Do you or do you not like unions?

The Chair

I like unions on my cheeseburgers, but cant eat them as much because of my ulcers :(

investwell2day

WTF? Unions != onions people!

I have mixed feelings about unions, though I lean mostly against them.

They were certainly needed back in the early 20th century when they gained prominence to protect workers from horrendous working conditions. But nowadays they work mainly AGAINST worker's interests. Unions collect union dues and negotiate with management, however with a <6% unemployment rate, the power is really in the court of an employee, assuming the employee has some kind of skill (and usually even when they don't have a skill).

As a result unions get in the way. They are also full of corruption and overly populist policies. For example, free trade. The mathematical fact is that free trade benefits the macro-economies of all involved, though the impact on those individuals caught off guard can be very severe. Yet unions, by and large oppose free-trade in any form. This is destructive to overall economies and ultimately workers.

With that being said, I believe unions could carve out a very useful and evolved role. There are still many inequities in our capitalistic system. They could become better advocates of workers rights across all free trade zones, instead of representing just the needs of US workers (for example), they could encourage policies of retraining for workers displaced due to global trade, they could sensibly address the growing divide between rich and poor, and any number of other actions.

In order to be relevant, unions must evolve... plus, I think they make my breath stinky :)

hr4me

You need to check with your state laws to see if you have a choice to join the union or not. In California you can choose not to belong to the union but you still have to pay the dues as they negotiate the contract for all the employees who work at the company. So you still pay the dues, don't have to attend the meetings and union functions, but you also don't get to vote for union issues and positions (like shop stewards and other elected officials). Some states you would have a choice not to join the union and then you won't have to pay dues.

SS G

Unions per se are not bad. It has its own big advantages. But since you are still in the initial stages, you may observe and study the environment; options open to you and take an appropriate decision in proper time. If you have no compulsion or if it is not mandatory, you may consider it later.

lbear

I love onions i especially love blue min onions

Jerry W

As to free trade, ask the workers in Ohio and other places that lost their livelyhood to jobs being shipped out of the country. I would pit the American Worker against any in the world, but how to you compete when they don't have to abide by environmental rules, human rights rules and safety rules. In the United States accomodating these rules has a cost and in most of the countries that are taking our jobs they aren't required to abide by the same rules for the environment, human rights and safety. The unions are, in part, responsible for the american worker and public having these save-guards. Unions are trying to keep the playing feild level so we all can compete fairly. In many of the countries that we are dealing with labor organization is much like it was in this country at the turn of the century. If you are a labor organizer you are in jeopardy of loosing your life. I recently heard some labor people from central american speak. They couldn't sleep in the same house two nights in a row. In that group one had been murdered for organizing. Labor unions are currently actively supporting the organization drives in other countries. I don't think we could successfully go in and organize these areas, that has to be done by the people who live and work there. I do think that they have to have the ability to organize without fear. I feel that if the governments and industries are going to resort to fear tactics and fail to preserve our environment and human rights then we ought not to conduct trade with them.

jars

unions? as in the group or as in onions..
-i like onions,specialy onion rings..
for added info,eating onions can add foul smell in our breath.
-unions(as in the group),it depends when i like their objective or not.

gina green

i think union are the only way and employeee can get treated fairly with a company i fully support unions they are the only nes offering the little guy a living wage

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