"Last week the Department of Labor reported that employers shed a net 539,000 jobs in the first three months of 2009, bringing the nation’s unemployment rate to 8.9%. The manufacturing sector lost 149,000 jobs, business services lost 122,000 jobs, and construction lost 110,000 jobs. All told, the private sector lost 611,000 jobs. So how was the total job loss only 539,000," if the private sector lost 611,000? "Because one sector of the economy has proven impervious to economic realities: the public sector. Government actually added 72,000 jobs so far this year," at an average salary, annual salary of 75 grand a year. "The continued growth of the public sector while all other sectors of the economy contract is no accident. Government employee unions were a driving force in making sure large chunks of President Obama's stimulus package went to states and cities to preserve jobs." We talked about this in detail yesterday. Most of the stimulus money is going to states to preserve and hire state workers. "When you talk about the entire labor movement today, you are really talking about government employees. Less than 8% of the private sector workforce belongs to a union. Contrast that with 37% of all government employees carrying union cards and 42% of all local government employees. Make no mistake, collecting union dues from public-sector employees (whose salaries are paid by taxpayers) is big business. The Service Employees International Union collects nearly $5 million a month from just 223,000 health care workers. And when the SEIU is not blatantly stealing this money, they are turning it into efforts to elect politicians who promise to endlessly grow the public sector. SEIU president Andy Stern recently told the Las Vegas Sun: 'We spent a fortune to elect Barack Obama -- $60.7 million to be exact -- and we're proud of it.'" And they are being paid back. So wherever you look where there are problems, public or private sector, you're going to find a union or a series of unions being involved somewhere.
Even in my non-profit organization, there was a sudden need to involve a lawyer to 'brief' the entire workforce of salaried employees in a mandatory meeting (the first of several, apparently) - and that was just this morning. They had a snazzy nickname for labor unions, tied it into swine flu and all... something along the lines of 'frickin labor unions' and what-not... I was silently laughing during most of the meeting, even though I was half awake at that ungodly hour in the morning, and after having to drive downtown to boot... but still, after my Adderall and a few Mountain Dews kicked in, I was awake enough to stop staring at the hot broad in the row in front of me, sticking her tongue through her cheek in a provocative manner in my direction, and look around to realize just how many stupid fucking mindless sheeple I vicariously worked with. Unionized or not - one of these days, I'm going to get into serious trouble when it comes to dipping my pen in the company ink. Not only had I slept with two of the women in that room, I was also previously with a gal that is currently talking to my old boss... Small world, eh?
There's really no difference between a union job and a non-union job, except the union guy doesn't have to suck someone's crank all the time to make sure he keeps his job, he just has to do a good job. If you have a good job in a non union company, there's always someone who can polish a nob better than you and wants your job. :biggrin:
Mark my words I copied SEIU president Andy Stern recently told the Las Vegas Sun: 'We spent a fortune to elect Barack Obama -- $60.7 million to be exact -- and we're proud of it.'" And they are being paid back. So wherever you look where there are problems, public or private sector, you're going to find a union or a series of unions being involved somewhere. So wherever you look where there are problems, public or private sector, you're going to find a union or a series of unions being involved somewhere.
Most unions are pro democrat because dems are traditionly pro labor and want to make things better for the working class. Republicans are usually pro big business and help business' get around workers rights and send jobs out of the country so they can pay less wage and earn bigger profits. your employment situation will probably get better so that you can pay more taxes. No matter who's in charge you're going to lose on one front or the other Joe, aren't you working for a lot less than you used to for that other scab company? Had you been union, you probably would have been senior to others and not let go. :biggrin:
Nah I don't think it works that way the conservative position is liaise faire capitalism. If the government and unions keep their nose out of business then the best business survives. And no one needs to outsource over seas.
