[onewhippedpuppy]

Funny story Ross, related to your comment about Boeing. When Boeing sold their Wichita plant to Canadian investment firm ONEX, they had to re-negotiate the contracts with all the Boeing labor unions. The machinist's union, which I believe is the largest one, was offered a contract in which they take a 3% initial pay cut, but earn it back within five years, with most benefits staying the same. However, part of the package was a minimum pay of $25 an hour. Minimum! The union of course rejected this offer, because they don't do anything if there's not a raise involved. So, ONEX fired everybody. They then sent out a smaller amount of job offers, with set take it or leave it terms. So, thanks to the union's greed, far more people lost their jobs than would have otherwise. Needless to say, when the union in the Boeing plant in Oklahoma was offered the same deal, they accepted it.

I have trouble feeling pity for machine operators that are being paid a minimum of $25 an hour. In the real world you are offered a wage for a job, and you either take it or find another job. It's like supply and demand, and it works.