[Superman]

Some of you guys sound downright balanced. Circumspect. Flashes of wisdom and reasonbleness. Did you think I wasn't watching?

Bob's posts certainly stand out in terms of both knowledge and wisdom. And of course....Wayne's. No, I'm not just brown-nosing.

And now for those of you who have asked for information.....and those who have not asked but need it anyway. In my location, unions are at least ten times more vigorous at pursuing training programs than employers. Indeed, employers resist using apprentices and virtually do so only when forced. Joint L/M apprenticeship councils build training facilities and maintain/staff them. Unions also create, through legislation, apprenticeship participation on public works. Usually 25% or 20% of hours. Demographics show that, even with these and other heroic efforts, we will be hurtin' for journey-level skills in a few years. When we will need them the most (Washington State must, absolutely, necessarily, engaged in some massive construction projects very very soon). Contractors deeply prefer journeymen, even though apprentices can be had for a fraction of the hourly cost. Why? Because direct labor costs on a large construction project are fairly minor (20% to 30%.....usually closer to 20%) and because delays and inefficiency and poor workmanship and poor decisions are WAY more expensive.

Yes, it's all about the benefit trust payments. Particularly to a union like Teamsters. Yes, union business managers sometimes behave inappropriate. That's not so much of a union v. non-union issue as it is a human nature problem.

No, unions are not pricing Americans out of jobs. Go ahead and blame this on unions, terrorists, liberals or sunspots but you'll be wrong. Affluence is a double-edged sword. Debt and consumerism and some other factors conspire to cause inflation. Inflation is not just a retail phenomenon. Those of you who don't understand economics and will never understand it, your best whipping boys are unions, media, higher education and liberals.