Mitch Daniels takes on LABOR

[lroberts]

Man I guess it's one of those things that if your union or been union your pro union. I'm not and I don't need to look past what they have tried to do in the construction industry that I'm in. Instead of competing fairly they support a governor elect and then get a wage law passed that demands we pay a fella who comes right out of high school working on a job with no experience $35 per hour!!! How does that make sense?? How many of you make that after working 20 years in your trade??
This stupid union law did one thing for sure.... Construction costs went up, unions still can't compete because they refuse to budge on what they feel is fair.
It's disturbing to work around some of these local factories that are union and watch the total waste of time and lack of work from some of the workers who feel they have a long process of warnings before they can be fired for doing something wrong. No fear of losing your job and that entitlement attitude is wrong. Too many folks cruise that way. How many times have the unions ruined a industry?? Auto industry? Airline? Educational? All of those are constantly demanding more money or benefits or playing strong arm tactics. Just look at Wisconsin right now. Unions should be busted.
The teachers called in sick... A lie. Kids were rushed in to present a show of force without any idea of why they were there. What about the kids who actually wanted to go to school? Was there a contract for those teachers to teach the kids or just lie and call in sick with no regard for what their responsibilities are?? Do that in a private job and see what happens. That move alone by those folks proves my point. They want something so they screw everyone to make a point.....is that what unions are about??? Band together and hold corporations, businesses and gubment officials hostage?

Teachers have leave days man.....didn't have to lie!

[Chubminnow]

Thanks Mr. Union man for making it difficult for me to make ends meet on a month-to-month basis, especially if one of those months see's my 1997 Chevy truck have to go in for repairs. I will be faithful to my country and I will buy American made products when I can, even though I don't understand why you have to have so much more money for your product Mr. Union man, I will still continue to support you. Although please understand Union Man that it's getting harder and harder for me to buy American because the Labor rates over seas are so much less than here in the states, some folks say that's because of you Mr. Union Man. I'm hoping that maybe at some point in the future when your Union goes to the bargaining table that you will have it in your heart to just say NO to no more extravagant wages, to just say NO to no more benefits, perhaps even less benefits? Perhaps you'll even have a big enough apple sack to be able to tell your Union Steward that enough is enough and your Union has taken advantage of the citizens of the United States for far to long.

One other thing I don't understand about Union guys....how come some of them buy foriegn pieces of crap with four wheels? It seems a Union man would support another Union man till the end.

Last but not least...I have a few friends who belong to a Union...U.P.S., U.A.W. and one or two others. It never fails that I ALWAYS get a sense that me and them are of a different mind set....I always sense that I work much harder than they do, or at least at a much faster pace anyway, we don't discuss it much but I can tell they're not on the same page as me...as for 40 hours per week, man I wish all I had to work was 40 hours per week. Time and a half, double time, double time and a half, what the heck is that all about? I get paid the same week in and week out regardless if I do 40 or 60 hours per week.

Anyway...thanks again Union man. Maybe one day I too will have it made like you.

[ukkid]

Thanks Mr. Union man for making it difficult for me to make ends meet on a month-to-month basis, especially if one of those months see's my 1997 Chevy truck have to go in for repairs. I will be faithful to my country and I will buy American made products when I can, even though I don't understand why you have to have so much more money for your product Mr. Union man, I will still continue to support you. Although please understand Union Man that it's getting harder and harder for me to buy American because the Labor rates over seas are so much less than here in the states, some folks say that's because of you Mr. Union Man. I'm hoping that maybe at some point in the future when your Union goes to the bargaining table that you will have it in your heart to just say NO to no more extravagant wages, to just say NO to no more benefits, perhaps even less benefits? Perhaps you'll even have a big enough apple sack to be able to tell your Union Steward that enough is enough and your Union has taken advantage of the citizens of the United States for far to long.

One other thing I don't understand about Union guys....how come some of them buy foriegn pieces of crap with four wheels? It seems a Union man would support another Union man till the end.

Last but not least...I have a few friends who belong to a Union...U.P.S., U.A.W. and one or two others. It never fails that I ALWAYS get a sense that me and them are of a different mind set....I always sense that I work much harder than they do, or at least at a much faster pace anyway, we don't discuss it much but I can tell they're not on the same page as me...as for 40 hours per week, man I wish all I had to work was 40 hours per week. Time and a half, double time, double time and a half, what the heck is that all about? I get paid the same week in and week out regardless if I do 40 or 60 hours per week.

Anyway...thanks again Union man. Maybe one day I too will have it made like you.

If you don't like and don't want to work in unionized labor,thats your choice. We union members happen to like good pay and benefits.....

[walkeraviator]

If you don't like and don't want to work in unionized labor,thats your choice. We union members happen to like good pay and benefits.....

But again are they "fair" pay and benefits? I agree that assembly line work is mind numbing and worthy of a fair wage. However, it takes no real qualifications to get the job initially. Yes it requires a lot of training from the company, but anyone who breaths and has a GED can get a job screwing a car together on an assembly line at Ford and make $50k/yr plus benefits. Yet, a guy who has a 4 year college degree, $50k in dept to training, and has the lives of numerous people in his hands every time he takes off makes less than unemplyment pays? Both of these pay scales are the result of unions. The UAW forces american car companies to pay out more than their labor is actually worth in health care, pensions, and legal fees every time teh UAW feels they need to arbitrate. ALPA on the otherhand sits on their hands, allows the airline companies to abuse low time pilots, while the upper end guys line their pockets with payoffs from the airlines.

Dont get me wrong there are good unions. My dad worked 35 years for the IUE as a maintenace electrician at the GE plant in Louisville. They did things to protect the union members and their pensions without destroying the company's ability to make a profit. For instance, the big concern with the UAW during the recent bailouts and stuff was paying pensions. The companies were bankrupt leaving them with no way to pay pensions of their employees. The IUE and GE have an agreement that a small percentage of every sale of GE merchandise goes into a seperate account for paying pensions that cannot be touched for any other purpose but pensions. To this date there are billions of untouchable dollars to pay those pensions whether the company goes under or not.

So again I am not saying ALL unions are bad, but the ones that ARE bad like the UAW are bad enough to destroy teh country all on their own.

And lastly, I am presently a Union member with the PHPA local 109, and let me tell you... the corruption at the top of our union is appauling, and it feels as though there is nothing we can do about it.

[Chubminnow]

But again are they "fair" pay and benefits?

So again I am not saying ALL unions are bad, but the ones that ARE bad like the UAW are bad enough to destroy teh country all on their own.

And lastly, I am presently a Union member with the PHPA local 109, and let me tell you... the corruption at the top of our union is appauling, and it feels as though there is nothing we can do about it.

Yes...I think that's the key term the majority in this country now agree with, are the pay and benefits both "fair" for the work performed?

I'm not saying all Unions are bad either because honestly I don't know a whole about about very many unions....but the stories I have heard from very reliable sources are just plumb crazy. To say all Unions are bad would be like saying all people are bad, there's good and there's bad. I just know of more bad rumors, stories, truths and facts than I know of good.

One question for you Walker...what is PHPA, what line of work is it associated with? Just curious...

As far as I'm concerned everything Kid has posted on this thread is only driving the nail further into the union workers coffin. It also seems to me that in todays economy anyone, ANYONE, would be glad to just have a job and they wouldn't worry if that job paid $20.00 + an hour or not, ESPECIALLY if his or her line of work comes from the construction industry.

One truth I have going on right now...I know of a construction project that is a state owned facility that is in the bidding phase. Guess what? The Union is trying to delay the bidding phase. Apples for Apples Union Man!! If you don't have enough time to bid then pull off now.

It sure would be nice if all government (state and federal) would eliminate the prevailing wage rates. I wonder how much money they would save if they did?

[walkeraviator]

PHPA is the Professional Helicopter Piloats Association. It is a union basically made up so we could have a union. Our international union is an office workers union.

Our biggest problem is that a grioup of like minded people have taken over the union by forcing out anybody not toeing the line with their beliefs. The problem is that we are currently in negotiations for a new contract and one of the guys negotiating has been fired by our compnay twice now and the company wont negotiate with him. So they INVENTED a union job so he could collect a pay check from our dues, and is a big ingredient in teh reason we are about to lose a contract all together.

Ill tell you this, under the old company that wasnt unionized, we may have worked a few more days a year for a few less dollars, but job security was better and you wee trated better by the managemnet. I had teh Chief Pilot's cell number and could call him any time. When we were up at corporate he would take us out for beers. You dont get that here because the management is afraid of what teh union will say if they do.

[DJD]

Teachers have leave days man.....didn't have to lie!

I don't think you know anymore info than I do on this. When that story broke it was reported they called in sick. Who the heck knows??? Regardless they still tried to bully the system and left kids at home. If it was your kids and your tax dollars would you like it???