Re: OT:Unions

I understand that employers would like to keep all of the profits.
That's admirable. It's admirable that employers try to trim waste and
market and promote thier products to maximize as much profit as
possible. It is equally admirable for employee's to try to obtain as
much profit from their labor as possible.

PlowBoy wrote:
Lets put the shoe on the other foot just for consideration sake...

Let us pretend, say you hired the kid down the street to mow your yard, it
costs you 50 bucks a weekend, (depending where you live) the season is half
a year. So for each year you have 25 x 50 bucks, which as we break this
down a little into yearly monthly wages like you and I earn. so we have a
measely 1250 bucks a year this kid earns, direct from your checking. Keep
in mind, this you have paid half of his taxes on his earnings, plus half of
his health insurance costs (just for the season cause he works just for
you). Roughly 45% of his income is what you paid in taxes and healthcare.
so now the kid gets in an accident after week 1, & cant work, and because of
legal manuvering of the LawnCare Union, you are on the hook for about
180-230 bucks, plus you still need to get the yard mowed.

Not that I dont feel sorry for you and all, but I personally couldnt do what
you try and force "big business" to do. If you were to come out and work
for me, if you cant work... Sorry. I don't make that much either makes me
sad.

Still, what really hurts to me, is: Technically, all these companies do, is
figure out how much more they have to charge me for whatever I buy from such
"big business" to cover the expense of you and or a hundered of unfortunate
possible people, in your circumstance... So in a sense, customers (like
me) are paying for healthcare coverage, NOt the company

BTW... around here, the huge corp that produces lightbulbs, is gearing up to
replace humans, in production. I forget the number, something like 100 -150
people will no longer be needed by this summer. The MULTI million dollar
investment will save them that much in just a few years time, when you take
away all the cost of hiring, insuring, training, sickdaying, layoffs and all
the stuff. the robot will do its job 24-7 without a strike, without need
for coffee or a piss, while we'll be selling the, wont be no cheaper
lightbulbs in Walmart for minimum wage...


Chris Buckley enlightened us with:
As usual, there's been the usual, anti-union talk around
here lately. I have only been a union member for 3 years
now, so maybe i'm just green and uninformed. I've been
disabled and unabled to work for over 9 months now, I still
have health insurance and my employer has to take me back if
I am able to return to work by June 16 of this year. The
only reason I still have health insurance and a job waiting
for me is because of the contract the union I belong to has
worked out with my employer. A few years ago I would have
said "unions are bull-***", I was once in one that didn't
do *** for me when I was laid off, except demand their
dues. Well I guess unions are different in the way they
represent their members, maybe I'm just lucky!!!
Chris
IUOE local 39

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