Comments on: Who are Union Members? New Study Shows “The Changing Face of Labor”

By: laborite57

laborite57 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:21:20 +0000

Hey Michael – What happened to your deliberations on a title for your new working/labor blog?

Did I miss it? Did you debut the new blog already?

By: laborite57

laborite57 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:16:24 +0000

That’s an excellent point about public-sector unions. Those union members are not “safe” from out-sourcing or union-busting in any sense of the word.

By: TalkingStick

TalkingStick — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:37:30 +0000

Welcome to globalization. The NYT is correct. US workers competing with workers in less and barely developed nations in a free capitalistic market are forced to accept lower wages. That’s why I refused to vote for Bill Clinton both times.

Remember the giant sucking sound?

By: nahant

nahant — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:09:15 +0000

As the chart clearly shows Union Busting started under Reagan who was nothing but a fucking puppet for Big Money/Power Brokers of the RightWingosphere!
Down hill ever since he broke the Air Controllers strike, from then on it was a free for all on unions with a wink wink nod nod …

By: PopeRatzo

PopeRatzo — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:49:17 +0000

So what’s the solution to this “changing face of union members”? How do you force companies to keep their plants in the US when they can get labor so much cheaper overseas? And would you rather keep the jobs from Toyota, Honda, Mazda, et al out of the US because they are not union jobs?

I believe in unions with my entire soul. I come from a family of union men and women going back 4 generations. But I just can’t see a solution to this one that can be effected from the US, short of serious protectionist trade policies. Though I’m deeply suspicious of “free trade” and the worship of the free market, I just don’t see protectionist policies doing more than just a little bit of good, and maybe a lot of bad for the lower 2/3 of wage earners.

Card Check would be a good start, but I don’t see our weak-ass Democrats going for it, and I don’t see us on the left doing much convincing. We can take down a few of the worst offenders in Congress, maybe, but can we convince the rest that it’s in their best interest when the focus is on job creation at any price?

By: SouthernDragon

SouthernDragon — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:58:44 +0000

The leadership of the AFL-CIO certainly haven’t helped unions over the last 30 years or so. When union leaders are in bed with the bosses it’s hard to accomplish anything. Much like some the veterans’ groups at the national level, e.g., VFW, coziness and access trumps action benefiting members. Local chapters pretty much have to fend for themselves. The same is true of organizations like Planned Parenthood, NOW and NARAL. What’s the old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt?”

By: Michael Whitney

Michael Whitney — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:56:33 +0000

correct.

By: nomolos

nomolos — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:55:27 +0000

corporations became increasingly ruthless towards their employees’ rights – and our government increasingly blind to those wrongs –

Actually “complicit in those wrongs” would be more correct.

By: laurastrand

laurastrand — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:52:38 +0000

There will always be a need for collective action, thus, always a need for a union.
I work for a Union – IUOE, Stationary Local 39, and represent public sector employees, cities, counties, state of CA and a water district. My State Workers have been HOSED by Der Gropenfuehrer and the public has been so conditioned to hate and villify state workers to the point of cruelty.
Men and women who dedicate their working years in service to others deserve so much better. They ensure that the most vulnerable in our institutions have an opportunity to live dignified lives, despite their infirmities. They ensure that our Veteran’s live out their lives in dignity. They ensure that the bad guys in prison do not escape. And for all this they ask for little in return – a living wage to support themselves and their families. In these times, far too many would deny them that.

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:44:49 +0000

One downside of the delay in passing health care, which the GOP has worked to its allies’ advantage, is that there is much less time for Congress to take up other pressing matters. I will always wonder what a successful health care bill in August might have done for gubernatorial prospects last week. But we’ll never know, will we?

And as long as the GOP can stretch out the process, the less gets done. Going into a midterm election year soon, when even less will get done. It’s one of the only workplaces where the employees perform less well when they are up for promotion or re-hire, have you noticed?

Jobs bill, Stim2.0, EFCA, All The Gay Stuff, Energy/Environment — there’s not a lot of time to get a great deal done.