How many times have you heard someone say, "im union" in the context of saying they dont have to work hard?

Question

Does that make you proud to be a union worker? That you don't have to do anything, but still get paid?

Is this why our automakers are having a hard time surviving?

Answer 1

Never heard it and I have been in unions for ten years. The automakers dying because of unions, I doubt it very much., try mismanagement and out of this world compensation for executive management. Only people who have never been in a union think like you do. Face it, most businesses hurt themselves with poor management, such as ford and GM building monster cars while japan outsells them consistently with smaller more efficient cars. Yeah, it's the unions fault.

Answer 2

Although I do support most unions, you are right that unions hurt the automakers. They gave very good benefits, pay, and pensions to factory workers. Most factory or assembly workers don't get near what the automakers used to give them. But overall, unions do more to prevent exploitation then cause problems.

Answer 3

Auto business is cyclical industry. Just six years ago, the Auto Company were making record profits under the same union deal. Out of control health care cost and high energy prices have placed the current US auto industry in unfavorable market position. When SUVs and Large Trucks were selling like hot cakes they were making big money. With high gas prices, smaller Foreign cars are now in favor. Now that Congress has allowed the consolidation of the Energy Sector to form a cartel. Which the Oil Business has been dismantling their refineries to shrink to supply capacity artificially, the automobile companies and unions both have to adjust. Plus I see lazy non union guys all the time.

Answer 4

Isn't that what joining the Union is all about??? Here's a Union story for you:

When I was 21 I took a vacation to San Francisco over the 4th of July weekend. After one night in the hotel I was originally booked in, I realized that I hated it and had to find somewhere else. Due to the holiday, ALL of the hotels in the city were completely booked...except one. The Courtyard by Marriott had a Union maid strike going on and the picketers were driving business away. I went in and got a suite for less than 1/2 the regular price.

As I was crossing the picket line I received nasty insults and threats from shocked Union members who couldn't believe that one would actually cross a picket line and usurp their "power". One particular maid cut me off, got right in my face and started screaming, "Don't you care about my kids? Don't you care that I don't make enough money cleaning these rooms to support my family?"

I responded, "Don't YOU care? You don't appear to or you would be putting your energy into getting a better job."

I *HATE* Union picketers and will go out of my way to cross any picket lines I see!!

Answer 5

Too many. I used to be an office furniture installer and when we worked at an unnamed university, we were not allowed to hang our own wall tracks for hanging bookshelves and storage bins above desks. The union guys at the university had to do it and if we didn't mark out all the hole for the wall anchors, they would just do two sets a day. I can do three sets an hour taking my time.

Union workers are very lazy.

Answer 6

None!

The automakers are having a hard time because they were 10 years behind the Japanese and they thought Americans would continue to buy their rust buckets! Those were corporate decisions, but you want to blame it on the workers!

I doubt the CEO of GM, who is losing jobs by the day, is worth 8.5 Million a year plus stock options and a golden parachute. Bet none of his laid off workers got a golden parachute, just a golden shaft!

G Richard Wagoner Jr
Total Compensation: $8.5 mil5 (#159) FORBES

Answer 7

A union is a confusing thing,

It can sabatage a job or project,

or it could safe your life,

it could get you a raise,

or get you your job back.


I used to hate unions but now I realize that if your employeer is corrupt you need a union to protect you from their corruption.

Later.

Also there are some union people as you stated who do nothing but that is a problem that should be handled in an individaul way.

Answer 8

I HATE unions! They exsist only to protect the slowest and the laziest. I"m in a business where I have to deal with union shops every day and it takes for freaking ever to get anything accomplished in those places.
They served a purpose a long time ago and now they are as corrupt as the management that they so hate.
To answer your question...many times.

Answer 9

Or is the the multi-million dollar a year bonuses their execs get every year, while their stocks plummet because their inferior products are now made in Mexico by non-union workers.

Answer 10

Oh dont get me started on unions, all unions do is make it impossible to fire incompetent people.