Leno supports the union

[Oregonhunter5]

You all see that on his show last night?
Now I know there's union gents on here, and no offense my friends. But, I don't care for the union thugs. They used to have value though!P

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[Mark W.]

There are many different Unions.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I think he said the union. That's code for the true sucking slugs.

 

[JRuby]

I have never been a member of the union and really have no desire to be - ever. Having said that we owe many things to the Unions - such as better working conditions.

 

[erudne]

I have never been a member of the union and really have no desire to be - ever. Having said that we owe many things to the Unions - such as better working conditions.

The Union Thugs that firebombed my dad as he was driving home from work thank you for your support

 

[JRuby]

No problem - I dont know your dads situation was / is but if he is crossing the picket line - he knew what he was doing.

 

[Dunerunner]

No problem - I dont know your dads situation was / is but if he is crossing the picket line - he knew what he was doing.

You cannot be condoning violence against someone crossing a picket line to work. If the union member won't do it, someone else will and at that point, the union can either capitulate or resort to violence. That is the problem when you start to demand benefits and salary above the going rate!

 

[peetar]

Realize that you are talking to a Marxist. He will lie and obfuscate when necessary.

 

[svxr8dr]

No problem - I dont know your dads situation was / is but if he is crossing the picket line - he knew what he was doing.

Excuse me. Just for that comment, I'll cross any picket line you find yourself in on principle alone.

 

[JRuby]

I again have never been a union member and have no plans in the future. I have always thought that if I needed a better job or my job no long felt my needs it was time to move on.
However if you are dumb enough to cross a picket line then you have made a decision that you now own the consequences from. I personally have never been on a picket line myself. Go mess with the teamsters if you want to have some fun.

 

[CJ1089]

Never been a union guy but let's run this through our imaginations.
You are having a discussion w/ your employer about your current salary and your wish for a raise, you are not working at that moment since you are talking to the Man. A passerby sees you in discussion and jumps between you and your boss and says "I will do his job for 80% of whatever he is making right now". The Man says "Deal" turns to you and says "You are fired, get your stuff and get off my dirt. I don't care about the years you put in, your family or you. Piss off."
Question: Is it really that outlandish to expect a violent response?

Too many here have claimed "If someone screwed w/ my family I would pop him and bury him out back!" (paraphrased)

Screw with a man's ability to care for his family and bad stuff is coming your way. I would just expect it and be surprised if I came away clean.

 

[svxr8dr]

If one can be replaced by a random stranger off the street for 80% of the wage you were making then either your job is not a great one, or you don't have the skills to retain it.

 

[JRuby]

That is one reason why most people in IT never stop learning - things change continuously. I believe that if it was any easier at times someone would be paid a lot less to do it. So yes I am no fan of unions but I can still appreciate some of the things they have done. No sweat shops and they started the 40 hour work week. On the negative they are why vehicles and other products are so over priced. There are always trade offs.

 

[Dunerunner]

Never been a union guy but let's run this through our imaginations.
You are having a discussion w/ your employer about your current salary and your wish for a raise, you are not working at that moment since you are talking to the Man. A passerby sees you in discussion and jumps between you and your boss and says "I will do his job for 80% of whatever he is making right now". The Man says "Deal" turns to you and says "You are fired, get your stuff and get off my dirt. I don't care about the years you put in, your family or you. Piss off."
Question: Is it really that outlandish to expect a violent response?

Too many here have claimed "If someone screwed w/ my family I would pop him and bury him out back!" (paraphrased)

Screw with a man's ability to care for his family and bad stuff is coming your way. I would just expect it and be surprised if I came away clean.

Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket mentality. Be versatile, know many trades, be able to do everybody's job with perfection, be of value to your company and they will not let you go. If they do, your assets are your knowledge and abilities which you can offer to a competitor. The problem comes when we allow ourselves to become a one trick pony. At that point, we limit our value and risk replacement. If you allow yourself to be in that position, you're screwing yourself.

 

[JRuby]

The problem is that not all jobs can be generalists. Do you really want a general physician doing open heart surgery? I would argue that we need both.

 

[Dunerunner]

So, there is a Surgeon's Union? Doctors choose to specialize. That doesn't mean they couldn't be a GP if they wanted to be, it means they have all the skills and knowledge of a GP but have chosen to specialize.

Now, if you are a Framer, and that is all. You are not a roofer, plumber, electrician or mason. Then you are a one trick pony. If you are at journeyman level as an electrician, refrigeration mechanic, plumber, carpenter, mason, roofer, etc.; you have options. You could become a General Contractor and choose to specialize as a cabinet maker, or anything else you choose. At that point, like the Surgeon, you essentially become independent.

Anyone who bets the farm on being able to succeed in one specialized field without any abilities beyond that is foolish. Thus we have found the need for Unions. To protect the jobs of those who have no alternatives, no skills beyond their current position, no ability to offer more than what they currently offer, but demand consistently higher wages and benefits.

It is like saying "I get A's in PE, I should therefore expect A's in English, Math, Science and History, also!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Since we have liberals fighting for human rights, who needs a union?

 

[PiratePast40]

What you guys are condoning is exactly the argument that the antis are using to restrict guns. Condoning violence and murder as apart of protecting your job is just plain wrong. Some would even say that you are threatening violence, or looking the other way if it suits you. You can't be for individual rights if you think it's OK to bypass our legal system and firebomb someone who disagrees with you.

It doesn't matter if it's a union activity, or any other activity. Mob mentality that espouses violence is just plain wrong.

 

[KalamaMark]

The fools that denigrate all Unions with a broad brush are equally as ignorant as those that talk about 'The Gun Lobby' as if it were a singular, top down organization. The term 'Union Thug' is as stupid as the term 'Inbred, Mouth Breathing Tea-Partier.' There may be a Union thug somewhere..I've never met one, and I spend a lot of time around Union folks. Both examples are incendiary and have little constructive value.

My Union is a democracy, an association of Tradesmen who have banded together to fund our own training and the training of the apprentices coming up behind us, to collectively bargain with our contractors to work out a mutually beneficial wage and benefit package, and to have a co-op where we have banded together and funded our own pensions and medical plans.

The biggest smoke and mirror trick ever executed was the far right and the radio talking heads somehow turning middle class, blue collar working folks against one of the only organizations looking out for their financial best interests. It constantly amazes me.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

The obvious problem with unions in the context of gun rights is they push members to vote Democrat. Voting Democrat all the time year after year tends to erode our 2nd A as far as I can tell in this State anyway. It does no good to say you support the 2nd A and then vote Dem again. If I was in a union I would not vote Dem again until a little balance of power was restored in Salem. Things wouldn't change drastically for union members if they took a break for an election cycle or two and maybe
we could get some pro gun legislation achieved in the meantime!
How about it guys? Am I so wrong here?