Unions! Hilarious!

[Bapak2ja]

Great post, the whole thing. One question though, why can't a guy make a profit manufacturing shoes for 1 to 3 dollars didn't Air Jordans sell for 100 dollars?

Seems like the union has the upper hand, once they are in place then they can hold the company hostage, like you experienced.

Great Video, I'm stealing it.

Phil, they did make a profit. Huge one. But the laborer did not get anymore money. At the time, Michael Jordan was paid US$100 million to endorse the product, and it sold for about US$130. I thought it was interesting that the company was willing to shut down a plant in Korea and relocate to Indonesia for a savings of US$2/pair. Jordan got a huge payday for just putting his name on it. The woman who made them got enough to feed her family. This was the point I was trying to make. Unions are needed to prevent this abuse of power. The laborer deserves better pay; the money is there, it just needs to be distributed more equitably. The only one who can defend the laborer is the union. But the union needs to be wise in how it selects its leaders and how it uses its power.

 

[chef larry]

That union guy reminded me of Jackie Gleason going hum-a-na hum-a-na hum-a-na when asked a question. Couldn't lie very well when confronted by the truth. Who was this union helping but themselfs, can't play both sides against the middle, wonder what the union members would say if they knew the strikers were non-union and being paid with union money?

 

[groovatron]

Phil, they did make a profit. Huge one. But the laborer did not get anymore money. At the time, Michael Jordan was paid US$100 million to endorse the product, and it sold for about US$130. I thought it was interesting that the company was willing to shut down a plant in Korea and relocate to Indonesia for a savings of US$2/pair. Jordan got a huge payday for just putting his name on it. The woman who made them got enough to feed her family. This was the point I was trying to make. Unions are needed to prevent this abuse of power. The laborer deserves better pay; the money is there, it just needs to be distributed more equitably. The only one who can defend the laborer is the union. But the union needs to be wise in how it selects its leaders and how it uses its power.

I understand what you are saying but have some mixed feelings. To me, unions are kind of like communism. They may work on paper, but fail in the real world. That is because no human institution is excempt from corruption. Someone will always be standing there in line waiting to take advantage of others.

Unions also reek havoc upon independent contractors and company's. They have been responsible for destroying small businesses, forcing them into contracts that they cannot afford.

I'm a non-union guy that manages union crews. These guys get paid more than I do to moan and complain all day. Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get them to do their job. But guess what, we have no choice but to hire them. Basically, we are forced to hire overpriced, underqualified labor. This, in turn, raises our price to our clients, makes it more difficult for us to bid jobs, and puts less money in our pockets at the end of the day. And guess what?........we do most of the work. To me, there is nothing FAIR about that.

If unions didn't have independent contractors and small businesses to take it in the ass for them, the entire country's labor force would cease to exist.


The irony here, is that joining the union has always been in the back of my mind. Who wouldn't want to get paid alot to do one specific job with a whole lot of protections? Sometimes I wanna be the guy who is rolling his eyes at me on a Sunday morning, making $68/per hour.

 

[localone]

I love all the union bashing. Pay a union 30 dollars a month to make $40 per hour plus bennys. Just remember unions are killing this country not the 40k vehicles of the over spending politicans. I am happy to pay $200 dollars a year in union dues to make 150k a year have health welfare annuity and
a pension. So people stop being jealous of the union members who work hard to support there families and look into the mirror and ask why ur so unhappy

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Phil, they did make a profit. Huge one. But the laborer did not get anymore money. At the time, Michael Jordan was paid US$100 million to endorse the product, and it sold for about US$130. I thought it was interesting that the company was willing to shut down a plant in Korea and relocate to Indonesia for a savings of US$2/pair. Jordan got a huge payday for just putting his name on it. The woman who made them got enough to feed her family. This was the point I was trying to make. Unions are needed to prevent this abuse of power. The laborer deserves better pay; the money is there, it just needs to be distributed more equitably. The only one who can defend the laborer is the union. But the union needs to be wise in how it selects its leaders and how it uses its power.

God bless Michael Jordan because he can make $100 million off his name. Rather than being jealous why not celebrate his success and try to emulate it?

I get tired of hearing about union power. The union can shove it's power up its 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... I'm OK now. Barely.

Unions and those that belong because they think they need to exert power are nothing short of communists. Marxists and communists. Marzists communists and out and out thieves. Don't like your job? Get a new one. Don't like that your employer makes too much money? Find a new employer. Need more money? Get a part time job someplace else, or get an education to get a better job! It's worked for millions of other people. It could work for you too! YOUR EMPLOYER DOESN'T OWE YOUR CRAP EXCEPT YOUR NEXT PAYCHECK!!!!!!!

You think you can make a better widget and sell it for less? Raise your OWN capital, write your OWN business plan, do your OWN research and development, build your OWN staff, and sell your OWN product.

Until then, either get on your employer's team or get lost.

 

[BBSparkle]

I understand what you are saying but have some mixed feelings. To me, unions are kind of like communism. They may work on paper, but fail in the real world. That is because no human institution is excempt from corruption. Someone will always be standing there in line waiting to take advantage of others.

Unions also reek havoc upon independent contractors and company's. They have been responsible for destroying small businesses, forcing them into contracts that they cannot afford.

I'm a non-union guy that manages union crews. These guys get paid more than I do to moan and complain all day. Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get them to do their job. But guess what, we have no choice but to hire them. Basically, we are forced to hire overpriced, underqualified labor. This, in turn, raises our price to our clients, makes it more difficult for us to bid jobs, and puts less money in our pockets at the end of the day. And guess what?........we do most of the work. To me, there is nothing FAIR about that.

If unions didn't have independent contractors and small businesses to take it in the ass for them, the entire country's labor force would cease to exist.

So true. Unions are an outdated system that is just being ridden out by people who don't realize the adverse effects it has on their economies.

I don't want to say it's selfish, b/c I do believe there are plenty of good people in unions (My brother has been for 10+ years) But I do think it takes a bit of a childish mindset to support them blindly b/c you are afraid of losing your comfort zone.

With time, I think pay would go up for the same jobs without the interference unions.

I hope that was readable, I'm burnt out for the day..

 

[localone]

heres a quiestion for the general public..How many of you can afford a new home a new car and afford for the wife to stay at home on making $15-$20 per hour? Honestly....I make a good union wage and its still a struggle with the prices of everything out there..Taking the wife and kids to the movies..Tickets popcorn and slushies for the kids $80 night out....kids wanted to go to great america $40 for 1 ticket. I was just doing a change over at ford where the UAW all took buyouts or wage cuts..The sticker on a 2010 taurus is 36k hmmmm everyone took a paycut and the price of the vehicle went up...Keep watching fox news people and bash the OVERPRICed unions

 

[The Keymaster]

Unions do nothing but protect the lazy, inept, whining workers that take advantage of the system. I am sure there are good workers who are part of the union because that are forced to join in order to have a job. Unions are a lot like the government. The few that speak for the masses have it their way, and do not really about the people that pay their salary. You could also compare it to a protection scheme. The workers pay a monthly fee to cover their butts, so when they do screw up, they wont get fired, even though they may deserve just that. I spent 8 years in a union, and I speak from experience.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

heres a quiestion for the general public..How many of you can afford a new home a new car and afford for the wife to stay at home on making $15-$20 per hour? Honestly....I make a good union wage and its still a struggle with the prices of everything out there..Taking the wife and kids to the movies..Tickets popcorn and slushies for the kids $80 night out....kids wanted to go to great america $40 for 1 ticket. I was just doing a change over at ford where the UAW all took buyouts or wage cuts..The sticker on a 2010 taurus is 36k hmmmm everyone took a paycut and the price of the vehicle went up...Keep watching fox news people and bash the OVERPRICed unions

Then get a better job.

Why is it my fault you can't do everything that you want to do with and for your family?

Why should your wages be inflated because you and your fellow thug communists extort higher wages from your employer and forced the price of their products up?

Do you not understand that everyone else has to raise their prices so that their employees can afford to buy your employer's product?

What happens when less people buy your company's product eventually putting you on the bricks with no job sucking off the government (the working poeple's) teat? Answer: You suck teat and bond holders get screwed and the UAW and government steal another company.

Keep watching MSNBC and drinking Obamaid.

 

[hornadylnl]

Just got my dad's Solidarity magazine in the mail today. What exactly does this article have to do with unions?
'You can only oppress people for so long' | UAW

 

[$mooth]

heres a quiestion for the general public..How many of you can afford a new home a new car and afford for the wife to stay at home on making $15-$20 per hour? Honestly....I make a good union wage and its still a struggle with the prices of everything out there..Taking the wife and kids to the movies..Tickets popcorn and slushies for the kids $80 night out....kids wanted to go to great america $40 for 1 ticket. I was just doing a change over at ford where the UAW all took buyouts or wage cuts..The sticker on a 2010 taurus is 36k hmmmm everyone took a paycut and the price of the vehicle went up...Keep watching fox news people and bash the OVERPRICed unions

My family doesn't have kids. So it's my wife and I plus the puppy. I bring in more than the average US family by myself and my wife is a full time student (so we take ~$45k in loans each year for that). We can't afford any of the things you're talking about either. I don't buy cars I can't afford, I buy used cars I can save up and pay cash for. We don't go to the movies because I can use redbox and watch good flicks at home for a couple bucks with popcorn. My house payment accounts for ~1/4 of my take home.

I'm actually a fairly liberal guy for this board, but unions are terrible. I make my money on the free market just like you should, but I don't complain that others should pay me more because my priorities are different than theirs.

 

[Sureshot129]

The only thing my union does is take $40 a month from my check.

 

[localone]

Then get a better job.

Why is it my fault you can't do everything that you want to do with and for your family?

Why should your wages be inflated because you and your fellow thug communists extort higher wages from your employer and forced the price of their products up?

Do you not understand that everyone else has to raise their prices so that their employees can afford to buy your employer's product?

What happens when less people buy your company's product eventually putting you on the bricks with no job sucking off the government (the working poeple's) teat? Answer: You suck teat and bond holders get screwed and the UAW and government steal another company.

Keep watching MSNBC and drinking Obamaid.

Teachers are union police,firefighters are construction workers are union (well the trained ones) auto workers.....Where do u fall in? sounds to me there are alot of jealous people out here that cant get a grip on reality. Do what you can and life life the best to your ability...and if you ability is to work in a gas station which i would bet it is ...so be it..the unions will be hear longer that you will so get over it and learn to live with it

 

[hornadylnl]

Teachers are union police,firefighters are construction workers are union (well the trained ones) auto workers.....Where do u fall in? sounds to me there are alot of jealous people out here that cant get a grip on reality. Do what you can and life life the best to your ability...and if you ability is to work in a gas station which i would bet it is ...so be it..the unions will be hear longer that you will so get over it and learn to live with it

Are you a UAW member? Do you endorse the garbage that is in the Solidarity magazine?

 

[localone]

I build buildings and bridges...I have my own beef with the UAW...we do alot of work in Ford and deal with the uaw all the time....there are plenty of things we dont agree on..for ex we have 30 guys come in and do a change over for the new model and the uaw makes us hire 30 of there guys...who sit in the break rooms and do nothing..they are there strictly for the over time..Our companys have to work short handed because of the cost related to complete out work....I went to school for 3 years to do what i do.The ford plant in kentucky decided to keep the outside contractors and have there employees do out trained job..Day 1 they had there 1st fatality.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Teachers are union police,firefighters are construction workers are union (well the trained ones) auto workers.....Where do u fall in? sounds to me there are alot of jealous people out here that cant get a grip on reality. Do what you can and life life the best to your ability...and if you ability is to work in a gas station which i would bet it is ...so be it..the unions will be hear longer that you will so get over it and learn to live with it

What I am is the guy that aspires to get ahead and leave the world a better place than I found it. That believes the "American dream" is crap invented by the liberal politboro and a liberal press to make me jealous of what others have achieved. That plays by the rules. That has done everything that I can to achieve MY dream. That served my country for six years of absolute fun and absolute hell. That went to school and got three degrees because I knew that's what was necessary because dreams are MADE, not imagined. That's never asked for anything, including a level playing field.

I'm the guy that has built a business and watched it fail. That has built businesses that have succeeded. That has put my own capital, the sweat of my brow, AT RISK to try to build something. To create value where there was none. That fuels the economy. That works 80 hour weeks and is the last guy who takes home a paycheck.

I used to be the guy who felt great about what he did. Now I'm the greedy bastard that puts profit ahead of people. The unpatriotic prick with the unrealistic expectation that my effort, my risk willl be rewarded. The guy that can't get a return phone call from his banker because the banker is afraid of the government.

I am the guy resisting the urge to become John Galt watching the impending meltdown from the sidelines. That still believes you can succeed, despite the current clown in chief and his communist minions. That believes America's greatest days can be before her. And that wants to be part of her excellence.

What I am not is the guy demanding something for nothing. That believes my employer deserves only a portion of my industry. That believes I can and should join other like-minded communists to exert "power" over the company extorting money only because of my membership in the gang of thieves. That is so feeble-minded that and weak that I believe I have no alternative but to accept someone else's abuse. That is too stupid to extricate myself from a bad situation. That whines because other communists are artificially inflating the prices of their company's product. That screams "buy American, buy local" yet has driven manufacturing overseas because of my confiscitory wage demands. That is content with a three bedroom house, a two car garage, and one car to park in it and thinks that's good enough for everyone else. That is happy letting the nebulous "rich" pay my fair share. That can't stand watching others suceed.

And above all else I am not the guy destroying America because I think it is time for me and my ilk to get our reparations and Robin Hood payments. The guy who has sold my grandchildren's America to the Chinese so that I can pave a road or build a bridge. That confuses the word solidarity with destruction. That would rather force a job overseas through unreasonable compensation demands and not have to work because I know my thug buddies will pay me not to.

Sounds like you're the other guy.

 

[Rookie]

Oh look, another union bashing thread. I wonder if esrice is going to step in or are fat, doughnut eating, abusive cops with a god complex the only protected class?

Interesting story. Our area manager on thirds just got a raise and a fat bonus because greet third shift has been producing more parts than the other two shifts with less than half the amount of workers. What's interesting is that he has easily spent 65% of his time on sick leave, vacation, and unpaid days. Guess what? He's non union! Can you imagine that a non union person would be lazy? We gave up raises (among other concessions) and bonuses until 2015, yet the non union management continues to receive theirs simply by watching us work. Our plant has drunk/ high supervisors too. AIG, fanny Mae, are they union?

For the record, I was in law enforcement in the military, and a guard in a juvenile facility for a year. I am not anti cop. I do find it interesting that people are okay with stereotyping one group of people but get offended with others when they stereotype. Double standard much?

 

[hornadylnl]

What I am is the guy that aspires to get ahead and leave the world a better place than I found it. That believes the "American dream" is crap invented by the liberal politboro and a liberal press to make me jealous of what others have achieved. That plays by the rules. That has done everything that I can to achieve MY dream. That served my country for six years of absolute fun and absolute hell. That went to school and got three degrees because I knew that's what was necessary because dreams are MADE, not imagined. That's never asked for anything, including a level playing field.

I'm the guy that has built a business and watched it fail. That has built businesses that have succeeded. That has put my own capital, the sweat of my brow, AT RISK to try to build something. To create value where there was none. That fuels the economy. That works 80 hour weeks and is the last guy who takes home a paycheck.

I used to be the guy who felt great about what he did. Now I'm the greedy bastard that puts profit ahead of people. The unpatriotic prick with the unrealistic expectation that my effort, my risk willl be rewarded. The guy that can't get a return phone call from his banker because the banker is afraid of the government.

I am the guy resisting the urge to become John Galt watching the impending meltdown from the sidelines. That still believes you can succeed, despite the current clown in chief and his communist minions. That believes America's greatest days can be before her. And that wants to be part of her excellence.

What I am not is the guy demanding something for nothing. That believes my employer deserves only a portion of my industry. That believes I can and should join other like-minded communists to exert "power" over the company extorting money only because of my membership in the gang of thieves. That is so feeble-minded that and weak that I believe I have no alternative but to accept someone else's abuse. That is too stupid to extricate myself from a bad situation. That whines because other communists are artificially inflating the prices of their company's product. That screams "buy American, buy local" yet has driven manufacturing overseas because of my confiscitory wage demands. That is content with a three bedroom house, a two car garage, and one car to park in it and thinks that's good enough for everyone else. That is happy letting the nebulous "rich" pay my fair share. That can't stand watching others suceed.

And above all else I am not the guy destroying America because I think it is time for me and my ilk to get our reparations and Robin Hood payments. The guy who has sold my grandchildren's America to the Chinese so that I can pave a road or build a bridge. That confuses the word solidarity with destruction. That would rather force a job overseas through unreasonable compensation demands and not have to work because I know my thug buddies will pay me not to.

Sounds like you're the other guy.

You're the enemy, don't you know.

 

[evilblackrifle]

Unions have done nothing for me except take $78/month out of my paycheck. Sure, unions do have their place if they have appropriate leadership and if all union and non-union leaders work together...but that seldom happens.

I saw nothing but laziness with union people at my job. They took 2 1/4 hours of additional break time once the boss left, and then still complained that they had too much work to do...Give me a break!!!

My 3rd shift union foreman had the balls to say, "If this place had cameras, half the people would lose their jobs." I **** you not, that was a direct quote!!! I wish I had an audio or video recording of that!

My belief after working at Ryder in a union shop, is that unions only serve to protect lazy people who should've been fired a long time ago.

Erick

 

[Doug]

Uh, just for the record, the Original Post was about the Union hiring Non-Union picketers to protest outside a business and mistreating those non-union workers exactly the same way the union claimed the business mistreated its non-union workers.

It was about the hypocrisy of the union, not whether or not unions are good or necessary.

Just felt the need to inject some corrective perspective.
Carry on.