Unions On The Rebound?

[bobabode]

I sure hope so. Unions are the true rising tide that lifts all boats.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/labor-rides-a-building-backlash/2015/05/21/7d607fda-ffd7-11e4-805c-c3f407e5a9e9_story.html

[nailer]

Unions are a means to rise some boats at the expense of others.

[Dondilion]

Unions are a means to rise some boats at the expense of others.

What is the point of this statement? The rising of boats must incur expense.

[donquixote99]

Unions are a means to rise some boats at the expense of others.

Go beyond the one liner. Who pays this expense? What are the broader results if this occurs?

[Dondilion]

Go beyond the one liner.

Indeed, please do Sir Nailer and kindly surprise us. :D

[icenine]

The less money in people's pockets the worse the economy is. Unions helped bring about the American dream of homeownership by increasing wages back in the post-war days of the 40s and 50s.

I always laugh when a GS is anti-union. It is like a person with Medicare or Tricare being against socialized medicine.

[nailer]

^^^
Your incorrect inferences always make me laugh and I wasn't GS.

[icenine]

^^^
Your incorrect inferences always make me laugh and I wasn't GS.

That's why your so jealous then.;)

[Pio1980]

Unions are a means to rise some boats at the expense of others.

How so? I see them as a defensive response to industrial feudalism.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[nailer]

Go beyond the one liner. Who pays this expense? What are the broader results if this occurs?

Just classical supply/demand economics of which labor is a part. A union limits the supply of labor by limiting the workforce to it's members. The rest of the labor pool suffers and the suffering is so thin an addition it's not really noticeable until applied to a global labor market.

[CarlV]

If you work for largest employer in the United States of America you qualify for government assistance so why do we need unions? :rolleyes:

BTW, this government assistance is a perfect example of corporate welfare.


Carl

[merrylander]

Just classical supply/demand economics of which labor is a part. A union limits the supply of labor by limiting the workforce to it's members. The rest of the labor pool suffers.

If you are offered a job and it is a union shop then join the union. Hell even the government is anti labor whey do you suppose the Fed defines full employment as having 5% or slightly less unemployed?:rolleyes:

[Pio1980]

Just classical supply/demand economics of which labor is a part. A union limits the supply of labor by limiting the workforce to it's members. The rest of the labor pool suffers and the suffering is so thin an addition it's not really noticeable until applied to a global labor market.

So, a collusion of employers agreeing to force wages to the lowest possible level could be expected to get an eventual response from the labor pool, once conditions become intolerable, whether thru organization or political upheaval. Of these two, organization would likely be preferable to revolution.

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[BlueStreak]

I laugh when I hear "The small businessman is the engine of the economy."

No, he isn't.

The small businessman only exists because others in his community have the means to utilize his services/products. If the bulk of his neighbors simply struggle to survive due to weak wages, the small businessman suffers.

Example;

Some sort of valuable resource is found. A mining company comes to sink a mine and brings dozens of skilled miners with them. Initially, the mining company sets up temporary housing, but the desire for home ownership and other goods and services arises. If the workers are well paid, there will be more demand and more money to be spent at that level. Ancillary businesses will spring up to feed into this demand. Home construction, grocery stores, gas stations, etc., etc.......... More people, more business for the smaller businesses.

Now, take away the strong wages at the mine. Everything else suffers.

The economy slows, the town slowly dies.

You can talk about what "SHOULD" happen all you want. That's what "DOES" happen. Large scale employers, providing high paying jobs and high quality employment are what built this country over the last 100 years or so. (Industrial Revolution) The guy with a few lawnmowers on a trailer is barely feeding his own family and creates high value employment for no one. In fact, he is not "independent", he is deeply dependent on the rest of us.

America will not remain great, depending on small business and low wages. It simply does not work.

Dave

[Tom Joad]

I laugh when I hear "The small businessman is the engine of the economy."

No, he isn't.

The small businessman only exists because others in his community have the means to utilize his services/products. If the bulk of his neighbors simply struggle to survive due to weak wages, the small businessman suffers.

Example;

Some sort of valuable resource is found. A mining company comes to sink a mine and brings dozens of skilled miners with them. Initially, the mining company sets up temporary housing, but the desire for home ownership and other goods and services arises. If the workers are well paid, there will be more demand and more money to be spent at that level. Ancillary businesses will spring up to feed into this demand. Home construction, grocery stores, gas stations, etc., etc.......... More people, more business for the smaller businesses.

Now, take away the strong wages at the mine. Everything else suffers.

The economy slows, the town slowly dies.

You can talk about what "SHOULD" happen all you want. That's what "DOES" happen. Large scale employers, providing high paying jobs and high quality employment are what built this country over the last 100 years or so. (Industrial Revolution) The guy with a few lawnmowers on a trailer is barely feeding his own family and creates high value employment for no one. In fact, he is not "independent", he is deeply dependent on the rest of us.

America will not remain great, depending on small business and low wages. It simply does not work.

Dave

Thanks for that dose of reality.

You are right of course.

The Dude that painted my house is lucky if he cleared $12-15 bucks an hour and he did a helluva job and worked his ass off. And he got sick for a while but was afraid to go to the doctor because he has no health insurance.

The Dude that has the little lawn equipment shop and who fixed my lawn edger dresses like Little Abner and drives a beat up 20 year old pick up that looks like it's ready for the boneyard.

The guys who worked on my roof didn't look any more prosperous than he did.

A few of the more successful small businesses I see around here have one or two family members that own the place that are living pretty good but their employees are lucky if they are making 25K-30K a year.

They all depend on people that make decent money at jobs with either government or big companies who can afford to pay them to do odd jobs for them.

[Oerets]

There would of never of been a reason for unions in the first place if the job creators cared enough about their employees to treat them fairly.

If there was a place to go and get satisfaction when treated unfairly again unions would not be needed. But in the real world employees are mistreated underpaid let go even hurt now with little protection.

You think CEO's work without a negotiated in print contract?

Now don't use that old tired argument of a union protecting some lazy so and so. Because that happens in non union shops to, except they usually are golf buddies with the higherups and become your know nothing new boss!





Barney

[d-ray657]

Interestingly, when I took that presidential preference quiz, I noticed that over 50% of participants said that unions are a good thing for the economy.

Regards,

D-Ray

[barbara]

I'm not against unions..... But the one I am required to be a member of (if I want the job) really sucks.

I'm sure it's a local thing.

[bobabode]

Interestingly, when I took that presidential preference quiz, I noticed that over 50% of participants said that unions are a good thing for the economy.

Regards,

D-Ray

I guess that means that the other 50% are effin' ignorant of history. :(

[mpholland]

I wouldn't call myself anti-union, but there is only one union pipe bending shop in the Portland metro area. My company pays as well, has as good or better benefits, and is a much shorter commute. Not to mention the fact that when the economy took a shit in 09, I was one of eight that continued working, even though i had little seniority at the time. That was based on my skill and work ethic. I get unionization would help the country, but there are still a handful of good companies out there.