Comments

1
Too bad the labor unions are as much a part of the problem as the corporations are. Labor unions are, as big corporations themselves, most interested in what they can do to increase their membership, up the dues, and make more money for the leadership to spend on political gamesmanship that gets us exactly nowhere. You're deluding yourself if you think big labor's done anything productive for workers in the last 25 years. Just as bad as the banks, if you ask me, and just as rife with fraud.
2
Good move on their part.

I hope the Occupy Wall Street folks can come up with a catchy name soon, as the the Tea Party crowd did. Something like the " 99 Per Centers" would be good.
3
What has labor done for you lately?!

If you had a union contract at your job in the past 25 years, you wouldn't be so cynical. In my case, my union has meant maintaining affordable health coverage, a fair wage, and the piece of mind that my union and my co-workers have my back. For anybody who earns at or near minimum wage in this state, they can thank the unions that they make about $2/hour more than they would has labor not financed and championed that initiative. And thank you, labor, for being the ONLY entity protecting the safety nets for injured and laid-off workers.

My question @1 is, What have YOU done for labor unions lately? (Besides sit around and complain about them not doing enough for you.) Have you lifting a cynical finger to comment in protest as the right to form a union is being systematically taken away in this country?
4
@3 wins. I'm not unionized myself, but in the last month, collective bargaining has protected benefits and wages for most of the people I work with.
5
@#3 $2 more an hour? My daughter works in a unionized grocery store and is stuck at minimum wage until she has worked there a certain number of hours (I forget how many, but it's ridiculously high. And the raise is small.) She's been promoted to assistant manager and no raise came with the additional responsibility. For the privilege of being "protected" by the union she pays about $40 a month in dues. Her health insurance coverage is reasonably priced, but only if she maintains full time status, making it difficult for her to go to school.

A union should be ensuring their employees make more than minimum wage, not less after dues! But at least she cannot be arbitrarily fired. Neither can she get ahead with these rules in place. It has been my experience that certain unions are better than others at fighting for worker's rights, not all are bad, but there is a lot of truth to what #1 is saying, unfortunately. Hopefully the Occupy movement will open some workers' eyes to how poorly they are represented by their unions, even as the unions lend their support (and I'm anxious to see if and how they actually do that.)
6
#3: I'm unionized. State worker for 10yrs. State college before that. My father is a unionized state worker retiring in a few months. And every year I've been here I've seen raises in union dues; raises in health care costs; raises on requirements of years and age for retirement; raises on what union officials pay themselves out of said dues; reductions in worker protections; reductions in leave possibilities; contracts never honored, and never forced to be honored; the disappearances of wage hikes; a total lack of living expenses wages; lay-offs; etc.

The Unions are a wonderful thing if you show up to work drunk, or sexually harass a coworker, or are a member of a minority, or work for the union, or abuse sick leave. They suck if you work in a hostile work environment for a shitty manager, no matter how much you try to fight it or how much evidence there is. They suck if you'd like to hold onto the benefits that are a compensation for the generally lower wage you receive (as an IT worker I could easily make another $10/hr, at least, on the outside). This is in MA, not WA. Maybe things are different there. But as far as I'm concerned I owe the unions of yesteryear a hearty thank you. Considering what I pay them each year, and what I get in return, I owe today's union a hearty fuck you.
7
When the unions get involved, and when there is a coherent message, I'll get on board.
8
This announcement actually brought a tear to this curmudgeonly old lefty.

@1 - Do you enjoy a five day work week? Thank the unions. Do you get overtime? Thank the unions. Do you have health coverage through your employer? Thank the unions. Do you have paid sick leave? Thank the unions. If you have an industry or trade job, do you have a safe place to work without fear of losing a limb or your life? Thank the unions.

It is significant to note that jobs that demand more than 40 hours a week, are salaried or pay overtime at the same rate as regular time, do not offer health insurance, do not offer sick or family leave, or have a high rate of work-related injury, are almost all NON-union jobs. There is a reason for that.
9
people in the streets. that is what is needed. both parties of politicians are literally agents for the 1%. as always, the government must be dragged kicking and screaming to get them to do the right thing. i can only hope this is the beginning of that.
10
#7 There has been a coherency for quite some time, don't let the media pull the wool over your eyes.

Occupy Wall St. has some essential Demands such as: Reinstatement of Glass-Steagall, Reversal of Citizen's United, Reversal of Corporate Personhood, Protection of Collective Bargaining Rights, Nationalization and/or Abolishment of the Federal Reserve Bank/IRS, Creation of a new Amendment which establishes a separation of Business and State (I.E. Only Private Citizens may contribute to the electoral Process). There are a few others, but these are the primary, and as far as I can tell, least divisive issues.
11
I support unions. In working history I have joined three different unions. I am now a small business owner in the Trades. My salary is based closely to union pay. Every institution can make mistakes. Every person can make mistakes. Bottom line we are the 99%. I welcome the union brothers and sisters. Read some of our local history and you will see that the unions put themselves on the line more than once.
12
Labor union dues go up. Health care costs go up. Why? Not because unions are greedy. It's because STUFF COSTS MORE every year. THAT we can thank corporations for. Unions can only respond by hiking costs- or... by fighting the corporations themselves- which, by giving their support to us, is exactly what they do. If you're a shop keeper, and the guy you rent your shop from raises the rent, you're not going to suddenly drop all your prices and shrug, in a gesture of good will to your customers, no matter how much you may love them. We are all enslaved by the Corporate control over our economy and our government. Do not let your grievances divide you! Stand together with ANYONE who will stand beside you. We are the 99%. Divided, we are silenced.
13
I admire and respect unions, even though they have their shortcomings and their fair share of incompetent, greedy, or dishonest leaders. This issue, however, is not about unions. It is about our future as a democracy, and our ability to meet the most basic and critical human needs. It is about our ability and willingness to work together to solve problems that are forcing more and more people into poverty. It is about persuading Congress to enact laws that prevent Wall Street from being a venue for the very few to siphon off outrageous portions of our national wealth for their personal use. It is about persuading corporations that destroying the society that engendered their success is not a good way to plan for their futures.

Please stop arguing about minutiae, and find a common ground from which we all can begin to approach these issues.
14
Don't like your union and what it's doing/done? Then do the same as you need to do when you don't like your government. Pay attention to your elections, go to the meetings, know your stewards and officers, make your voices heard. What do you think a labor union is; your personal discount household staff?

Jeesh!

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