Industries/Government entities that are history

There are many issues with unions, such as corruption (Mob influence for example), and in many instances members push for impractical concessions or working conditions. I am not referring to things such as safety requirements but more along the lines of say the painter not being able to move a box because the union requires a different worker must come in to do that.

With that said, the real issue is the government interjecting itself into the worker/company relationship. At various times government has come down on the side of management (police beating on strikers) or on workers (forcing businesses to negotiate or imposing contractual obligations upon them). The concept that the federal government was empowered to enact boards such as the NLRB is a huge stretch constitutionally. These are private contractual relationships that should be left to the private parties it involves. Neither entity should be forced to act in any particular manner.

@SugaSweet - a few quick points:

No doubt people need to take better care of themselves. However, even if we become a nation of 'body nazis' (a phrase coined by the late HST), we're still going to get sick sometimes. If I remember correctly, the insurance profit margin adds about a third to the cost of healthcare.

Most organizing drives fail because of the big advantage management has. They can drag the process out for a long time and put huge pressure on the workers. Cardcheck would help to even things out. Whether it will make a difference in the places you mention depends on the level of dissatisfaction among the employees and how well unions make their case.

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hospital administrators have not created a financially beneficial way to ship patients to Guatamala and Sri Lanka for treatment

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Good one, heh. I'll just add that I know both union and non-union nurses and there is a big diff in job satisfaction.

@Comrade BURBS - same old argument we've had many times about the size of government. The NLRB isn't going away. Under a Dem administration, it will be a force to aid workers instead of management.

And finally, a tip o' the hat to the UE members in CHEcago who are standing up for their rights. http://www.reuters.com/article/marke...45696920081207

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I am not referring to things such as safety requirements but more along the lines of say the painter not being able to move a box because the union requires a different worker must come in to do that.

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Jurisdictional disputes among the trades are blown pretty much out of proportion. It's all pre-agreed to by contract, & as long as everybody knows what they're doing, including the management, everybody makes money.

But the UAW & other unions like it are industrial. There aren't any jurisdictional issues. Same goes for the mail handlers & even the farm workers. Anybody who doesn't know the difference between the AFL & the CIO shouldn't be spouting ersatz expertise on the issue of unions.

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Originally Posted by hippifried

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I am not referring to things such as safety requirements but more along the lines of say the painter not being able to move a box because the union requires a different worker must come in to do that.

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Jurisdictional disputes among the trades are blown pretty much out of proportion. It's all pre-agreed to by contract, & as long as everybody knows what they're doing, including the management, everybody makes money.

But the UAW & other unions like it are industrial. There aren't any jurisdictional issues. Same goes for the mail handlers & even the farm workers. Anybody who doesn't know the difference between the AFL & the CIO shouldn't be spouting ersatz expertise on the issue of unions.

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Except I'm not speaking in the particular but rather in general :wink:

It only applies to the crafts. It's a different mindset from the industrials because you rely on your own trade rather than your employer. Jurisdictional problems are a rarity, almost always settled by the employer, & a problem with management if they continue. Everybody gets along if the contract is adhered to.