Are sue happy lawyers and ridiciuolus unions the real enemy of a succesful US labor market?

Question

Frivilius lawsuites, like asbestos claims (for people, who never got in contact with asbestos) have bankrupt 1000's of healthy US companies. Unions made a mocekry out of hard work in the 90's, when floor sweepers got $100,000 salaries with unsustainble pensions. Was it really China, who cost us 34 Million jobs in the last 12 years?

We have a "real" unemployment rate of 12,7%, that's over 20 Million people.

Answer 1

I agree with you it is lawsuits and unions that have at least made a big contribution to unemployment. But I ask this who is wrong the person who brings the suit, the lawyer who takes the case, the judge who hears the case, or the jury who awards.

Answer 2

Do you have actual examples of suits brought by people who had no contact with asbestos, or is that just something you heard or misheard? What happened with asbestos cases was that the companies that were actually liable had gone out of business, so companies that had little connection with the injuries ended up paying because of business connections. But the suits were not frivolous.

And do you really think that a $100,000 floor sweeper is the norm? If such a worker exists, that person would be the very rare exception to the rule. In the past few decades, unions have actually made so many concessions to management that they are virtually powerless.

The real enemy of a successful US labor market is the fact that US companies can outsource manufacturing jobs to nations that have no concept of fair wages or worker safety. Why pay someone minimum wage to make sneakers here when you can pay someone in Indonesia a dollar a day? Lawsuits and unions have nothing to do with companies whose only concern is maximizing profit, with no consideration for the impact o the rest of the country.

Answer 3

D) None of the Above!
Republicans demand responsibility and accountability at the level of the individual citizen, but when it's a company, corporation or manufacturer who act irresponsibly, they refuse to hold them accountable. Why the double standard? The asbestos industry knew for years that their products caused cancer and yet they hid this information from both their employees and the public, just as the tobacco industry did.
Unions give workers a voice that would otherwise go unheard by their employers. They give workers leverage and that's why so many are opposed to them, especially Republicans. Without Unions we may not have the 40 hour work week, pensions, overtime pay, minimum wage, vacation and sick time, medical and dental benefits, child labor laws, the five day work week or other benefits and protections.
GREED is what sends jobs overseas. Companies want to add to their profits at the end of the year and are all too willing to exploit desperate people who will work for low wages.
Did you know that the Federal Reserve actual keeps MILLIONS of Americans out of work? It does so by raising interest rates. When rates are high, people are less likely to buy homes, cars, etc. and employers are less likely to hire. If every American had a job, it would put UPWARD pressure on wages and benefits because if an employee were unhappy with their current job, they could just apply elsewhere and move on to better wages and benefits. Keeping millions of Americans out of work puts downward pressure on wages and benefits and is the result of "expert" economists inability to stem off inflation.

Answer 4

Ahh, only 8% of the private work force is unionized in the US.

It is a real stretch to say that 8% of working americans, had much effect on the other 92%.

And if you notice, it is the non union jobs that are being moved overseas, not the union jobs.

Us citizens have to take as much blame as the lawyers, they are the ones who are on the juries, that are giving those huge awards.

Answer 5

How about greedy capitalists who rejoiced in a Republican congress that removed restrictions on them in banking, energy, agriculture? I've seen someone die of asbestosis. Its not pretty. At least a floor sweeper works for a living by the sweat of his brow, but he doesn't get the golden parachute they give poorly performing executives at $164 million a clip. Check those guys out at Merrill Lynch and Home Depot. And a citation for the urban floor sweeper myth would be nice to prove your claim.
Don't worry about their pensions, major firms have looted them and left the retirees with empty words and useless promises.
Looking for cheap labor is a downfall of the US market. No one in this country can afford to work for a dollar a day. Why should we want them too?
Labor unions have be gutted the past twenty years, all they do now is kiss management butt and screw their rank and file. They comprise less than 8% of the labor force, its not their fault.
And why the hell should companies be allowed to endanger their workers with poor safety precautions. How many mines have to collapse, how many lead toys should your kids get this Christmas?

Answer 6

No.
Labor unions are more important now then any time in US history, the problems that forced the need of unions are emerging again.

Also remember how bad the games were in The NFL, and MLB during the strikes.

As for frivolous lawsuits, ask Fred Thompson. He specialized in them.

Answer 7

No, not at all. Those two elements sometimes pose a problem, but the real enemies of American labor are the Wal*Marts and the perennial enemy the GOP.

Answer 8

What about the trickle down effect? Give the lawyers all the money and it trickles down!

Answer 9

Labor unions are one of the many problems facing American labor. They should be considered in the same mind set as terrorist organizations. They are drawing the US economy down with their antiquated ideas.