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03-24-2013, 09:15 AM
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Jigsawed
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Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 10,557
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeG22
Glad to see more union guys current or former. I am actually a water/sewer municipal worker for a local government. We are constantly bashed because ugh god forbid your union and live on tax money. They don't complain when shit is backing up at 3 in the morning but when it comes time to pay, watch out. Our union was tough for us a few years ago when everything seemed to hit the fan. Our contract was over for two years and were at a stalemate in negotiations. The union held their ground despite dumping money on lawyer fees that they knew they would never recover and got us a very acceptable contract.
I am a firm believer in organized labor. I think it is a driving force behind me pulling away from the right. This last election really showed who your ally was if your a union worker.
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Welcome Mike.
I am union at heart. But I have come to recognise that a lot of municipalities cannot afford some of the unions. In too many instances the unions become inflexible and myopic.
BTW I am a NY resident.
Last edited by Dondilion; 03-24-2013 at 02:11 PM.
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03-24-2013, 10:55 AM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
Posts: 14,401
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Welcome Mike. Always nice to see a union guy around, but you would also be welcome if you were a staunch capitalist.
My dad was a postal worker and union steward. I was briefly a member of the IBEW. I worked summers at a manufacturing plant that was IBEW represented. I wasn't eligible to join the first summer I worked there. The second week of the second summer I worked there, I went to the union hall to sign and be sworn in. I remember walking into work late and the foreman telling me I was tardy, and I just smiled and told him that I was getting sworn into the union.
Now I am a member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, and practice labor law in the red state of Kansas. I have started working in Kansas after practicing in Missouri for over 20 years. Despite the redness of Kansas, I am finding out that it is fairly progressive when it comes to the protections afforded to public sector labor unions. I hope that the ability of public sector unions to hang on during the decline in union representation will maintain life in the labor movement - enough life that unions will still be a viable force when private sector workers wake up and realize that collective action is the only way to take on the power of capital.
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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03-24-2013, 11:41 AM
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Jigsawed
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Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 10,557
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Quote:
Originally Posted by d-ray657
Welcome Mike. Always nice to see a union guy around, but you would also be welcome if you were a staunch capitalist.
My dad was a postal worker and union steward. I was briefly a member of the IBEW. I worked summers at a manufacturing plant that was IBEW represented. I wasn't eligible to join the first summer I worked there. The second week of the second summer I worked there, I went to the union hall to sign and be sworn in. I remember walking into work late and the foreman telling me I was tardy, and I just smiled and told him that I was getting sworn into the union.
Now I am a member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, and practice labor law in the red state of Kansas. I have started working in Kansas after practicing in Missouri for over 20 years. Despite the redness of Kansas, I am finding out that it is fairly progressive when it comes to the protections afforded to public sector labor unions. I hope that the ability of public sector unions to hang on during the decline in union representation will maintain life in the labor movement - enough life that unions will still be a viable force when private sector workers wake up and realize that collective action is the only way to take on the power of capital.
Regards,
D-Ray
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The IBEW is a great union here in the city. Made tremendous effort to train, and educate its members. Also recognised the need to be inclusive, the importance of health care and that its finance should be above board....provided reasonable pension for its members.
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03-24-2013, 11:44 AM
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Resident octogenarian
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 20,860
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The real reason why the GOP is out to get unions is not for any money they might give the Dems but because they were so good at getting out the vote.
__________________
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt
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03-24-2013, 02:05 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 756
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Absolutely, when the election was nearing we were getting reminder phone calls about Mitt's plan to do away with collective bargaining all the time. I felt betrayed by a party I had more respect for at one time. Christie is the same with his battling of the teachers in Jersey, then boasting about it in his GOP NC opening speech. Patting himself on the back for taking money away from the educators of our children.
Someone mentioned the cost of union labor to municipality. We do not receive the union's prevailing wage, actually about 2/3 of what their flag men make. It is not a huge difference in what we make compared to non union municipal employees. With the way many of these local politicians waste money is one of the right things they can do.
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03-24-2013, 03:20 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,223
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Hi Mike,
Welcome to the board.
__________________
People like stories.
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03-24-2013, 06:39 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Sierras
Posts: 14,151
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Welcome to the forum Mike.
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03-25-2013, 12:07 AM
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Sir Lord Vader of Cheam
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lewiston, ID
Posts: 5,065
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Welcome!
__________________
"American" means calling everyone who disagrees with you a traitor?
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03-25-2013, 02:15 AM
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Area Man
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: The Swamp
Posts: 27,407
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dondilion
The IBEW is a great union here in the city. Made tremendous effort to train, and educate its members. Also recognised the need to be inclusive, the importance of health care and that its finance should be above board....provided reasonable pension for its members.
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A lesson other unions could stand to learn from. I see this as the greatest failing of the UAW and to a lesser degree the USW. Driving up the cost of labor without doing anything to increase the value of that labor just isn't smart. Especially, in todays global economy.
However, in the non-union jobs I have had, I have also seen little effort in those regards. They seem more intent on squeezing out more volume per employee at a lower cost, without ensuring they are better trained.
That won't work either. All you get is mediocre product produced in larger numbers.
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"When the lie is so big and the fog so thick, the Republican trick can play out again....."-------Frank Zappa
Last edited by BlueStreak; 03-25-2013 at 03:23 AM.
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03-25-2013, 10:31 AM
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Possibly admin. Maybe ;)
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Land of the burning river
Posts: 21,098
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Howdy Mike.
I saw a fireman driving a Toyota pickup the other day.....
Pete
__________________
“How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.”
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