Re: Watching the election results ?


bill.sloman@xxxxxxxx wrote:
dagmargoodboat@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
bill.sloman@xxxxxxxx wrote:
Richard The Dreaded Libertarian wrote:
On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 05:42:24 -0600, John Fields wrote:
On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 21:00:41 +0000, Eeyore
John Larkin wrote:
On Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:38:54 +0000, Eeyore

<snip>

You've been reading too much right-wing propaganda aka American
newspapers. Most trade unions have more sense than to price their
labour at a level that would bankrupt their employers, and send the
jobs to some third world country.

E.g. the American autoworkers' unions? The airlines? Or did you
mean Bethlehem Steel? Longshoremen perhaps?

No Bill, unions are dying here for exactly the reason you say they
won't--they've priced themselves so high, the economic incentive to
replace them is irresistable. And that's what's been happening.*

This usually means that management has decided that it wants to move
production off-shore, and chosen to hollow-out the domestic production
by failing to invest in new equipment (so that productivity falls)
while dealing with any pressure from the workers by closing plants
because the workers aren't producing enough to cover their wages.

<snip>

It's tempting to explain the absurdity of that contention, but
instead I'll just note that my brother made $16/hr in 1977 as a member
of the grocery clerk's union, for stocking the shelves with goods.
After he finished his masters' degree in business administration he
moved on to appropriate employment, but, of course, he had to take a
pay cut.

On his job it was the union that insisted on keeping productivity
low--lots of "shop rules" requiring that, for example, three guys would
be present and paid to unload a truck, even though not even two were
needed.

The old, established grocery companies here are foundering, barely
profitable, and not able to compete--I can buy better food for about
half their prices. So they're trying to cut costs, trying to adapt.
In response, that same union held a strike a couple years ago,
resisting a small co-pay proposed for their health plan. They lost.


Best wishes,
James Arthur

.

Relevant Pages

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    ... There has to be a balance between Employers and Labor. ... unions are a good thing for labor and that means a good thing for America. ... I like to know what makes me a hypocrite, when you pay thousands in taxes you should get something. ... something we are destroying with the destruction of unions and shipping jobs to the 3rd world... ...
    (alt.sports.basketball.nba.la-lakers)
  • Re: OT - California: The Ultimate Failed State
    ... There has to be a balance between Employers and Labor. ... unions are a good thing for labor and that means a good thing for America. ... Quality labor still brings a fair wage without the help of a union. ... something we are destroying with the destruction of unions and shipping jobs to the 3rd world... ...
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  • Re: OT - California: The Ultimate Failed State
    ... There has to be a balance between Employers and Labor. ... unions are a good thing for labor and that means a good thing for America. ... I like to know what makes me a hypocrite, when you pay thousands in taxes you should get something. ... something we are destroying with the destruction of unions and shipping jobs to the 3rd world... ...
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