I wasn't originally going to be writing about this topic, but the events that surrounded the 'Right to Work' vote in Lansing, Mich. need to be discussed.
As you may or not may realize, I am a union worker. I am also disgusted and embarrassed by the way the unions presented themselves at the protest.
There is NO reason for the union workers to have taken on the roll of rioting mob, threatening the lives of women, elderly people, people trying to make a living and even the handicapped. There is NO reason for the union workers to have destroyed the property owned by others and legally positioned where it was.
The unions state that what they did was deserved because they 'felt their jobs were threatened' and they didn't agree with the position of those that support the right to work movement.
So instead of working to state their case as to why unions are good, they stated their case as to why unions should be abolished. They presented a violent and threatening argument which makes them nothing more than overgrown babies who aren't getting their way and throwing a temper tantrum.
Of course this fits right in with where obama wants the country to go, but I want to go in another direction right now.
The establishment of unions was violent in it's day, their cause was a just one-fair wage for hard work, safety for the workers, even healthcare and pensions.
Unfortunately the unions grew to a point where the leadership had too much power and political gain became too important. The unions funneled millions into the coffers of the dnc thinking that they would get some sort of 'favorite son' status.
While they achieved some, they have lost more. The 'union' became more important than the worker.
With that came the mentality that the worker deserved more of the profit from the company that they worked for. They were 'entitled' to it. What they weren't, and aren't, willing to do is accept the risk.
Unions have come to the point where they want to be partners in the companies that support their workers, but don't want any of the risks involved in running the business. They hold the companies hostage for wages and benefits regardless of the economic environment.
They more often than not take the 'my way or the highway' approach to negotiations. Sound familiar?
If the unions want to remain relevant they are going to have to adopt another strategy.
The proponents of 'right to work' cite the inflated salaries and costs of union workers. They like to point to the average employment statistics of rtw states being higher than non-rtw states. Then the unions come back with the higher average earnings that workers get in non-rtw states and the come back is that those higher earnings are eaten by the dues and then some.
But what the advocates of rtw are missing is the fact that without unions millions would be without healthcare and retirement plans. The quality of the work environment would deteriorate. I may even venture to say that the quality of the product or service would then deteriorate as well.
I don't know about you, but taking to the streets and causing riots, property damage, and bloodshed doesn't make those points for me, it only makes me want to remove the unions from existence.
What should the unions do? I believe that there needs to be switch of focus. Union leadership needs to look at what is best for the industry that they represent and proceed from there. Union leadership needs to get back in touch with why the union is there. Union leadership needs to back away from political support of candidates and go to industry support of candidates.
Why would any oil industry union support obama when he killed one of the largest projects of this decade-the Keystone Pipeline? Why are the auto worker unions supporting obama when he effectively created the outsourcing of auto manufacturing jobs to China? Why are unions supporting obama when he has so often turned his back on them?
Unions need to stop shoving millions into the dnc when all they are getting back are a handful of empty promises and outright lies.
By working in conjunction with industry the unions will be able to take a role in forming the future, one which they can be a part, rather than being viewed as a cancer which needs to be removed. It will take some effort but the results will be better than those that we saw in Lansing.
And obama? Well, he needs to go back to why the government was formed. obama needs to look at what is best for the Country, not what is best for obama. Union reaction is only a microcosm of what the obama nation is, put that together with the obama supported 'occupy' movement and what you get is a violent, lawless, threatening effort to squelch the rights and freedoms of Americans. A true obamination.
As you may or not may realize, I am a union worker. I am also disgusted and embarrassed by the way the unions presented themselves at the protest.
There is NO reason for the union workers to have taken on the roll of rioting mob, threatening the lives of women, elderly people, people trying to make a living and even the handicapped. There is NO reason for the union workers to have destroyed the property owned by others and legally positioned where it was.
The unions state that what they did was deserved because they 'felt their jobs were threatened' and they didn't agree with the position of those that support the right to work movement.
So instead of working to state their case as to why unions are good, they stated their case as to why unions should be abolished. They presented a violent and threatening argument which makes them nothing more than overgrown babies who aren't getting their way and throwing a temper tantrum.
Of course this fits right in with where obama wants the country to go, but I want to go in another direction right now.
The establishment of unions was violent in it's day, their cause was a just one-fair wage for hard work, safety for the workers, even healthcare and pensions.
Unfortunately the unions grew to a point where the leadership had too much power and political gain became too important. The unions funneled millions into the coffers of the dnc thinking that they would get some sort of 'favorite son' status.
While they achieved some, they have lost more. The 'union' became more important than the worker.
With that came the mentality that the worker deserved more of the profit from the company that they worked for. They were 'entitled' to it. What they weren't, and aren't, willing to do is accept the risk.
Unions have come to the point where they want to be partners in the companies that support their workers, but don't want any of the risks involved in running the business. They hold the companies hostage for wages and benefits regardless of the economic environment.
They more often than not take the 'my way or the highway' approach to negotiations. Sound familiar?
If the unions want to remain relevant they are going to have to adopt another strategy.
The proponents of 'right to work' cite the inflated salaries and costs of union workers. They like to point to the average employment statistics of rtw states being higher than non-rtw states. Then the unions come back with the higher average earnings that workers get in non-rtw states and the come back is that those higher earnings are eaten by the dues and then some.
But what the advocates of rtw are missing is the fact that without unions millions would be without healthcare and retirement plans. The quality of the work environment would deteriorate. I may even venture to say that the quality of the product or service would then deteriorate as well.
I don't know about you, but taking to the streets and causing riots, property damage, and bloodshed doesn't make those points for me, it only makes me want to remove the unions from existence.
What should the unions do? I believe that there needs to be switch of focus. Union leadership needs to look at what is best for the industry that they represent and proceed from there. Union leadership needs to get back in touch with why the union is there. Union leadership needs to back away from political support of candidates and go to industry support of candidates.
Why would any oil industry union support obama when he killed one of the largest projects of this decade-the Keystone Pipeline? Why are the auto worker unions supporting obama when he effectively created the outsourcing of auto manufacturing jobs to China? Why are unions supporting obama when he has so often turned his back on them?
Unions need to stop shoving millions into the dnc when all they are getting back are a handful of empty promises and outright lies.
By working in conjunction with industry the unions will be able to take a role in forming the future, one which they can be a part, rather than being viewed as a cancer which needs to be removed. It will take some effort but the results will be better than those that we saw in Lansing.
And obama? Well, he needs to go back to why the government was formed. obama needs to look at what is best for the Country, not what is best for obama. Union reaction is only a microcosm of what the obama nation is, put that together with the obama supported 'occupy' movement and what you get is a violent, lawless, threatening effort to squelch the rights and freedoms of Americans. A true obamination.
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