Is It Time That Labor Unions Become a Thing of the Past?

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krambman

Senior Member

3,606 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:27 PM
This is a spin-off of the thread about the Rhode Island school distract that fired all of their teachers.

Labor unions were created around the turn of the last century to ensure fair wages and working conditions, as well as job security for employees. At the time it was something that was desperately needed. Now with more government regulations about hiring/firing practices, minimum wage, working condition laws, etc., some would argue that unions are no longer needed. Others would argue that now they may actually do more harm than good because they protect bad employees and can end up costing companies productivity and money. Some could even argue that union demands may have even been a major contributing factor to the current economic crisis.

So, what say you, FreeHuddle Nation? Are unions still needed? Do they do more harm then good? What's your take?
Feb 17, 2010 2:27pm
gorocks99's avatar

gorocks99

Senior Member

10,760 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:28 PM
Yes will win this poll in a landslide.
Feb 17, 2010 2:28pm
Fab4Runner's avatar

Fab4Runner

Tits McGee

6,196 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:29 PM
Is It Time That Labor Unions Become a Thing of the Past?

Yes.
Feb 17, 2010 2:29pm
N

Nate

Formerly Known As Keebler

3,949 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:30 PM
Easy Yes.
Feb 17, 2010 2:30pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

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8,500 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:30 PM
Absolutely. My mom is a member of a union for her work and they don't do anything except take dues twice a month. Absolutely worthless.
Feb 17, 2010 2:30pm
R

rydawg5

Senior Member

2,639 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:43 PM
NO because companies like Wal Mart, who know just how much to pay full-time workers to ensure they get all the government help they need, scheme their salaries for the taxpayers to fork over our hard earned money so their employees can be on medicaid, food stamps, etc.

You can't trust companies like this and there needs to be power with the employee to stop this from happening.

Power to the people!
Feb 17, 2010 2:43pm
tk421's avatar

tk421

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8,500 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:46 PM
rydawg5 wrote: NO because companies like Wal Mart, who know just how much to pay full-time workers to ensure they get all the government help they need, scheme their salaries for the taxpayers to fork over our hard earned money so their employees can be on medicaid, food stamps, etc.

You can't trust companies like this and there needs to be power with the employee to stop this from happening.

Power to the people!
HAHAHAHAH. You actually think unions give a crap about the workers? :D:D:D:D That's hilarious. It's all about the Benjamins, baby. No one forces anyone to work at the evil Wal-Mart.
Feb 17, 2010 2:46pm
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Writerbuckeye

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4,745 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:49 PM
gorocks99 wrote: Yes will win this poll in a landslide.
Common sense prevails.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work the same way out there in the "real" world.
Feb 17, 2010 2:49pm
R

rydawg5

Senior Member

2,639 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:52 PM
"No one forces anyone to work at the evil Wal-Mart."

As no one forces evil Wal-mart not to scheme their paying income to full-time employees who are trying to support familes, to scheme their way around actually giving enough insurance to have a company insurance plan that is affordable. They need to be held accountable or the minimum wage should be high enough to not use our tax payer dollars to supplement their medicaid and food stamps.
Feb 17, 2010 2:52pm
Q

queencitybuckeye

Senior Member

7,117 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:54 PM
rydawg5 wrote: NO because companies like Wal Mart, who know just how much to pay full-time workers to ensure they get all the government help they need, scheme their salaries for the taxpayers to fork over our hard earned money so their employees can be on medicaid, food stamps, etc.

You can't trust companies like this and there needs to be power with the employee to stop this from happening.

Power to the people!

I already have the ultimate power to stop any company from abusing me.
Feb 17, 2010 2:54pm
R

rydawg5

Senior Member

2,639 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:55 PM
queencitybuckeye wrote:
rydawg5 wrote: NO because companies like Wal Mart, who know just how much to pay full-time workers to ensure they get all the government help they need, scheme their salaries for the taxpayers to fork over our hard earned money so their employees can be on medicaid, food stamps, etc.

You can't trust companies like this and there needs to be power with the employee to stop this from happening.

Power to the people!

I already have the ultimate power to stop any company from abusing me.
As do I, but I can't live a life with tunnel vision if I care about the well-being of everyone in the United States. You have to do what you can to ensure an opportunity for everyone. within reason (At least that would be the Christian way to think).
Feb 17, 2010 2:55pm
N

Nate

Formerly Known As Keebler

3,949 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:55 PM
What is worse is watching companies like UPS force employees into the union when accepting a job.
Feb 17, 2010 2:55pm
Q

queencitybuckeye

Senior Member

7,117 posts
Feb 17, 2010 2:58 PM
rydawg5 wrote: As do I, but I can't live a life with tunnel vision if I care about the well-being of everyone in the United States. You have to do what you can to ensure an opportunity for everyone. within reason (At least that would be the Christian way to think).
Everyone in the United States has the ultimate power not to be abused by any company.
Feb 17, 2010 2:58pm
Curly J's avatar

Curly J

Self Pwner in Training.

7,282 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:01 PM
tk421 wrote: Absolutely. My mom is a member of a union for her work and they don't do anything except take dues twice a month. Absolutely worthless.
Same with my Mom. The Company outsourced her job to a private company. The only thing 'Her' Union could do was get her a different job with the new company, at the same facility with a lower rate of pay. I should mention a different job which she was physically unable to perform, which forced her to quit that job. That Union was all about bringing in money to the Union and not protecting their employees.
Feb 17, 2010 3:01pm
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David St. Hubbins

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205 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:05 PM
In before moved to politics
Feb 17, 2010 3:05pm
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noreply66

Senior Member

466 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:08 PM
I have been a Union rep and I also faught against them in later years.Just wonder what companies will take away from the working man if they come to an end
Feb 17, 2010 3:08pm
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Mr. 300

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3,090 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:08 PM
Ah Bye bye
Feb 17, 2010 3:08pm
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SQ_Crazies

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Feb 17, 2010 3:09 PM
Yes. Shouldn't even be an argument but this could get ugly.
Feb 17, 2010 3:09pm
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SQ_Crazies

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Feb 17, 2010 3:13 PM
noreply66 wrote: I have been a Union rep and I also faught against them in later years.Just wonder what companies will take away from the working man if they come to an end
Not as much as they're take away from companies if they stay around.

You still have laws that don't allow workers to be mistreated, thanks to the unions--so as far as I'm concerned they've done their job and they just cause problems now. There was a time when they were needed, but now because of them you have things like minimum wage, work place safety regulations, etc. Those things won't go away with the union. IMO, the unions have cause companies to try and strip whatever they can from their employees because they never know when they're going to get bent over and screwed by their own employees.

The union is completely responsible for killing my hometown of Salem. A lot of the rust belt is the same way.
Feb 17, 2010 3:13pm
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GoChiefs

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Feb 17, 2010 3:14 PM
tk421 wrote: they don't do anything except take dues twice a month. Absolutely worthless.
tk421 wrote: HAHAHAHAH. You actually think unions give a crap about the workers? :D:D:D:D That's hilarious. It's all about the Benjamins, baby.
Curly J wrote: That Union was all about bringing in money to the Union and not protecting their employees.
All of these. Unions today are absolutely worthless. They do nothing but take your money and protect the bums.
Feb 17, 2010 3:14pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

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Feb 17, 2010 3:15 PM
noreply66 wrote: Just wonder what companies will take away from the working man if they come to an end
The company always has enough money to shut the Union up.
Feb 17, 2010 3:15pm
Belly35's avatar

Belly35

Elderly Intellectual

9,716 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:16 PM
hell yes ........... out lasted their value and meaning
Feb 17, 2010 3:16pm
SQ_Crazies's avatar

SQ_Crazies

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Feb 17, 2010 3:22 PM
GoChiefs wrote:
noreply66 wrote: Just wonder what companies will take away from the working man if they come to an end
The company always has enough money to shut the Union up.
LMAO, false.
Feb 17, 2010 3:22pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

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Feb 17, 2010 3:31 PM
SQ_Crazies wrote: LMAO, false.
Please..there are a ton of cases out there..I'm sure you even know of one or two..an issue came up between the union/employee/company..and after a couple days..it's just swept underneath the rug. The union shuts up about it lets the company do whatever they want. I'm not saying EVERY case is like that..but there has been some. Just makes you wonder why the union had such a sudden change in heart and let the company do whatever they want don't ya think?
Feb 17, 2010 3:31pm
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
Feb 17, 2010 3:35 PM
I would say yes, however the dynamics are changing again with this last recession. Wage and job protection are certainly going to become very important to people again. If corporate profits resume their pre-recession upward trend with less and less trickling down to the employees, I'd look for a growth in unions.

Unions are a form of socialism and obviously there are many aspects of socialism people in this country accept, even want. Germany is something like 90% union (and many economists would argue this has been a drag on growth), so it's something to think about.

Another factor to consider: With more and more jobs becoming salary (as opposed to hourly) and 50-hr weeks becoming routine (with no overtime), there are certainly some foundations to push back via a union. And if govt healthcare would have an exemption for unions, a lot of smart people would be organizing for the sole purpose of getting the tax benefit.
Feb 17, 2010 3:35pm