Unions (not) Working for You and your Fa milies

“Oh crap, does this mean I have to address you as Royal Heinie?”

“That's OK with me Geo.

I don't know what "Fallicious" means, but I'm honored anyway.”

“It's not a military term so it must be something they do in Hassleburg.”

“Sarge, there are many aspects of our system of government that don't show up in the Constitution or in a government textbook.

I mostly support Democrats, but some Republicans. But I just love to follow politics. So, I can speak personally to students about presidential campaigns because I've met Bob Dole, GHWBush, Clinton, Quayle, Clinton, Gore and a bunch of others.

I like to tell my students about a guy I met at a Gore/Clinton rally. Just as Hilary, Tipper and all their kids were coming out on stage, this guy used cannons to shoot confetti into the air in just the right way for the TV cameras.

After the speeches were done, I started to jump some barricades, keeping a close eye on the rooftop snipers and talked for about 20 minutes to the confetti guy. He showed me a bunch of his little tricks about how to make the confetti look good. It was his full time job.

I think history and government are more interesting when you can talk about the Constitution AND the confetti guy during the same class period.

In sum, there are no better government teachers than those who are politically active. They know what really goes on.”

“Not sure why you told me all that. Maybe you don't know that I am a government guy myself. And thanks for the encouragement (In sum, there are no better government teachers than those who are politically active. They know what really goes on.)”

“Just got an email from the governor's office.

It's a report from Fast Eddie.

82.9% of the state government is represented by union.

Most of that is by one group, AFSCME, which heavily uses it's money to promote Democrats and bigger government.

Yeah, nothing wrong with that! LOL Right!”

“So you're part of the problem?”

“Why Geo? I said I'm politically active. How is that part of the problem? I didn't say I was in a union (which I'm not).”

“I saw the best bumpersticker this weekend. It said, "Proud to be Union" and right above that one was one that said, "I just do what the voices in my head tell me to do".”

“"I saw the best bumpersticker this weekend. It said, "Proud to be Union" and right above that one was one that said, "I just do what the voices in my head tell me to do"."


So which one was the best?”

“The top one because it explained the bottom one. heehee.”

“LOL...just finished a marathon meeting with some Government Big wigs on a new plan to implement "business incubation programs"...LOL...they were telling me the first run at the programs was opposed by the UNIONS becuase they would not have mandaged UNION membership.

"Unions, if we aren't going to get anymore sheep we will take our ball and go home."”

“unions .... privatized welfare”

“Name a big organization that does help. Unions are just the victims of scale like gov., churchs and the rest of the 'To big to work' world.”

“Saturday January 6 will be the anniversary of a train wreck in the small town of Graniteville SC. The wreck was a result of a good Union Railroad Thug being too dang lazy to throw the proper switch, and his buddies failing to make sure it was thrown.

As a result 9 people died, not got their feelings hurt, DIED, in a CHOKING, GAGGING, (there is one particularly horrifying 911 tape of a man dying and telling his mom he loved her) CLOUD OF CHLORINE. The small city of Graniteville was evacuated the town members returned to find houses uninhabitable, and lives wrecked the Avondale Mills (employers of THOUSANDS of small town people) were financially wrecked.

The punishment from the Railroad (after intervention by the THUGS) the SFB who didn't throw the switch was..."terminated" (actually from what I hear he was brought back on becuase you cannot actually get rid of an incompetent) the other two...well they got a stern talking to.

LOL...9 dead, a small town destroyed, due to incompetence.......”

“XL Im not sure what point your trying to make?”

“Union = Bad
Duh!
LOL”

“Unions have long outlived their usefulness.”

“They cant be that bad,my father worked hard 16hr days 6 days a week for 32 yrs and was done at 50.He's retired 29yr's and a few years ago got a 750.00 month raise and they are like 450 billion strong...so he's happy.”

“I love how the same people who excoriate unions often have no problem paying dues to the local chamber of commerce.

If the organization supports your political views, you like it. If it doesn't, you don't.”

“My wife is a union employee. Her union has secured a decent wage, benefits and retirement for my family; nothing obnoxious. She spends a great deal of her personal time on work duties, without additional pay. We spend our personal income on supplies for her job that school funding does not cover. She, along with every other person in the same union, has spent the school year working (fully, no slowed pace) without a contract and with no negative impact on students, or the community.

We do not agree a 1000000% on everything the union engages in. However, the union does in fact work for me and my family. The union has allowed for us to participate in a certain level of the American dream -- which is what "its" all supposed to be about, right?
last edited: 1/06/07 10:36:21 AM”

“Q = Commie”

“lol!


Q = Happy, secure and his family is in a good position for success. Life is good. :)”

“Maybe those who hate unions and think union employees are over-paid, in other words want to dictate how much those people are paid, wouldn't mind a little turn-about as fair play.

You decide how much I should be paid and I will be happy to return the favor.

I would like to start with the wonderful Mister Stovey. Since he makes his dough from the taxpayers(military/industrial/congressional/complex)

In a time(now) when fascism/corporatism is rearing it's ugly head organized labor is needed more than ever.”

“If unions were more like a 'peace time army', deterring the possibility that management becomes an enemy, then they would have a place in the betterment of our lives. History has shown that they can't contain those goals.”

“Actually, you people (I love that phrase) are arguing over nothing.

The percentage of unionized Americans is so low that it has almost nothing to do with America's current success or failure on a macro scale.

It is simply a tool that can be used by middle class and lower class Americans to pull themselves up a bit.

But unions are a nice whipping boy that conservatives can point to in hopes of covering their ample weaknesses.”

“And let's be honest, conservatives like to join in common cause just as much anyone else.

You've got your chambers of commerce and you Clubs for Growth and you right of center PAChurches.

Americans have a right to assemble, unless, of course, Bush has ghost-written a signing statement to the contrary.”

“Q...so you think the Union got that? LOL...Teacher Union? Yeah....right...check the laws big boy.

Unions have for too long supported mediocrity and incompetence.”

“TY XL!!!”

“I am not a member of the union (Calfornia Faculty Association), but they got a law passed where they take the dues from me anyway as a so-called "agency fee." $60/month goes to the union. The percentage of CSU faculty who were CFA members was so low, they had to steal it from us by passing a law (called "Legal Plunder" by Frederick Bastiat in his famous book "The Law").

We have not had a contract in over 2 years. The CFA and CSU are in agreement that salaries are below comparable institutions, but disagree on the amount of increase for the next contract.

Note that the California State University has the lowest state university fees in the nation and the state is in budget recovery...not rocket science that our salaries are below average.

All that being said, I am well-paid and love my job.”

“I just got a job at a state university(pig sooie) and was happy to learn that the union isn't involvered there.

Extortion for the democratic party, disgusting......”

“LOL...one of my parent's friends in Dallas, was a pilot for Braniff in the 1980's they struck the airline, the airline eventually went broke and he went from a 60K a year job to mowing lawns....he finally was able to retire in 2002 on social security. LOL....he paid UNION dues until the day he retired....”

“"Q...so you think the Union got that? LOL...Teacher Union? Yeah....right...check the laws big boy."

The teacher union negotiated the contract with those items as compensation. These items are part of that past agreement and will be a part of the future one as well.

As RL pointed out before, unions is a common area for Republicans to shout toward. It gives then a good diversion when they have allowed the selling out of this country to oversea companies in order to maximize their profits. WalMart is a prime example, so are other discounters.

Are unions the answer? Not all the way around, or for everyone. But to present the claim that unions are the downfall of our American worker is a false claim. Capitalists seeking to maximize profits is the cause, and unions provide a good whipping post for this agenda.”

“Silly mARKO makes his living off his wife's far greater earning power.
Of course he's for a Union. Without one, he would be making min wage as an unskilled library worker.
last edited: 1/07/07 6:50:34 PM”

“as would you SS...you cry about walmarts behavior but the reality is if they were unionised things would be a lot different....But then they could not bring us the cheap chinese for rock bottom prices could they....”

“I believ in worker's freedom to organize and unionize. I also believe in a company's freedom to not hire union.”

“Without one, he would be making min wage as an unskilled library worker.
1/07/07 6:50:34 PM”
StoveStomper

as would you SS...”
Lumberjack
6:49:38 PM


You on crack, Lumberjack? What a foolish statement.

I'm not in a Union or represented by one and I make close to six figures. I should hit above that with any luck next year.

I'm paid very well for my specialized technical knowledge and problem solving skills, something you and marko lack the ability to understand.”

“Unions serve little purpose but to keep bad workers on the payroll.”

“then SS you are the exception, not the rule

unions improve worker pay and benefits for the average working stiff and protect the workers from management abuses.”

“If it were not for the union, I would not have received $1.17½ per hour, when I started in the steel mills! I have always been anti-union, but they were needed at one time. And after they were no longer needed, they continued, but their cause was no longer the worker.”

“Silly Stovey, trying to pick a fight again.

Move along, I don't fight girls.”

“Truth hurts, doesn't it silly marko.
Why didn't you take the trouble to learn some kind of useful trade like a man when you were young so you wouldn't have to live off a girl.
last edited: 1/08/07 1:46:46 PM”

“We all belong to a union (USA) and the dues ain't that high.”

“WOW...sale great pitch...but here you can still be successful without....wait...they do cut your knees off if you make it big...scratch that...sale is right.”

“SS, at least I have a girl.

Yeah, all that timber-jackin' and heavy liftin' and stuff......

I should have been a chairborne ranger like you.”

“Stove...you know MarKy would be a Union member but all the He-beeatches and "house hubbies" can't organize...their wives won't let them.”

“You fatasses are just jealous of a real man!

Mangement is where the wussies who can't cut it go.
last edited: 1/08/07 2:40:28 PM”

“Real men don't work an unskilled job(library aid) to pass the time and live off their wives, marko.”

“Mangement is where the wussies who can't cut it go.

Mangement???? LOL”

“That's a hoot, Kevin.

An OLD MAID like you tellin' me about real men.

Do you cuddle with your cats at night?

"Here, pussie-pussie"

XL is management, a$$hole.
last edited: 1/08/07 2:51:22 PM”