Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobra
Supes, I am dubious about your assertion. The purple shirts(SEIU) are protesting the AZ law in the streets. Those are potential new members and new Democratic voters.
|
I appreciate your respectful post.
When I speak of my experiences with Labor, I am generally speaking only opf "building trades" unions. They are different. Very different. They comprise a fairly large block within the broader Labor community, and their influence is substantial for a variety of reasons, but they do not necessarily speak for all of Labor. Indeed, the differences between their (building trades unions) perspective and those of other Labor organizations is often striking and occasionally amusing. Some of my building trades colleagues refer to the broader Labor Council meetings as the "nut and raisin show."
The unique perspective of building trades labor unions is complex and I will not provide an outline here, but a couple of obervations might help you guess accurately at some of that. First, building trades unions are today's modern evolution of the exclusive and even secretive "guilds" of the Middle Ages. Like the Masons. Second, building trades jobs carry fairly attractive wage and benefit packages. Thirdly, construction site jobs cannot be outsourced. And finally, every single building trade is a full-on career profession. It takes a good four years just to complete an apprenticeship program, and ongoing education is the rule rather than the exception. It takes a GREAT deal of skill to build things efficiently and effective. And there is one more important aspect. These guys are in physical danger throughout their entire work day. Every day. Their colleagues are maimed and killed not infrequently. Laziness can get people killed. Stoopid decisions on construction sites are not tolerated. Not by management, and certainly not by rank-and-file. They are "industrial athletes."
So no, they are not anxious to accept any Tom, Dick or Jose' into their fraternity.