mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

Ever check the salaries of top union executives? The need for unions has long passed

dougbev3 Loc: Pueblo, Colorado

When I worked for BNSF the CEO yearly bonus was between 25 to 30 million. That was just the CEO's bonus. Think about that !

tuatara Loc: Orig. NZ - currently SF area

whether or not you ever joined a union, unions are largely responsible for the working conditions you have. 40 hr. weeks, time and a half for overtime, lunch breaks, safe workplaces.

Agreed unions need some changes, but obviously so does management, you know one thing that to me as someone living but not raised in the US is it's seems that US business still hasn't gotten past the civil war, they still treat employees as disposable, an expense rather than an asset

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I retired as one of the partners of a business that hired union sheetmetal workers, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, mechanics, and control technicians. We had 300+ employees and the unions essentially ruled our business. All of our labor needs had to come through the union hiring halls. We had no say in who they would send although we could send them back...and get worse.

The most frustrating part was that the tradesmen had the mentality of "I work for the Union Hall" even though we paid their salary and benefits. We also belonged to the various trade associations where we paid a fee based on the number of manhours the tradesmen would work. It was a racket stronger than the Mafia.

IF...we would get a stellar mechanic or tradesman, they would demand more per hour than their union pay rate for their reason would be, "I can make more at another union shop for they pay more talent". It made me want to puke. Also, when a tradesman would do something that was rejected or installed defectively, we had to pay them to fix their mistakes including paying for lost time and any damages and replacement parts and materials. They got paid to do it wrong, to remove it, and to put it in the right way. What a racket..!

We had to provide all of the tools, training, safety equipment and training, technical support, vehicles they drove, and the fuel and maintenance...and they drove our trucks back and forth from their homes with many living over 50 miles from our place of business.

When I retired on the first of 2018 our union tradesmen COST us $86.00 per hour with all of the wages, benefits, and association fees. There were years that we lost money as a business, however, a union tradesman never lost a penny.

Equus Loc: Puget Sound

And your data proving this assertion is?

jackebenton Loc: Marietta, GA

And what evidence can you cite to back up this preposterous claim?

neillaubenthal

So is union greed in a lot of cases. There are pros and cons to both having and not having unions…and it is a lot more complicated than good vs bad. Railroad unions for instance are trying to get what most people would agree are good things for their members. Teachers unions OTOH…seem to be a lot more interested in protecting teachers than educating kids in a lot of cases and in pushing progressive agendas in the classroom…just like some conservatives are pushing their agenda I know but just a couple examples…nd I’m not saying all teachers unions are bad at all. As I said…it’s complicated.

Unions push for better wages…and there’s a lot to be said for that. However…those higher wages and benefits and pension obligations are a huge part of what forces a lot of companies to a different state or country. Corporations are not inherently evil either…they exist solely to make profits and have a legal responsibility to their shareholders to do so…so paying workers the least they can get away with is good business on their part.

Like I said…complicated.

Ruthlessrider

Your obvious bias and lack of apparent knowledge of labor’s value in the market place makes your comments irrelevant in a serious conversation.

Amielee Loc: Eastern Washington State

Maybe where you live Jerry, but not out here. I am not going into a lot of detail but I have a relative that worked for BNSF and they gave him a lot more than a couple of breaks. Had I been his boss I would have fired him in an instant and not rehired him like they did and they did it more than twice.

dougbev3 Loc: Pueblo, Colorado

When I started on the Santa Fe RR in 76 , we were allowed to be off for 9 days, mark up and then be off for another 9 days. Working like that didn't pay much. Then the RR decided that if they were paying our health care that we had to work 70% of the time. That wasn't bad. Well , we all know that we are our worst enemy, and some guys thought they needed every weekend and holiday off, most of those were new guys. So the old guys complained. Well it has now came down that all you can be off is 2 days a month. That is strike time. They have no schedule ( unless you have a yard job) . The road is being called at any moment that you are rested by federal law. I have been called at every hour , every minute that is in 24 hours. The hard parts - your rested , your ready to go, but the train gets delayed or they decide not to run it and that next train is hours later. So do you have family time, try to get some more rest, but it does not matter, because whatever you do is wrong. A train will pop up, or they call you to Deadhead to your away from home terminal where you can get out on your legal rest or spend days waiting to be called. And it is your job to be rested whenever they call you to work. And for that they will give you 2 days off a month or fire you. How many of you would work under those conditions!

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington

What evidence do you have that the mafia is still actively involved in unions? If you do have actual, real evidence of your assertion then I would like to see it. You remind me of my father who was fiercely anti union and who espoused the same propaganda you have expressed. That is until he eventually decided that management didn't give a damn about it's employees and joined a union. After that he became a convert because of the improvement in his benefits and work place environment. Of course you have the right to your opinions but in this case I believe that they are wrong. I believe that we need more unions not less. Dinosaurs I think not.

JerryOSF Loc: Bristol, VA

train will pop up, or they call you to Deadhead to your away from home terminal where you can get out on your legal rest or spend days waiting to be called. And it is your job to be rested whenever they call you to work. And for that they will give you 2 days off a month or fire you. How many of you would work under those conditions!

And WHY would you work under those conditions. Start your own business and be your own boss. Can't make that work? Maybe that is why management gets paid for what they do.

killroy

Who pays dues to crooks? Ever heard of taxes?

SteveFranz Loc: Durham, NC