In response to:

Why Do We Need Unions?

Sanity102 Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 1:48 PM
I wonder how many are buying this union busting prop? EVERYTHING workers hold as their "rights": 40 hour work week, paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, benefits, safe work conditions is because some guy risked livelihood, life and limb to walk a picket line. Fact is that many of the non union employers pay union wages and benefits to KEEP unions out of their companies and the workers "rights" came about because unions backed politicians who made these "demands" rights per law. People need to read their history...at the time unions came about, most of the world was turning to communism or socialism...unions--a small form of communism--was America's way of making communism unnecessary.
FletchforFreedom Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 8:43 PM
You haven't a clue what you're talking about. The fact is that EVERYTHING on your list came entirely from the PRIVATE SECTOR - not unions, not picketing, not regulations. In fact, compensation and working conditions improved fastest in the less unionized US and in states where unions were less powerful. Unions have raised wages for union members slightly above market but that is demonstrably at the EXPENSE of non-union workers.

People DO need to read their history instead of union propaganda becasue the debunked drivel you're pushing here bears no resemblance whatsoever to actual history.
scash Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 3:13 PM
We used to use horse and buggies as well... but for some reason we moved on...

In other words i have no FN clue what you are talking about..
Sanity102 Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 7:42 PM
Of course you don't. You can't seem to get it that it is human nature for a business person to make as much profit. If they can pay less and get more work, they will. And for most business people, working 72 hour weeks with little or no other benefits is norm. Which is why most didn't see any reason to pay those who didn't own the company more money for working more than 40 hours a week. Many did not take vacations or sick days, so why should their employees? All that non owners (workers) take for granted today happened because some guy walked the picket line and joined together to back union supporting politicians who made time and a half and paid holidays a right.

In order to have a clue, you have to first learn to be grateful.
MadisonWannabe Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 8:20 PM
Look at the flip side of your reasoning. It is human nature for an employee to do as little as possible for more money. As an employee you have no risk if the company goes bust. The owner has a lot to lose. If you do not feel that you are being paid enough, that problem could be solved by taking out a loan, selling your assets, or mortgaging your own house to start your own business. The bad part is that you will have to devote a lot more time to this company to make a go of it with no guarantee of success. Then you will understand why your crying about the evil company not giving you whatever you want is just plain silly. You stopped thinking when you walked in the employee entrance.
FletchforFreedom Wrote: Dec 15, 2012 8:45 PM
And because it is human nature for businessmen to maximize profit (which is the ONLY source for jobs and compensation), they need to compete for workers in the marketplace and may not pay lower than a market wage or they lose out to competition. This is called basic economics. This was precisely the reason why the private sector came up with the 40 hour workweek, higher wages, better working conditions, etc. - a trend dating all the way back to the beginning of the Industrial revolution.

No one with a clue demonstrates the astounding economic ignorance of believing that businesses are out to shaft the working man.

Try doing some ACTUAL research before spouting such discredited nonsense.

Michigan has now become the 24th state to give workers the right to work without having to join a union. The event provoked more than vigorous debate. State police had to be on duty to guarantee the safety and the ability of Michigan legislators to actually go vote on the measure.

So what is the controversy all about? I agree with folks on the left about the real issue. It's not about right to work. It's about unions themselves. Why do we have them? Why do we need them? What public purpose do they serve?

There's no mystery here. A union...

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