[Jeff Higgins]

No one here is ignorant of how and why unions came to be. We are all aware of the abuses heaped upon the American worker at the hands of large corporations. I don't think anyone would dispute any of that. My own father was an IAM member for almost 30 years. I was a member as well while working my way into a career in engineering.

I'm not even saying their time has come and gone. They have a place in corporate America. They have, however, gone way over the line in protecting the listless, lazy, and ignorant. They tie companies' hands with unreasonable work rules, outdated and obsolete job catagories, employee discipline, and other issues.

When I was an IAM member, day after day I could not believe my eyes. Senior lead men who literally did nothing in their work day, and told their managers to fuch off when asked, knowing they were untouchable. Poor work that had to be reworked by others time and time again, coming from the same people who could care less anyway. Once again untouchable. Unqualified people promoted strictly on seniority. Work left undone because "it's not my job". In my specific trade, job titles and responsibilities that had not been updated since the '40's and '50's, keeping uneeded people in uneeded jobs; all per union demands. I could go on and on. Look at what Ford is now willing to do to save itself from its unions. Hell, they pay people full wages that have not even been to work in years. It has to stop. Unions must be reigned in. Not eliminated, but given a healthy dose of reality.