Leno supports the union

[peetar]

Funny how most of the Union haters are not in one and have no real clue or Union experience, Just saying what they think (Or reciting what there favorite radio head thinks)
My Union earned two cents....

Funny how you are assuming that people who speak out against unions sometimes are henceforth "Union haters" and have no clue or union experience. How do you know that?

Programming indeed. All I know is what I have seen in my involvement with unions. Some has been good and some bad but nothing programs a man more than who his paymaster is.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

I didn't state that unions could never become too powerful, I said that unions are not becoming too powerful, but are weakening.

I stand corrected, so there is some point that has not been reached where they would be a problem in your opinion. As you said earlier " humans run the system, and humans are greedy", so maybe one day. Meanwhile as I've said unions keep getting their members to vote DEM and that is risky for gun rights. I guess that's a bit of a conflict for you.

 

[slingshot1943]

I will never understand how anyone can put support for their job ahead of support for their freedom.

 

[jluck]

Funny how you are assuming that people who speak out against unions sometimes are henceforth "Union haters" and have no clue or union experience. How do you know that?

Programming indeed. All I know is what I have seen in my involvement with unions. Some has been good and some bad but nothing programs a man more than who his paymaster is.

See the word, Most?

 

[peetar]

See the word, Most?

"Most of the union haters" suggests that ALL people who are in this thread (opposed to unions)are union haters. What about those of us who are not union haters? Are there any people who you might describe as union averse? Or unsupportive of unions in general?

I am not a hater but I do understand the destructive power of them because I have seen the bad ones first hand as well as the good ones.
Like union members trying to get rid of the secret ballot for example. Card Check.
Are you in favor of card check?

 

[peetar]

Yep on a political level I have to oppose unions because they fund socialist causes. Teamsters especially. Then there's SEIU thugs who shill for our Marxist dear leader.

That is the main reason I oppose them. I am sure there are plenty of good union members but I will fund anything that hurts the Democrat machine. Part of that anti-civil rights machine is the union base whom they have hijacked.

 

[jluck]

"Most of the union haters" suggests that ALL people who are in this thread (opposed to unions)are union haters. What about those of us who are not union haters? Are there any people who you might describe as union averse? Or unsupportive of unions in general?

I am not a hater but I do understand the destructive power of them because I have seen the bad ones first hand as well as the good ones.
Like union members trying to get rid of the secret ballot for example. Card Check.
Are you in favor of card check?

All of this is assumption of my opinions, It goes way beyond this thread and the people in it.

I don't know a whole lot about "card check" but I'm willing to learn something new.

Yep on a political level I have to oppose unions because they fund socialist causes. Teamsters especially. Then there's SEIU thugs who shill for our Marxist dear leader.

That is the main reason I oppose them. I am sure there are plenty of good union members but I will fund anything that hurts the Democrat machine. Part of that anti-civil rights machine is the union base whom they have hijacked.

Believe it or not, I agree with this. I do not for a second politically vote to support unions but I can see how some union employment helps people and there familys quality of life.

 

[peetar]

Yeah I agree with this as well. Some unions are not overtly or overly politicized. Other unions are not. As with anything, unions have their good and bad seeds.
The problem is that the big, powerful ones get all the press and it is up to union folks to change the perception as much as it is up to me to change my image if people think I am a borish oaf.

Card check was something that the Democrats tried to pass a few years ago that would have made a secret ballot not necessary for union elections. It was pushed HARD by the big union bosses who have become massively corrupt. Just like our politicians.

<broken link removed>

Read about Richard Trumka and what an absolute MONSTER he is if you wan tto know where the animosity springs from.

 

[ThePhonMan]

One of the challenges for union members is when a person says they are "anti-union" they cannot help but feel they are being attacked. It's human nature. Since the person expressing the opinion has generalized pretty broadly it elicits a fairly strong reaction. There are great people who belong to unions and there are complete idiots too (just like everything else).

I don't think anyone on this board is anti-union MEMBER, they may however be fervently anti-union leadership.

We have all complained that our country is in trouble right now and the situation pretty much sucks. But nobody takes it as "I'm an American and if you say the country sucks you are saying I suck and I take offense to that". We all assume that we are extremely dissatisfied with the lunatics running the asylum: The Government.

Much like some of the more vocal unions, Congress and the White House have forsaken the members they represent in favor of self-enrichment, permanent tenure and cronyism.

Whatever the heck you call that, I'm anti that thing.

 

[KalamaMark]

Do you actually believe that you as an individual would not be able to negotiate the same deal with your employer based upon your work ethic and job skills? Talk to me about how you feel about those in your union who do not have the best work ethic and marginal job skills, but earn the same negotiated compensation as you.

As for a broken government, I submit this.... although it is mis-titled.

[video=youtube_share;Ochid3cz1I0]http://youtu.be/Ochid3cz1I0[/video]

Either you have a reading comprehension problem, or I have a written communication problem. Since I'm the bigger man, I'll assume that It is I that poorly communicated my compensation level, and how it is above scale. I'd encourage you to re-read my post that you replied to very slowly, and then compare/contrast what you replied to what I wrote.

My English teacher was an evil Union member, and that probably explains my obviously poor communications skills.

Anyhow.. I'm out. I fully realize that trying to explain the benefits of unions here would be as effective as trying to explain why I should own AK-47's and AR-15's to 'Moms Demand Action', but I just can't bite my tongue all the time.

Continue rock throwing. I'll be elsewhere.

 

[Dunerunner]

Yea, Mark; I guess we both have issues. In one breath you say you directly negotiate your wage with your employer and in another you say you are a proud union member. So, you negotiated a wage outside the union contract? No rock throwing, I'm just curious as to how the union helped you do that? Sounds like you are a self reliant individual that doesn't need the union unless it is required by your job.

My English teacher was required to be a union member to work, forced to join the local and National Teachers Association and, pay dues to both organizations for the right to work in her chosen profession.

Continue the good work and if you have to be a union member to work (closed shop) then, I applaud your diligence in getting ahead of the game.

 

[Swedish K]

OK - simple response to the original title -Leno supports the union - at this point who cares. He's retired (at least for now) so what does it matter? I have no idea what the actor's guild / union(s) he was a member of do and don't support politically or how well they support their members, nor do I care. I will say that Leno always seemed to be an equal opportunity attacker of politicians regardless of his personal political views and must give him credit for not using his fame as a pulpit to sway voters one way or another (at least that I am aware of).

As for unions - I can see the good and bad of unions - any rail worker will tell you that the unions have made the job much more safe for the employees. Every rail worker is required to carry the book with all of the safety regulations on their person while on the job and virtually each of those rules were written with the blood of rail workers. Without unions "back in the day" many more people would have lost limbs, lives, etc. On the flip side some unions (no percentage indicated here) are leeches on society and don't care about anything other than lining their own pockets. The bad ones are far more likely to protect the job of someone who clearly should be terminated than to stand up for the good of the members as a whole. I would put SEIU in this category as at one time I was required to either be a member or pay my "fair share" which meant pay $5 less a month and get no support in disputes with the employer. You also have some that do some good for the members but really are most interested in changing regulations to require more employees on the job so they have more members and make more money. I believe that Hostess fell under this category, I would say the same goes for many peace officers unions (especially in corrections settings) but if you look at the staff to inmate ratios in most prisons you would be surprised, though it doesn't make sense to have 3 guards drawing overtime sitting at a hospital making sure a paraplegic or comatose inmate doesn't attempt to escape while in the lockdown wing of the hospital.

Not taking sides in the pro/anti union debate here but I will say that no union will ever tell me how I will vote.

 

[KalamaMark]

Yea, Mark; I guess we both have issues. In one breath you say you directly negotiate your wage with your employer and in another you say you are a proud union member. So, you negotiated a wage outside the union contract? No rock throwing, I'm just curious as to how the union helped you do that? Sounds like you are a self reliant individual that doesn't need the union unless it is required by your job.

My English teacher was required to be a union member to work, forced to join the local and National Teachers Association and, pay dues to both organizations for the right to work in her chosen profession.

Continue the good work and if you have to be a union member to work (closed shop) then, I applaud your diligence in getting ahead of the game.

I suppose I could be labeled a liar, as I said I was 'elsewhere', but I couldn't help but pop in here again, and I'm glad I did so I could help clarify.

My fellow tradesmen and I have collectively bargained a base wage and benefit package that a Journeyman should be paid. This is a base rate for a craftsman who has a demonstrated skill set established by protocol and testing established between the contractors (Capital) and Labor (Union).

This gives the Employer (Capital) a good, firm labor cost and a quantifiable labor skill set that they can then go and bid work based upon. As they win bids, they can man their jobs with a phone call to our hall, and employees with established, tested and proven skills are dispatched. If any are found subpar in skill or productivity, they are sent back to our hall. Exemplary employees with leadership ability or above average skills are prized, and often paid 'above scale' in accordance to their worth or profitability to the employer. There is no negotiation with the union on this... an employer is free to pay the employees as much as they want above 'scale' to retain the best, the brightest, and the most profitable. 'Scale' is a base that we (labor and capital) have agreed upon for a craftsman with a definable standard skill set.

I fight, argue and struggle not for me. I'm covered. I fight and argue for my meek and mild brothers and sisters. The fine craftsmen and tradeswomen who merely want to do a fine job of providing safe electricity, safe drinking water, well constructed homes and offices for all of us to live and work in. Most don't want to be foremen, leaders of men, Shop owners, contractors or superintendents.. They just want to do a fine job in their trade, get paid a good day's wage for a good day's work, and go home to their families, and then collect the rewards of being a part of the co-op and squirreling a good portion of their agreed upon wages away into a retirement when they get old and wore out.

These good people are the ones I think of when I read or hear 'Union Thug.'

None were forced to join. Most struggled, waited, hoped, and worked and proved their skills to join our association. I did. I learned my skills in the military and spent 8 years working on the outside waiting for the economy to improve and for openings to arise in association. I've been grateful for the improved level of respect between my employers and I, and the vastly improved benefit package that our association has negotiated for me and my family. I'm proud to make a lot of money for my employers. I'm grateful to keep a respectable portion of the fruits of my labor for me and mine.

 

[Caveman Jim]

The part you mentioned about "no one was forced to join" must be as unique to your shop because it sure wasn't for the job I wanted. It was "union enrollment required". Being forced to join a union to gain employment is a sham and was told by the old timers to "slow down, your makin us look bad" story. I had been in the telephone field for over 15 years, knew my job, was safety trained and was a proud journeyman. I worked for most all the major phone companies across the US and saw the union workers take advantage and screw the companies royal. I vowed to never join one, but alas I had to go back on my promise. And yes my union prompted members to vote Democrat!!!
Glad it worked out for your shop though...

 

[PDXSparky]

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

Wait, did you just call me a thug? I do take offense to that.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Wait, did you just call me a thug? I do take offense to that.

No. But the ring leaders that are strong arm kinds, I do think there dbags. The sign holders are azzwhipes also....

 

[Burt Gummer]

My father was anti-union and Hoffa wrote four pages about him in his autobiography. Hoffa used to call him 'The Duke' because of his speaking style.

I remember sleeping with a 12g when I was 13 because of threats against my dad's life. Fun times.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Whenever I spontaneously blurt out a Jimmy Hoffa Joke Everyone looks at me like, "Who the hell is he???" Jimmy Hoffa jokes used to be all the rage like when you were clearing out an old shed piled high with junk or digging a ditch etc.,
Now I check and see the average age, political knowledge etc. before I let rip with a Hoffa joke.

 

[Cameron72]

I don't hate unions. I hate businesses that treat their employees so bad they need a union.