Wonder why that is... Because it is a whole lot cheaper. When we are sent overseas we are told repeatedly to never tell anyone overseas how much we make. They make way less than we do. That's why we develop products here in the USA and the mass produce them overseas.
September 4, 201412 yr Unions do not create jobs in this country, the free market does. The freer it is, then the more jobs that are available for everybody. When the economy is free and booming, scarcity of labor drives its cost upward, just like the scarcity of products and services that are in high demand causes those costs to soar. IT workers have never been widely represented by unions, yet six-digit salaries are fairly common. Our own government keeps salaries from being even higher for IT workers by importing labor from places like India through the H1B visa program. Why do you think a good programmer from India can command a higher salary than the great majority of union workers in this country, often with much less "seniority" in his or her field? As I said, it is no accident that the economies of right to work states have outpaced those states where unions are stronger. States that have passed right to work laws are also less prone to place heavy taxes and regulation on businesses. It is a recipe for success that works. Is there a union for IT workers? Is an IT worker even considered a labor job? Don't IT workers have college degrees? I've never seen an IT worker in a union. Not sure why they would need or want one.
September 4, 201412 yr Funny thing was, whenever we had contract negotiations or big issues, the non-union "freeriders" were always the most concerned ... asked the most questions. I am surprised the non union guys are even allowed to be part of the union contract negotiations meetings since they (I assume atleast) are not bound by the contract. I have always been under the assumption that while pretty much all companies pay the union and non union guys the same, the non union guys pay rate is not guaranteed and it could change at any time.
September 4, 201412 yr Is there a union for IT workers? Is an IT worker even considered a labor job? Don't IT workers have college degrees? I've never seen an IT worker in a union. Not sure why they would need or want one. Teachers are often unionized. Bellarmine University has had three union votes for it professors, all three times the faculty voted no.
September 4, 201412 yr Teachers are often unionized. Bellarmine University has had three union votes for it professors, all three times the faculty voted no. I've heard of teacher unions. Never heard of a union for IT people.
September 4, 201412 yr I am surprised the non union guys are even allowed to be part of the union contract negotiations meetings since they (I assume atleast) are not bound by the contract. I have always been under the assumption that while pretty much all companies pay the union and non union guys the same, the non union guys pay rate is not guaranteed and it could change at any time. I should have been clearer. Contracts were hammered out between management reps and our union's negotiating team. No non-union workers ever were part of the union negotiating team. The contract covered both union and non-union hourly workers, so management couldn't pull the rug on the 20 percent who elected not to join the union. The term "freeriders" is in reference to non-union workers who enjoy all the benefits of union representation in an open shop, but have voluntarily decided not to join the union or pay dues. I also should point out that our union was required to represent non-union workers in disputes with management. It's interesting that one's personal politics was really not a significant factor in deciding whether or not to join the union. We had a number of political conservatives in the union and a like percentage of left-of-center types who refused to join.
September 4, 201412 yr Semantics. The union decides which jobs are union jobs and which ones aren't and negotiate with the company over that status. Sorry it is not semantics, I know it is easy to dismiss what I said and that is the "Party Line" from the Union's and Union Leadership. If Corning, General Motors or GM packed up and left town tomorrow their would be no "Created Union Jobs" left behind. I agree the union classifies jobs and job status, but it is of the jobs created by the company. I'm not anti-union BTW, my Dad was a Teamster most of his life. I appreciate a lot of what Unions have achieved and provide for their membership. Unions are just another big business and just like other big businesses there are good and bad aspects to them all.
September 4, 201412 yr Sorry it is not semantics, I know it is easy to dismiss what I said and that is the "Party Line" from the Union's and Union Leadership. If Corning, General Motors or GM packed up and left town tomorrow their would be no "Created Union Jobs" left behind. I agree the union classifies jobs and job status, but it is of the jobs created by the company. I'm not anti-union BTW, my Dad was a Teamster most of his life. I appreciate a lot of what Unions have achieved and provide for their membership. Unions are just another big business and just like other big businesses there are good and bad aspects to them all. Semantics.
September 4, 201412 yr Semantics. :no: but it's all good, I don't have a horse in this race. Just stating a point.
September 4, 201412 yr Because big biz is in the business of maximizing profits, not creating jobs at home.Yeah, keep telling yourself that's the only reason. I'm sure it has nothing to do with taxes, labor cost, health insurance, legacy cost... By the way, isn't that the goal of ANY business, to maximize profits?
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