Striking Out
John and Paul are having a fight. Ringo hears the noise and comes over to see what is going on. At this point Paul punches Ringo in the face, unprovoked.
Whose side do you think Ringo is now on? This example is what stakeholders feel like when unions strike.
Throw down those signs people.
Me personally I’m not a fan of unions, I don’t see the value the same way they do. I do comprehend the logic behind collective bargaining and various other aspects of their arguements though, but this post isn’t about my preference for unions or not. What I’m absolutely opposed to is unions striking, boy do I hate that with a passion.
So on my way to work I see striking teachers (and this is supposed to be the first week of school). I cannot express how absolutely disgusting it is to see teachers on strike, especially given the fact I live in a more disadvantaged area.
I understand their beef they don’t have a contract signed, guess what people neither does almost every other worker in Washington State (it’s an at will employment state). Your grievances seem petty compared to the fact at risk kids are going without the education, those in richer neighborhoods get by default. The idea that you would further jeopardize the future of a segment of population which will already find difficulty achieving success for your own personal gain is disturbing.
I encourage unions everywhere to consider the impact they have on their stakeholders and then consider is their gain really worth the pain of these people? Sure I’m asking you to pull a tool out of your arsenal, but keep in mind in the US you now have many new protections that your forefathers didn’t.
Take-Away: If you want someone on your side of the fight you should stop and consider the impact your actions have on them.
You do not understand the reason for unions. When we start bowing down to management’s demands, we will continue to see them take advantage of us. It is obvious that you are management’s boy. A simple mouthpiece for some corporate organization who will eventually lay you off and send your job to China.We need unions. Get over it.
Unions made sense with migrant farm workers, and in previous times when there were few legal regulations around labor. Today, unions are institutionalized. They exist to support the union itself, not the end worker. Let me give you an example. I had worked for Anheuser-Busch in their IT department, and we saw conflicts with the Teamsters. One example was on the “porter” job. When a union employee was close to retirement, they would move into this job. They were paid their former salary, but they were only responsible for carrying briefcases. When we went across the shop floor, the porter would have to carry your briefcase until you left the floor. The same was true for moving boxes, computers, phones, etc. Management decided to eliminate the position, and as a result, the union decided to strike. They went out on a Wednesday, and by the next day they were begging to come back. Management decided to let them stay out until the following Monday so the union guys would not get the weekend overtime.
Another strike was the result over overtime procedures. Some individuals would schedule their time so they would be working on Saturday and Sunday instead of a weekday. This loophole allowed them to get overtime pay for working weekends without having first worked the entire week. Management eliminated this loophole (requiring them to work a full 40 hours before getting overtime), and that caused the strike.
Clearly, the union leadership is only interested in keeping themselves employeed. It has only had negative impacts on the business community, and jobs will continue to go overseas. The automobile manufactures that have eliminated union labor have been successful. I would agree that the time of the union labor force has probably ended. If labor unions are to continue, they need to have fundamental change within their leadership. Perhaps the best solution would be to fire them all and start over from the beginning. If the law does not protect the worker in some way, then the law should be changed. It is time to eliminate these unreleastic demands and useless leaders.
@Jim
I appreciate a different perspective. As I said though, I’m confining this article to discuss unions choosing to strike; not my own personal perspective on if unions make sense or not.
I’ve established my personal opinion only to account for any bias in my perspective and being open and honest.
I ask you if we’re confining this argument only towards strike vs. not strike, what is your perspective? Not every person in a union votes to strike; some people share a similar perspective.
At the same point you bring a clear argument that I don’t understand the plight of the union. I would challenge you to think about how striking makes people like me who do not understand and appreciate your plight into enemies rather than friends. Consider the impact your own actions have on those you wish to influence and make the necessary changes to win them over to your side, if in fact you care about their opinion.
@Bud Man
Obviously unions are a galvanizing force in the workplace. My own experiences have led me to believe in myself and create growth opportunities through differentiating. I do find it interesting to take a look at all sides however; as it is possible some people may lack a clear opportunity to differentiate themselves in things such as mill work, or line assembly, where management may see them as a cog that can be easily replaced.
I too see a lot of protections afforded us via governmental action and see a fair bit of duplication/waste myself. It is important to note that unions did pave the way for many of the protections we now enjoy, and we should appreciate their efforts as modern day workers.
That being said, my beliefs, and theories on unions, I can live in an imperfect world. I accept unions exist and play an important role in some people’s lives. What I don’t accept is when they disrupt their stakeholders’ lives in ways that can easily be avoided, and then expect sympathy from said stakeholders.
Maybe you could give a quick summary of your experiences Nick. At least it looks like my A/B buddies got my e-mail about your blog entry.
@Mike
Telecomm. Sales, IT Reseller, and Software manufacturer. Thats the experience by industry. If people want more info stay tuned…..
Your inexperience with industries that use unions highlights the concern over your response. You are making a blanket statement about unions; although, you have no tangible experience working with them. Work with BudMan for a while and see if your impressions change. It looks like you are simply repeating the non-union mongers talking points.
Stick to what you know.
See I disagree with this assessment.
Every day we have people making policy, many of whom do not have any experience in this field, that are influenced by lobbyists or constituents. If you should be concerned about anyone with little experience being involved in this conversation it should be those who have the power to create a different reality for us all.
There is nothing more dangerous than silence. I’m upfront about my expertise in this field, that being said I have an opinion. Opinions, are not fact, they are interpretation of stimulus including facts, and they are crucial to this country’s continued prosperity. This is why we should all be happy to have the 1st Amendment. At no point did I defame unions.
I think my lack of experience within the system makes my viewpoint even more pointed, as I’m the third party that employers and unions are trying to win over to their side. The idea that I don’t have a voice in the conversation is as ludicrous as saying a strike doesn’t impact those children who cannot go to school right now.
Interesting comments Nick. My industry is quite separated from the direct contact with unions. For the most part, my experience has been rather negative. For example, some of my family works for General Motors. The union there is causing enough of a financial strain on the company that they are ripe for an acquision (or as we saw during the summer) closing. Other car manufacturers that have gone non-union have been financially successful. The time of the union may have passed in the modern business context. There is probably no easy answer to the question, but I would agree that healthy debate is good.
I fear that General Motors teaches a much different lesson than the one you’ve laid out, but that will be the topic of my next post. Stay tuned!