More reasons to HATE UNIONS.............crews turned back because non-union

[RoadToad]

A classic example of "cognitive belief." Geo, you hate unions, so you chose to take the statement of the non-union crew at face value, and dismiss the statements of the IBEW president, even when he says that the company who hired them denies that it's true:

"At this stage, it is not clear who is alleged to have turned the crew away and the company that employs the affected workers has denied the claim," said IBEW President Ed Hill in a statement. "IBEW local leaders in New Jersey have reiterated what has been the long standing record of our union – in times of crisis all help is welcome and we pull together with everyone to meet the needs of the public. We have communicated this to the office of New Jersey Governor Christie as well."

So I did what you told Hlleonard to do, and I looked it up. I did a Google search for Decatur Utilities Seaside Heights, and found a statement from Decatur Utilities, the company that employs the linemen in question, and even THEY say their linemen were not turned away.
http://www.waff.com/story/19981857/s...sandy-recovery

[waterdog101]

I'd bet there are wal-mart workers, that pray at night for wal-mart to have to go union.

[GeoFisher]

A classic example of "cognitive belief." Geo, you hate unions, so you chose to take the statement of the non-union crew at face value, and dismiss the statements of the IBEW president, even when he says that the company who hired them denies that it's true:

"At this stage, it is not clear who is alleged to have turned the crew away and the company that employs the affected workers has denied the claim," said IBEW President Ed Hill in a statement. "IBEW local leaders in New Jersey have reiterated what has been the long standing record of our union – in times of crisis all help is welcome and we pull together with everyone to meet the needs of the public. We have communicated this to the office of New Jersey Governor Christie as well."

So I did what you told Hlleonard to do, and I looked it up. I did a Google search for Decatur Utilities Seaside Heights, and found a statement from Decatur Utilities, the company that employs the linemen in question, and even THEY say their linemen were not turned away.
http://www.waff.com/story/19981857/s...sandy-recovery

I prefer to believe the workers who drove THOUSANDS of miles over a corrupt New Jersey UNION BOSS.

Yea, I hate all unions.

[Hlleonard]

I prefer to believe the workers who drove THOUSANDS of miles over a corrupt New Jersey UNION BOSS.

Yea, I hate all unions.

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Mr Fisher, do you actually believe all union members and officials are corrupt or is that just a monster in your mind... I didn't go back and reread the story but I seem to remember the fellas weren't turned away, they were unwilling to comply with whatever union requirements they were presented with, if those requirements were join the union or else that would seem to be extreme and maybe that was what they were but the story didn't say that specifically.

[DJD]

What amazes me more than anything is that with all the devastation and folks without power that any resistance was experienced. I bet a million bucks that if you were one of the folks without power you would be pissed that licensed, qualified electricians were given any grief at all.
This goes both ways for me. If I was in need of assistance and I found out helpful union members were turned away for minor things like paperwork or whatever I would be upset. I think in the scope of what these guys were trying to accomplish with the recovery from this storm that whoever said a cross word or tossed a stumbling block in their way should be fired. I don't care what it was......they came to assist.

[Hlleonard]

What amazes me more than anything is that with all the devastation and folks without power that any resistance was experienced. I bet a million bucks that if you were one of the folks without power you would be pissed that licensed, qualified electricians were given any grief at all.
This goes both ways for me. If I was in need of assistance and I found out helpful union members were turned away for minor things like paperwork or whatever I would be upset. I think in the scope of what these guys were trying to accomplish with the recovery from this storm that whoever said a cross word or tossed a stumbling block in their way should be fired. I don't care what it was......they came to assist.

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I agree, it does seem odd that anything would get in the way at times like these but if it was actually a misunderstanding of some kind then these things happen and maybe there wasn't any left handed intent of any kind.... Apologies to left handers in case they are needed anywhere.

[Mean Morone]

I heard the audio version of what happened and yeah, it wasn't very nice. They were called scabs and other nasty names and told to go back where they came from. The "scabs" were told that they were hurting union families. Only a union worker would think that way in the middle of a disaster. I guess when BO said that all red tape and bureaucracy should be removed so that things would go quicker(thats big government for you), the union decided that had nothing to do with them.

I've worked in many different unions. I worked for Mac Tools which was United Steele Workers. While I worked there, the union stole from our pension fund. We were all sitting around asking each other how we can strike against our union. They were weak too. I had an issue with the company and went to the president of the union. He told me to call the president of Mac Tools. When I called(you believe I had to rep myself), the president of the company told me to get out my union handbook. He told me to turn to a certain page where he read it to me. He said that what it tells him was that as long as I work for them they will do whatever they want with me. To break the Union, the company moved to Texas. So, I was not only out of the union, but out of a job.

[Hlleonard]

I heard the audio version of what happened and yeah, it wasn't very nice. They were called scabs and other nasty names and told to go back where they came from. The "scabs" were told that they were hurting union families. Only a union worker would think that way in the middle of a disaster. I guess when BO said that all red tape and bureaucracy should be removed so that things would go quicker(thats big government for you), the union decided that had nothing to do with them.

I've worked in many different unions. I worked for Mac Tools which was United Steele Workers. While I worked there, the union stole from our pension fund. We were all sitting around asking each other how we can strike against our union. They were weak too. I had an issue with the company and went to the president of the union. He told me to call the president of Mac Tools. When I called(you believe I had to rep myself), the president of the company told me to get out my union handbook. He told me to turn to a certain page where he read it to me. He said that what it tells him was that as long as I work for them they will do whatever they want with me. To break the Union, the company moved to Texas. So, I was not only out of the union, but out of a job.

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As I said earlier, there are lots of reasons to dislike unions, I just believe the good outweighs the bad.

[waterdog101]

I worked the first 23 years of my Adult life for a none union company, and it was bad. the company superintendent had his 2 brothers, nephew and son working there. I can't name all the crooked things that went on with that company. different people doing the same job, and making different wages. I've worked the last 17 years on Union jobs. the Union has a set scale wage for different jobs, and if you and the foreman's son or brother, or his Mother are doing the same job. you will be payed the same wages. and your seniority, will change from job to job. you may be #1 on the seniority list on this job, and be last on the list on the next job. it's the most fair way to work a group of men that I have ever seen. I wish I could have worked my whole life on Union jobs. Union jobs are much better, than nonunion jobs, that are managed by superintendents that try and keep most of their family on the payroll.

[Hlleonard]

I worked the first 23 years of my Adult life for a none union company, and it was bad. the company superintendent had his 2 brothers, nephew and son working there. I can't name all the crooked things that went on with that company. different people doing the same job, and making different wages. I've worked the last 17 years on Union jobs. the Union has a set scale wage for different jobs, and if you and the foreman's son or brother, or his Mother are doing the same job. you will be payed the same wages. and your seniority, will change from job to job. you may be #1 on the seniority list on this job, and be last on the list on the next job. it's the most fair way to work a group of men that I have ever seen. I wish I could have worked my whole life on Union jobs. Union jobs are much better, than nonunion jobs, that are managed by superintendents that try and keep most of their family on the payroll.

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Same here, spent the last 35 years of my working life as a union member and I agree... Unions do a lot of the kinds of things a few of the fellas here accuse them of but the weakening of the unions seems to be seeing the return of the kinds of things you speak of, A shrinking paycheck is just one of the down sides... I hear people who work in manufacturing plants saying things like "if you want to keep your job you just keep your mouth shut" ... Working conditions had a lot to do with unions gaining strength years ago and the sad part is the folks who the unions are designed to stand behind will tell you how much they hate unions, the cooperate world has done a masterful job of turning people against unions and these same people now are working for half what union scale was 10 years ago and believing it to be a good paying job even though the person telling you that might be buying food for his kids with food stamps.

[Mean Morone]

One thing that I liked about the union was that there was different pay grades and that no one was jealous or thought bad about the ones that were doing better. Instead, the ones at the lower pay grades knew that someday they might have a shot at a better paying job. There were the poor, middle class and the rich so to speak. I wish our country had that same attitude. Instead the ones doing well are demonized and the ones in the bottom and middle are told that we can't get to the better paying jobs without the governments help.

[Catfish Bob]

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As I said earlier, there are lots of reasons to dislike unions, I just believe the good outweighs the bad.

Thank You!

Have been in and out of a handful of unions and I say its just like any other group anywhere.
Their are a few bad apples that ruin the batch.
Most union folk are hard working men and women of God. Then their are a few numb nuts that act like maniacs, don't think things out and have ridiculous demands. Imo, you can thank your public schooling system for this behavior and the parents who have kept their kids spoon fed and let them live in the nest until their 30 years old.