Re: Understanding Unions

"David McCall" <david.mccall@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OIFMf.1689$SJ2.115@xxxxxxxxxxx



The OP claimed that he pays his crew appropriately.

Well not knowing the rate of pay in this situation, the word "appropiately"
can be viewed diffierently; the owners point of view and the workers point
of view. As long as it keeps in mind the workers need to put food on his
and his families table, roof over his and his families head, to cloth
him/her and them and to buy health insurance it's fine.

"David McCall" <david.mccall@xxxxxxxxxxx> also wrote in message
news:OIFMf.1689$SJ2.115@xxxxxxxxxxx

As for health insurance. What a spiral of destruction that has caused.
People pay for insurance, or their employer does, and they expect
unlimited healthcare.

You are right, the Healthcare problem here in the US is a total mess and I
guess you want to blame the unions for that as well???

"David McCall" <david.mccall@xxxxxxxxxxx> also wrote in message
news:OIFMf.1689$SJ2.115@xxxxxxxxxxx

Guess what if the employer/union
just gave you the $800 a month extra so you could buy your own insurance,
how many of you would actually give that money to the insurance company?

First of all, one would be very very hard pressed to find a health insurance
company that would offer a premium of $800. a month for a good plan for a
single person much less $800. for family coverage. And it's a good thing
that the union/employer places the funds directly into the insurance company
hands. Some people, both union and non-union wouldn't have that kind of
money on hand each month and it's sad to say that a lot of times people,
both union and non-union, don't always act with responsibility. Just take a
look at savings accounts in the US vs. savings account in lets say Japan.
It's fair to say, according to news reports and government reports that per
captia, more Japanese individuals have savings accounts then do their
American counterparts. ( but that's another thread completely )

"David McCall" <david.mccall@xxxxxxxxxxx> also wrote in message
news:OIFMf.1689$SJ2.115@xxxxxxxxxxx

If you had to pay your own doctor, would you tell him that the sky was the
limit?
I doubt it.

Of course not, the doctor sets the rate and even can decide if he wants to
take the person on as a client.


I can only responsibility speak from personal experience and in my
experience I am glad I am a Union Member and grateful to be one. I have
friends who work in the entertainment business both in off broadway and
other non union jobs here in the city and I know they have a very hard time
to make a living. It's a struggle for them to bring home enough bacon to
afford just the basics, much less afford a health care plan for them and
their families. I don't know of any non union shop that pays the basic
worker an hourly or weekly rate that also meets the minimum standards. The
result, the worker has to hold down more then one job along with his or her
partner. Again THANK GOD for the UNION. I have friends who are union
members in other states and they struggle, not as much sometimes, but they
still have a hard time to survive to get the basics and health insurance.
My hat goes off to those brothers and sisters in those other locals.

As far as the individual who lost out on the show a question .. I wonder if
their client tried to negotiate from the venue a lower rental rate .. that
too has to be fairly taken into condition. I have a feeling that the venue
moved very little on this one. A venue has overhead; heating, electricity,
insurance, and other costs for the day to day operation .. opps .. now wait
a minute .. don't workers have that as well???? :)


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