Comments on: Tough Economy? Join a Union http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:12:01 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Hawise http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241351 Hawise Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:14:25 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241351 <p>A hod is an inverted triangle on a stick that is used to carry bricks.</p> <p>I knew a guy who told a story like that about when he started construction work. The older guys kept telling him to slow down. As he resented having to be in the union and he thought they were jealous of him, he sped up. He got going so fast he turned his ankle and was out of work for three weeks. When he got back, the other guys gave him a really pretty cane and told him to slow down.</p> A hod is an inverted triangle on a stick that is used to carry bricks.

I knew a guy who told a story like that about when he started construction work. The older guys kept telling him to slow down. As he resented having to be in the union and he thought they were jealous of him, he sped up. He got going so fast he turned his ankle and was out of work for three weeks. When he got back, the other guys gave him a really pretty cane and told him to slow down.

]]> By: Maddy http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241180 Maddy Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:32:50 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241180 <p>and those suits got bupkes without us.</p> and those suits got bupkes without us.

]]> By: Maddy http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241179 Maddy Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:31:41 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241179 <p>Yea, essentially laborers, and I was and often am one. The butter on the bread, the grease for the wheel, where the rubber meets the road we move the earth.</p> Yea, essentially laborers, and I was and often am one. The butter on the bread, the grease for the wheel, where the rubber meets the road we move the earth.

]]> By: Maddy http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241175 Maddy Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:27:48 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241175 <p>Thank you</p> Thank you

]]> By: nahant http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241147 nahant Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:07:10 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241147 <p>I agree. For most of my life I have been an individual contributor so unions didn’t apply for me… but I was once a union member of the the Teamsters and they kept my job for me… The company tried to let me go just after my probationary period and the union stepped in … they had to pay all my back wages and put me back on the payroll… There is a place for unions as it is the only way workers get any say with the company!!</p> I agree. For most of my life I have been an individual contributor so unions didn’t apply for me… but I was once a union member of the the Teamsters and they kept my job for me… The company tried to let me go just after my probationary period and the union stepped in … they had to pay all my back wages and put me back on the payroll… There is a place for unions as it is the only way workers get any say with the company!!

]]> By: ticktock http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241135 ticktock Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:58:54 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241135 <p>“Screw the new hire contracts”</p> <p>Actually the company was probably the one who parlayed that little bit of union busting agreement.</p> <p>It’s a tactic that is very useful in breaking a union because it splits the members in different tiers of wage comparisons….</p> <p>Notice how this has soured you on unions in general?</p> <p>Actually it was effective in your case and a lot of other people’s too…</p> “Screw the new hire contracts”

Actually the company was probably the one who parlayed that little bit of union busting agreement.

It’s a tactic that is very useful in breaking a union because it splits the members in different tiers of wage comparisons….

Notice how this has soured you on unions in general?

Actually it was effective in your case and a lot of other people’s too…

]]> By: atraub http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241132 atraub Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:57:48 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241132 <blockquote><p>Can you tell us what you think it is that contributed to that? Organizing, public opinion, legislation, other things that might have factored into that?</p></blockquote> <p>I think new organizing is one good explanation for the rise in union membership. A number of unions have been focusing intensively on new organizing for some years now, and it may finally be paying off. </p> <p>Another possible contributor is the housing boom: construction trades were among the industries that saw the biggest rise in union membership. Unfortunately, the housing downturn that we’re seeing now will be hard on these workers. So to the extent that the increase in union membership comes partly from the housing boom, we could expect to see the numbers trend back down in 2008. </p> <p>National legislation has not contributed to the rise of union membership: we have the same restrictive laws we’ve had for decades, with ever more anti-union interpretations of those laws from Bush appointees on the National Labor Relations Board. But some state laws may have contributed: for example in New York Governor Spitzer signed an executive order giving 28,000 daycare workers the right to organize. (The intersection between state and federal labor law is complicated!) They overwhelmingly voted to join the teachers’ union.</p>

Can you tell us what you think it is that contributed to that? Organizing, public opinion, legislation, other things that might have factored into that?

I think new organizing is one good explanation for the rise in union membership. A number of unions have been focusing intensively on new organizing for some years now, and it may finally be paying off.

Another possible contributor is the housing boom: construction trades were among the industries that saw the biggest rise in union membership. Unfortunately, the housing downturn that we’re seeing now will be hard on these workers. So to the extent that the increase in union membership comes partly from the housing boom, we could expect to see the numbers trend back down in 2008.

National legislation has not contributed to the rise of union membership: we have the same restrictive laws we’ve had for decades, with ever more anti-union interpretations of those laws from Bush appointees on the National Labor Relations Board. But some state laws may have contributed: for example in New York Governor Spitzer signed an executive order giving 28,000 daycare workers the right to organize. (The intersection between state and federal labor law is complicated!) They overwhelmingly voted to join the teachers’ union.

]]> By: ElanaDMIBlog http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241130 ElanaDMIBlog Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:56:23 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241130 <p>That’s so true DeanOR. The WGA strike is another indicator of this as is the fight against “perma-temping”. Its important for people to start realizing that unions are just for “other people” they’re for everyone.</p> That’s so true DeanOR. The WGA strike is another indicator of this as is the fight against “perma-temping”. Its important for people to start realizing that unions are just for “other people” they’re for everyone.

]]> By: DeanOR http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241122 DeanOR Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:49:34 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241122 <p>We need unions not only for people traditionally defined as “workers” but also for “white collar” and “professional” workers. As a health professional I was able to join a union and did. I worked for a relatively labor-friendly employer, but in a one-of-a-kind position it was difficult for me to negotiate with my employer, a large organization. With the union representing me, I was able to resolve issues that I could not draw attention to alone. Unions are good for the paycheck but also in many other ways such as addressing working conditions, quality of service, and long-term interests and community interests of the organization they work for.</p> We need unions not only for people traditionally defined as “workers” but also for “white collar” and “professional” workers. As a health professional I was able to join a union and did. I worked for a relatively labor-friendly employer, but in a one-of-a-kind position it was difficult for me to negotiate with my employer, a large organization. With the union representing me, I was able to resolve issues that I could not draw attention to alone. Unions are good for the paycheck but also in many other ways such as addressing working conditions, quality of service, and long-term interests and community interests of the organization they work for.

]]> By: Raven http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241119 Raven Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:46:38 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/31/tough-economy-join-a-union/#comment-1241119 <p>that’s what i was talkin bout</p> that’s what i was talkin bout

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