Union workers who make parts for military vehicles caught smoking pot and drinking

[uptownsouldier253]

marijuana is a lot safer for you and those around you than alcohol. read the facts, they're all out there, so i'm not going to touch base on them here because i frankly don't have enough time. i say this because i hate hearing the term pothead, drug abuser, or drugged out because marijuana is a plant and people are finally seeing that it's much more than a "drug." with that said, i believe marijuana should be legalized and sold publicly and taxed just like alcohol, it should be ranked just like cigarettes at age 18 or like alcohol at age 21, it should be that persons discretion to use it or not. the goverment would make a lot of money of taxes and help pull us out of this giant deficit. i watched a show about the marijuana industry just the other day and one of their shops grossed $21 million last year, just think if it was legal and more people were buying from these dispenceries. that was a lot for me to bring up just to say that i do believe that marijuana is okay for society to accept now days just as alcohol is accepted. i do believe, however, that neither have any place in the workplace. if i feel as if i'm even hungover and go to work i can get in huge trouble and i just work in the cable business. if i even pee dirty, no questions asked i'm fired. i know of people who are alcoholics or "potheads" and still impaired when they go to work and they're working at a business in the area that builds airplanes. they're talked to but that's as far as it goes. which one of us do you believe works at a union? from my experience, unions do more bad than good. what's the point of having them around anymore? there's laws in affect that protect all workers, so why the need? i understand their role in our past and they have done an excellent job at securing rights for workers and i'm very appreciative of that. but in today's society, there's really no need. *sigh*... rant over lol. i know you guys are just going to go off on me so lets here it. these are my views and like everybody else am entitled to believe what i want to believe. i always love to hear what other have to say though

 

[ZigZagZeke]

So a few workers are pot heads. That is true in any profession. Does that mean unions are bad? I would think you would have to have a pretty transparent agenda to make that connection. Want to guess how many soldiers abuse alcohol and drugs? Does that make the military bad? Also, were there any issues that resulted from this? I seem to think some NON-UNION labor from China has been supplying the military with parts that are complete fakes and are causing issues.

When was in the Navy I worked on nuclear weapons test gear for nuclear subs, and I knew some military personnel who would smoke pot and/or drink a quart of Annie Green Springs at lunch, and then go back to working on nuclear weapons. I had a roommate who was a nuclear tech and would come home just in time for quarters and be so drunk we'd have to hold him up in ranks. Of course, that was in 1968 and Obama was not in office, and they weren't union members, so I guess no harm was done. My point is, why the outrage now when it's been pretty standard behavior, military or not, union or not, since before Washington crossed the Delaware.

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

I have worked for Hoffman. Their safety record was so bad no one was employed under their name. My checks came from a sub contractor.

unfortunately thats what it takes sometimes for any company to change, their overall actions sooner or later will make them change for the better, if they don't, they will go under, I have heard the same thing you mentioned, and was impressed by their way of handling this situation. Was it because of how much money was involved in the project?, I hope not, but When a construction company's insurance point rating is too high, they will not be allowed to even bid on jobs this size. Knowing that, they must have changed things in the current past because a company like Intel, if anyone has worked with them, does not tollerate any Subcontractors working for them to be a liability to their own company image.
When a company truely wants to be the best it can be, they will show, they treat their customers #1, truely care for their employees, learn from mistakes in the past and change them, continue over time to show they have changed and keep a great record for safety, being profitable, and customer satisfaction.
I don't work directly for Hoffman, From what I saw during that one project, and not leading into what I heard from people on the project, I would say they do care for there employees well being, safety, and ultimately their customers best intrest. Even though safety is a pain in the butt when you are trying to get things done, they will save your arse.

 

[cbdolphin]

your notion is wrong, they will be fired if they havent already, there is no circumventing the companies policy.

If your trying to deny the fact that union workers get away with alot more than people who are not protected by a union, you are simply just sucking the sack of ignorance. I have no dog in this fight, I have worked union and I have worked non union and honestly I really don't care. For the majority of people who show up to work, do their job and go home, you are not going to have problems.

Sadly, the WORST union workers are the ones who will defend it to the bitter end and ignore flaws simply because they don't have the capacity to admit when something they were/are involved can be wrong! And yes, this is directed DIRECTLY at you Minnesota.

A cop could beat someone in front of 100 people with his gun, night stick for no reason and then shoot them dead, he is still going to be put on leave until a investigation is done.


Actually, I'm pretty sure they would be put in jail. But hey, lets all throw out stupid, exaggerated examples to prove our points!

If you work at Fred meyers, and smoke a joint out side, and a customer complains. What will Freddys do, fire you right away, no, they will suspend you until they find out 100% by asking witnesses

I worked at a grocery store all throughout highschool, I guarantee if a customer catches an employee smoking pot right out front of the store, the person isn't going to be "suspended", they are going to be fired, unless of course they are part of a UNION.

all the while following WORKER RIGHTS LAWS that are set aside so you cannot be fired for no reason


What the **** are you talking about? I don't know what laws are like in Minnesota, but in Oregon, you can be fired with reason or for no reason at all and they do not even have to provide you with an explanation, just show your butt the door.

. HOW IS THAT NOT UNDERSTOOD, it is a right to every AMERICAN citizen.

Maybe the right of every UNION American but not for the rest of us/them!

Unions have gone past workers rights and settled on greed. Ask the people in Detroit how the union did for them, aren't their jobs no in Canada because they were trying to get much more than they were worth when GM was already bleeding out the ears?

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

your notion is wrong, they will be fired if they havent already, there is no circumventing the companies policy.

If your trying to deny the fact that union workers get away with alot more than people who are not protected by a union, you are simply just sucking the sack of ignorance. I have no dog in this fight, I have worked union and I have worked non union and honestly I really don't care. For the majority of people who show up to work, do their job and go home, you are not going to have problems.

Sadly, the WORST union workers are the ones who will defend it to the bitter end and ignore flaws simply because they don't have the capacity to admit when something they were/are involved can be wrong! And yes, this is directed DIRECTLY at you Minnesota.

A cop could beat someone in front of 100 people with his gun, night stick for no reason and then shoot them dead, he is still going to be put on leave until a investigation is done.


Actually, I'm pretty sure they would be put in jail. But hey, lets all throw out stupid, exaggerated examples to prove our points!

If you work at Fred meyers, and smoke a joint out side, and a customer complains. What will Freddys do, fire you right away, no, they will suspend you until they find out 100% by asking witnesses

I worked at a grocery store all throughout highschool, I guarantee if a customer catches an employee smoking pot right out front of the store, the person isn't going to be "suspended", they are going to be fired, unless of course they are part of a UNION.

all the while following WORKER RIGHTS LAWS that are set aside so you cannot be fired for no reason


What the **** are you talking about? I don't know what laws are like in Minnesota, but in Oregon, you can be fired with reason or for no reason at all and they do not even have to provide you with an explanation, just show your butt the door.

. HOW IS THAT NOT UNDERSTOOD, it is a right to every AMERICAN citizen.

Maybe the right of every UNION American but not for the rest of us/them!

Unions have gone past workers rights and settled on greed. Ask the people in Detroit how the union did for them, aren't their jobs no in Canada because they were trying to get much more than they were worth when GM was already bleeding out the ears?

Thank you for calling me one of the worst union members out there, or at least it sounded that way, but I do not fit the criteria you stated, as much as you may feel i do, I hope you feel better now, it is friday, and maybe it was a long week, cheer up, the ducks play tonight. I will not comment on your comment, not because of anything, just that its friday eve and no one on here needs to prove anything, whether your wrong or right. This just looks like a invitation to a bad thing.

 

[Jamie6.5]

True cbd. Welcome to Oregon MinnORnewbie, an "at will" employment state.

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

thanks, its a great state, the second day i was here I went out and looked for my own job, spent 14 hours, had all of my previous work experience with me in a Resume, talked with companies and was offered a job because of my outgoing ness, experience, and with the agreement that only I could keep the job after it was offered to me, and both of us were satisfied for the time the company had work available, all the while not waiting for the Union to find work for me. I was very surprised because all I had heard from others was how Oregon had the Second largest Unemployement rate and there were no jobs available.

 

[cbdolphin]

thanks, its a great state, the second day i was here I went out and looked for my own job, spent 14 hours, had all of my previous work experience with me in a Resume, talked with companies and was offered a job because of my outgoing ness, experience, and with the agreement that only I could keep the job after it was offered to me, and both of us were satisfied for the time the company had work available, all the while not waiting for the Union to find work for me. I was very surprised because all I had heard from others was how Oregon had the Second largest Unemployement rate and there were no jobs available.

Are you just using this thread to toot your own horn?

"I work 14 hour days blah blah blah I'm so great"

"I can find work in Oregon, I'm so cool yadda yadda yadda"

?

 

[JGRuby]

I am personally happy people can find work here in Oregon and did not interpret MinnesotaOrnewbie as bragging - however if a person can get a job that quick then maybe that person does have some bragging rights.

James Ruby

 

[locobob]

Are you just using this thread to toot your own horn?

"I work 14 hour days blah blah blah I'm so great"

"I can find work in Oregon, I'm so cool yadda yadda yadda"

?

Whats up with the hate? So he got himself a job in a tough market - I say good going.

 

[cbdolphin]

Whats up with the hate? So he got himself a job in a tough market - I say good going.

No hate and yes, good for him finding work. However, the rest of his replies throughout the thread have been filled with condescension and a "superior" type attitude.

 

[SonicBlue03]

What's the big surprise? That some people were imbibing in controlled substances or that a couple of Union workers were caught actually doing something? I missed the original point after I read that post on the merits of wacky tobaccy.

 

[PinkhamR]

Why can't they wait until after work like everyone else?

 

[coastal steelheader]

If you want to drink or do drugs on the job, then why not consider a career with the State of Washington?

When I worked for the JRA (juvenile rehab/corrections) there wasn't and still isn't any pre-employment drug testing, no random drug testing and as my supervisor (who 99% of the time was hungover upon his arrival to work) told me "there never will be any random testing because we would lose most of our staff". That was no exaggeration on his part and I was put in some very dangerous situations with people who were under the influence, and complaining to anyone would have been pointless, because the problem was that out of control at the facility.

Complain about trade unions all you want, but they have a much better handle on the problem than the public employee unions do - guaranteed.


EDIT - A few agencies like DOC, and WSP do have pre employment and random drug tests, but as far as I know most state agencies still have neither.

 

[PinkhamR]

"EDIT - A few agencies like DOC, and WSP do have pre employment and random drug tests, but as far as I know most state agencies still have neither."


Sure sounds like they should .........

 

[coastal steelheader]

"EDIT - A few agencies like DOC, and WSP do have pre employment and random drug tests, but as far as I know most state agencies still have neither."


Sure sounds like they should .........

I agree, all state agencies should have drug testing.
And before anyone accuses me of picking on JRA, I have a friend who works at the local unemployment office. He said that agency is just as bad if not worse.

 

[SonicBlue03]

So I don't have to watch anything that Bill O'Reilly puts out, is his emphasis anti-Union or horror that our fightin' boys might have equipment put together by people who do drugs?

If the former, Bill should check his own staff 'cuz I bet about half have to do some sort of drug to listen to the poo he spews on a daily basis. Union workers are no different than any other type of worker out there. There's good ones, there's bad ones, and there's just normal people who make both good and bad decisions.

If the latter, then he should be able to show a corresponding decline the equipment quality from that particular plant, otherwise this is still not news.

 

[rufus]

So I don't have to watch anything that Bill O'Reilly puts out, is his emphasis anti-Union or horror that our fightin' boys might have equipment put together by people who do drugs?

If the former, Bill should check his own staff 'cuz I bet about half have to do some sort of drug to listen to the poo he spews on a daily basis. Union workers are no different than any other type of worker out there. There's good ones, there's bad ones, and there's just normal people who make both good and bad decisions.

If the latter, then he should be able to show a corresponding decline the equipment quality from that particular plant, otherwise this is still not news.

So you 1) hate the messenger so much you will not listen to the message but still choose to make comments about the message and 2) are okay with people drinking and doing drugs at work while they make safety equipment for our military.

Did I get that right?

 

[SonicBlue03]

So you 1) hate the messenger so much you will not listen to the message but still choose to make comments about the message and 2) are okay with people drinking and doing drugs at work while they make safety equipment for our military.

Did I get that right?

You didn't, but having read a few of your previous posts that's not really surprising.

 

[Jamie6.5]

So I don't have to watch anything that Bill O'Reilly puts out, is his emphasis anti-Union or horror that our fightin' boys might have equipment put together by people who do drugs?

If the former, Bill should check his own staff 'cuz I bet about half have to do some sort of drug to listen to the poo he spews on a daily basis. Union workers are no different than any other type of worker out there. There's good ones, there's bad ones, and there's just normal people who make both good and bad decisions.

If the latter, then he should be able to show a corresponding decline the equipment quality from that particular plant, otherwise this is still not news.

You didn't, but having read a few of your previous posts that's not really surprising.

Bill is pointing out that the people that put their lives on the line daily in defense of your freedoms, are being supplied equipment that is assembled by people impaired by recreational drugs.
And the possibility that their union may be protecting them and their job security.

After your speculation I highlighted above, do you really think denigrating Rufus is you best tactic in this debate?
Wow! Talk about ad-hominem attacks!

I realize that there are many dope smokers here, and that many of you feel that pot use is perfectly safe.
Considering that I spent many years and dollars on the same recreation, I would disagree heatedly.*
But despite that, if you can't see what is wrong with working impaired, you're too far gone.
Working impaired in certain industries/jobs is even worse.

Aircraft/aerospace and military/defense contractors need workers with full-faculty abilities and judgement 100% of the time.
Anyone that disagrees with that has little or no sense of responsibility to their job, or the product that they produce, or the poor schmuck in the field that has to use that product.
And their life depends on it.



*But that's just my perspective after getting away from it. When you get away from it, then you can argue with me. Because until you do, you're looking at it from an impaired position.