Um, that wouldn't be a 'union contract' would it?

Legion is correct. There are internal political forces that slow progress. the old guard is on its way out and this needs to happen as quickly as possible but it's happening slowly. Interestingly, and this is food for thought within those apparently rare conservative minds which are actually still slightly open: Some of my brightest and most progressive labor partners wish, more than anything else, that either labor laws, or labor unions, would go away completely. Because if that did happen, the pendulum would surely, without any doubt, reverse its direction. There is unquestionably a need to protect workers in some instances, and the protections that exist currently, while some would argue they are sufficient, are just enough to keep industrial behavior boxed in to where workers, generally, are unconvinced about the need for protections. If we had perfect, laisez faire freedom for industry, then workers would very quickly recall why labor unions were created in the first place.

Better that than taking away what retired union members had already paid into and earned like United did. And they wonder why jobs are leaving this country:rolleyes:

No

My first interaction with a Union happened many years ago. I was a young engineer and a few techs were part of a Union. I made the mistake of doing some work that was not part of my "Job' in order to help out a customer. The tech, who I was actually really good friends with (dinner at his house with my GF at the time, fishing trips, etc...) promtly may no bones about the grievence he was going to have wrighten up on me. "Pete, for Christ sake! I'm just trying to help the customer out! This is going to mess my ***** up if you file on me! Dude, what are you doing!" to wit he said, "Mike, your taking food off my plate. I love ya man but your not a brother. At the end of the day I have to do what I think is best for my family and my future. Sorry dude." I was able to work some behind the scene ***** that got me off the radar and Pete and I were tight again but I also knew that if I was to pick up a wrench in that lab, I was going to get my arse eat'n.

From that time on, some work got left behind and the customer suffered and the business suffered because it didn't get done as soon as the customer needed it.

The unions in my game do not act like that. In fact, I think one of the problems right now is the unions' willingness to do each others' work. Some of the building trades unions, most notably the Carpenters' Union, are busy abrogating historical agreements left and right. Their greatest danger, by far, comes from each other. This is a perfect situation for management. If you don't want to pay Iron Workers, wages, just call a Carpenter. Those wages too high? Just call a Laborer.

But hey, union busting is great fun. for about the next three or four years. At that time, the industry is expecting to lose something like 80% of its skilled workforce and the numbers of workers being trained to take their place is pathetic. Construction firms are going to have a little problem, to say the least. But they'll have what they say they want. Low wages. Good luck with that.

Guys - the feed back is great! The e-mails I have been getting to my work are fantastic.

Please not, try not to use identifiable "questionable" words when e-mailing me. If the SPAM LION doesn't get it, Big Brother does! Not sure why certain things are blocked, but it happens.

I won't get into trouble, I just won't get the note. If I don't respond that I have gotten it, it means I didn't.

Keep it clean boyz, this is a family show!

Truely shamless bump again

That's becasue the carpenter's pulled out of the AFL-CIO agreeement and went on a rampage claiming all scopes of work, wether they are qualified or not. This move did not endear them to the other trades.

That's fair to say. In a recent address, the Laborers' General President said he'll be going down the same road. The wheels are coming off. We'll know more after the elections in June and July. In the meantime, it's not going to be pretty.

Turmoil. Strife. Dissention. Corruption. Perfect time to re-organize the Democratic Party to a Labor Party! Supe - here ya go, the winds of change are a call'n – you da man…

Power to the people!