It's not a "coincidence"! It's not an "accident"!

[maxrandb]

The reduction in Union membership and the reduction in wages are tied together like Retrumplicans and corruption.

Another report today about the reduction of workers who belong to a Union... and in the same story...a report that those in a Union make, on average 23% more than those that are not.

This was not an accident!

This was planned theft

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Recommended.

[onethatcares]

2. it's always been the "plan"

denigrate the unions, divide and conquer, Make the dues paying members carry those that won't fork a dime out so the unions go bankrupt.

hell, the ptbs moved the industries out of the country just so they wouldn't have to pay a decent wage.

That's always been the plan. Read the Powell Memo for a bit of a look.

[philly_bob]

3. Unions also support good public schools, public services, etc.

Grew up in 1950's Detroit.

It's sad how wage increases have not kept pace with productivity increases. I always figured that was the bargain between bosses and employees.

[progressoid]

4. Sadly, trump did better with union members than any Repub presidential candidate since Reagan

They have been slowly shifting to the republican party over the years. in 2016, 39% voted Republican.

Donald Trump in 2016 did better among union members than any Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan. This was largely driven by white men, who make up the core of Mr. Trump's base heading into the 2020 election.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-labor-to-stem-flow-of-union-voters-to-trump-11567422002

[B Stieg]

5. Also, hasn't the NLRB...

had its wings clipped?

[warmfeet]

6. Of course the theft was planned.

Changing things will be very difficult. Personally difficult. I have little confidence that anyone can change it.

Life or death, here we are.

The end begins, and we begin the end.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. The number of union members held steady, but the rate of union membership fell because there are

more jobs.

[erlewyne]

8. I was a steward in an open shop.

Back around 1972. We union members did most of the hard work,
but it was easy as far as labor was concerned. I enjoyed the work,
always appreciate work and the time flies.

We got our wages tripled after a couple 3 year contracts.
The ass kissing non union members still would not join and
every time they got screwed by the company they asked.
"What is the Union going to do about it?

[Sucha NastyWoman]

9. Here in Texas many equate unions with communism

My first job in high school was a grocery store clerk. I didn’t know anything about unions and then they asked me to join - I did. My mom was furious about it and went down and had me taken out of the union, I guess because I was a minor. I didn’t know what to say either way but I appreciated the fact that I made more than most of my friends who worked as clerks.

When I was older I made a statement to my mother in defense of unions. She looked at me like I just told her I was a drug addict and said “you’re not pro union are you?” I instinctively fired back “you’re not pro corporation are you?” I had begun getting educated but I had a way to go.

I never got the chance to belong to a union after that because there aren’t hardly any here in Texas, a state where the saying is “the business of Texas is business”.

[Aussie105]

10. I've been a member of a Union all my working life.

Last edited Thu Jan 23, 2020, 09:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Slowly, the power of the Union I was in, and all the others, was whittled away.

Membership numbers dropped, and it was annoying to see that wage claim achievements were shared with non Union members.

At the start of my employment 40 years ago, there was (in Australia) quite rampant inflation, but the sequence of pay rises were there to compensate. In fact, if Federal politicians voted themselves a pay rise, it would automatically flow on to the states, and public servants all around the country. And you needed that, as inflation was high, and mortgage rates were 15% and higher.

That chain was broken long ago, Unions now have to struggle to get pay rises like 10% over 3 years. Take out tax, and that pay rise doesn't even compensate for inflation.

I guess bosses won't be happy until Unions are all gone and workers will pay the bosses for the privilege of having a job.

[Merlot]

11. It's not just about wages. Unions are a political force as well

Destroying unions is a twofer for republicans.