Caltrops - Beer, Curry and Vomit





	[quote name="Fussbett"][quote name="Zseni"]It sounds like Canuck unions are even more intrusive and vocal than US ones are. I should like to say, though, that my union steward was <i>right there</i> before anyone else, pulling the hose off and scoffing loudly at the managers who asked if I felt like I could work for the rest of the shift and advising me about going on light duty. And that steward doesn't even like me! Was it worth the Robin Hood-esque bounty of union dues I pay? No, but the Taiwanese physical therapist who electrocuted my lower leg and gave me eerie reassurances that "it will only feel 'weird' for a while, and then you will just feel cold." probably cost more than I make in a month anyway. Why so down on the extravagances of unions? Fussbett: secret supply-side sympathizer?[/quote] I am indeed very pro free market economics, and since I'm also liberal on social issues, my brain does heat up a bit where unions are concerned as I try to sort out my feelings about them. I've basically arrived at "necessary evil" or sometimes "pendulum has swung too far", because while great in theory, you know, teamsters. On the flip side, it's disappointing when the unions let the corporations do the big things like move jobs out of the country. Those are the things that unions should be trying to stop, but instead they're concerned about benefit rate hikes and not getting raises in step with inflation. Basically anytime I hear someone complain about their job I advise them to look for another job. Unions are the opposite, and act like everyone is trapped. Unions have the ability to bully their employer which just rubs me the wrong way. It creates an atmosphere of "us versus them" like I have never seen before I worked a union job. The employer being a dick, but sticking to the letter of the law, and the employees being lazy jerks, but sticking to the letter of the law. Of course, I don't see life from the perspective of a single ESL mother who can't just walk across the street to another factory job. To her I guess it's great that they went on strike and got a 2.9% pay raise, because she doesn't have a lot of other options. I should also point out that my union experience happened in the post office, so that's a confluence of several negatives: civil servants, post office, union. It's an extreme case. Seniors sat at the back and processed 10% of the letters that us temps did, yet the supervisors rode the temps for increased production all the time. The fulltimers were never told what to do and the seniors were completely untouchable as they counted the days to pension. I was being paid $17/hour, fresh out of high school, which is RIDICULOUS. Right now my tax money is paying some kid probably $19/hour to sort letters and that kills me. Of course the hardworking father of three who has been there 20 years is only making $21/hour, which I also dislike about the unions. The "every man is created equal" aspect that rewards seniority over ability and effort. It ensures that no one excels or tries harder because there is no getting ahead. The bare minimum effort will ensure the same incremental pay raise as busting your ass. Shop stewards. I totally forgot about them. Fucking hall monitors, of course they're all dicks.[/quote]