Why, in North America, do we still allow Unions to dictate so much?

Question

We have a labor board to deal with anyone who is mistreated. Raises and job security should come from earning it, not from seniority. Unions are allowed to contact and recruit workers at thier homes and managers can not discuss the consequences with their employees. The Union rewards the lazy for showing up and dissallows a company to reward employees based on performance. Teachers striking? Give me a break. Garbage collectors? Oh sorry I mean Sanitation Engineers.
Why is this still legal?

Answer 1

I couldn't agree with you more. In a capitalistic society, good employees should be able to find a job with a company with good benefits. People are not entitled to those benefits without working for them, i.e. great health insurance, vacation time, bonuses, pay increases, etc. If a company wants the best employees, they should offer the best benefits.

Answer 2

Just take a look at the replacement garbage collectors. They were more than happy to get paid for a job that they weren't doing. A union employee has to compete with other union workers and if you ever had the opportunity to work a union construction site you would be surprised at how competitive it is. The union offers it's members more then what an employer would sincerely want to give. It all sounds idyllic that a blue collar job, teachers, trash collectors etc. could survive without unions, but, it's all about the dollar and you can train and educate to earn it or you can wait for someone to offer good pay and health benefits. The right to assemble and affiliate with a group or union is only against the law in a dictatorship or communist country. Good luck.

Answer 3

You obviously have never been involved with a Union, or have never been involved or protected by a solid Union, as the President of an IAFF local, I can assure you that the firefighters I represent, are not lazy and expecting a reward 'just for showing up'.

Rather, they expect to be treated fairly and expect to earn a livable wage. They have the right to be treated equally, and I do what I can to insure they have that.

We have the right to organize and ask for a safer work environment, and we do, we have more power when we approach management as a whole, rather than when three people complain one at a time.

The ability for a company to reward on performance is still there, if a firefighter does not do his job, management has the right to terminate him simple as that.

It's not the unions that dictate, it's the members of the union that dictate. I don't do anythign without the approval of our membership.

Answer 4

Because many employers treat their employees like garbage. We are in the midst of a down-sizing, outsourcing crisis that daily effects thousands of workers. Good, hard-working employees who have worked their way up to a sizable salary are being replaced by the young, lower salaried employees. Business are taking jobs out of this country. Employers are pushing the remaining workers to do the job of 2 or 3 or 4 people, just so the employer does not have to hire more people. The government does nothing and the CEOs keep rolling in the money.

Why are there unions, to give the employees an even playing field. For every lazy worker you show me, I will produce 10 or more good workers who lost their job because the employers have their nose up the bottom-line.

Answer 5

Some unions do some good. Some dont (IAW). Come on, 75k/yr to bolt a bumper on a truck? Sometimes they have outlived their usefullness. Unions were first organized by the Communists back in the early 20th century. Although they did do some good, in todays age they are a dying breed and need to fade off into the sunset. If you dont believe me, look at what the players unions have done to sports! Wouldnt suprise me to see Vick back on the field because to suspend him is a violation of union rules. Such BS.

Answer 6

Hello again Laurie, and how are you today? I am so glad, that at last, people are waking up to what I've screaming off the mountaintop about ever since about 2 weeks after the Patriot(?) act was passed, that we are heading into a real Dictatorship! The New World Order is here and It's REAL! Listen people to what mbadgil is saying, she is completely awake to this movement to take away everything our fathers and grandfathers fought and died for! By the way has it ever occurred that every bill Bush puts forth that the name "is" exactly the opposite of what the bill "does"? No child left behind? The freedom act? I could go and on for hours! If these Bills were really "For The People", they would not have to be disguised, would they?l mbadgil deserves Best Answer on this one! You go girl!

Answer 7

Do you work a 40 hour work week? thank unions.
Do you get sick days without losing your job? Thank unions.
Do you get benifits? thank unions.
Do you get paid without regard to your race, religion or marital status? Thank unions.
Do you work for a wage that you can live on? Thank unions.
That labor Board you talked about? Thank unions.

There are a million more. Even the businesses in the Jungle were working with some union reforms. Before that it was a pretty damn ugly site. Capitalism does not, and never will, inspire workers or any worker friendly reforms without extensive oversight and regulation.

Answer 8

I believe without unions and the legality of unions, people would gradually lose benefits in the workplace. There are good and bad merits about unions but outlawing them would be a mistake in my opinion. I wonder if that lady that got paid $6,500/yr less than her male co-workers for 15 years was in a union.

Answer 9

Unfortunately, the labor board is a line up of overpaid bureaucrats who can care less about your plight. As an owner of a company with employees I know the least of all my fears is the labor board. I would be more discouraged to treat my employees bad if they were union.

Don't get me wrong. I treat the employees good because I value them very very much and I don't need laws to force me to do it. Sadly, some owners do.

Answer 10

Many unions only exist to serve themselves and ream their employers until they crush an industry. (UAW, I'm talkin' to you)

And Federal and state regs now cover a lot of the health, safety and workplace treatment issues that the unions fought for.

That said, they still have a place. If you don't think Wal-Mart employees aren't in DESPERATE need of collective bargaining ability you're blind.