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Most Union Members Work for the Government

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posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 08:55 AM
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Surprised? I was. When I thought "Union" I thought the person making my car. Maybe the guy working on that new building. In other words, the more traditional blue collar jobs.

Not anymore.

Most U.S. Union Members Are Working for the Government


For the first time in American history, a majority of union members are government workers rather than private-sector employees, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Friday.

According to the labor bureau, 7.2 percent of private-sector workers were union members last year, down from 7.6 percent the previous year. That, labor historians said, was the lowest percentage of private-sector workers in unions since 1900.

Among government workers, union membership grew to 37.4 percent last year, from 36.8 percent in 2008.


This trend shows a few points. The first is how many manufacturing jobs have been lost. Its no secret that the industrial base of the US is not what it once was.

It also shows the growth of government and the rising power unions now have in the government. I think with the recent decision the unions can now contribute all the election $ they want can't they?

For what its worth - I cannot really speak on how welcome or not unions are in the blue collar world from employers. However, I know that in the private white collar sector every employer I've ever had has a been very much against letting in a union.




[edit on 24-1-2010 by Frogs]



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 09:14 AM
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Same situation in Czech Rep.. Most unions members are state employees. My personal feeling about our unions is bad. They do not protect workers as they should, rather are corrupted. I think we should start thinking about some other form of unions but still collective negotiation is only way to oppose power of capital. Capitalists were united long time ago and we, who fed them, should be united either.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 09:20 AM
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Maybe something that isn't shown in theses stats are the abilities of corporations to "break" the unions in the private sector, often by paper transfers of ownerships.
This list of tactics has included (in my opinion) both NAFTA and the "Oil Crisis's.

These options aren't quite so easily implemented on government workers, who obviously never have to fear loss of jobs.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 09:57 AM
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Originally posted by Dogdish
Maybe something that isn't shown in theses stats are the abilities of corporations to "break" the unions in the private sector, often by paper transfers of ownerships.
This list of tactics has included (in my opinion) both NAFTA and the "Oil Crisis's.

These options aren't quite so easily implemented on government workers, who obviously never have to fear loss of jobs.


I agree - corporate world found ways how to get rid of unions, outsourcing and off-shoring are main tools. And that is why I'm calling for new form of unions. Paradoxically our jobs go to "communist" China with terrible work conditions. And what is even worse: this conditions are returning back to West - at least to my country.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 10:13 AM
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Good for them. I never hire Union members since they have too many demands. The lesser union applicants the HR department receives the better since some of them do pass through the screening process.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 10:40 AM
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Originally posted by Unregistered
Good for them. I never hire Union members since they have too many demands. The lesser union applicants the HR department receives the better since some of them do pass through the screening process.

It is pity but as hardcore leftist I must agree even with you. From historical point of view unions did lot of for world to be better place for living. But we are not living in 19. century - situation is very different and unions must change modus operandi or die. Capitalists side proved itself more flexible than unions.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 11:52 AM
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Of course the bosses are going to be against a union. Unions are there to mediate between the worker and the boss, well in theory at least. It's in the bosses interest to screw the workers with no repercussion.

Are you a worker, or a boss? Why would a worker take the bosses stance on ANYTHING, an appeal to authority? They have their OWN interest at heart, not yours.

Remember workers, if it wasn't for unions you would not have a 40 hour week, no holidays, no minimum wage, no work safety etc., etc., etc....

I know it comes down to everyone wanting, and maybe expecting, one day to be the boss. This is the illusion of bettering ourselves we are conditioned to support. But very few people become the boss, obviously, why wait for something that probably won't happen and better you place as a WORKER instead.

It's because workers have no power that our 'jobs' have disappeared overseas, because capitalists only goal is max profits with minimum overheads, including you. We need unions, even if they are corrupt, we have to have some kind of representation. If people supported unions more, we could probably reduce the corruption, but generally we are lazy and allow these institutions to take advantage of us, including government, and private owners.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 12:04 PM
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Originally posted by Unregistered
Good for them. I never hire Union members since they have too many demands. The lesser union applicants the HR department receives the better since some of them do pass through the screening process.


Of course you don't. Who the hell wants workers who have representation? Easier to screw your workers without one isn't it?

Of course workers have demands, why shouldn't they?

But of course it's all about you isn't it? Screw the community as it falls apart around you for lack of employment, or decent wages and working conditions. Exploit the worker until they're no longer needed because some other poor sod in another country will do your work for less money and poorer working conditions. Yeah lets turn the clock of worker development back 100 years.

With all due respect boss, screw you. Workers REFUSE to work without representation! It's us the worker who keep the world going, without our labour there would be nothing, the bosses would just sit around in their empty factories.

[edit on 1/24/2010 by ANOK]



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 12:31 PM
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reply to post by ANOK
 


Very true my brother. But if I look on CZ unions? I'm disgusted. We need to convert unions back to movement. Current institutionalized form of unions have little sense. I have heard about union of freelancers in New York - it was inspiring reading. Also many South American concepts are worth of study.
What is The trouble? Unions stopped fighting system per se. Same as Labor party - no more fighting for workers rights, most of "left-wingers" are corporations serves now.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 12:43 PM
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reply to post by zeddissad
 


Thanx, yep I agree.

But most people, it seems, when they see something that isn't working as it should, instead of fixing it, they want to do away with it completely.

The problem is the means of communication are owned by the bosses, so we always get their perspective in the media. The working classes have forgotten who they are and the power they once had.

In the media we get the biased one sided perspective of the private owner, because we the workers have no means of mass communication, except maybe the net but even here it seems the bosses perspective still rules due to social conditioning.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 01:11 PM
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Until my current job myself and my family have always been blue collar laborers. My father and my fathers father worked in plants. I worked in a warehouse. None of us were union. The only reason we ever switched jobs was because a union moved in and set up all these parameters and limitations on us. Sure, if you were the type of guy who just showed up, often drunk, and never aspired to be anything other than hands with a name the union was a godsend. If however you busted your ass and consistenly performed well above expectations and had been consistenly awarded for it year after year the union targeted you first for harassment while your employers hands were tied as to raising you pay and benefits because the union deemed it unfair.

Since I've been white collar I'm now on my third job. Having left the other two because of white collar unionization. I've repeatedly told my current employers the moment union talk rolls around I'm out.

They do just as much harm as they do good. Shops that mandate union membership are evil things run like mob families.

I'll never work at a union shop blue or white. I'm under enough extortion from the federal government as it is. Why would I want to be under union extortion at the workplace?


 
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posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 01:47 PM
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The main problem with unions now in the US is that they are not controlled by the workers. They do not have the workers best interest at heart. Sure you have elected officials from your job, but where does the real power lay? Every union official I've seen lives a lot better off than the workers. They have become an institution in and of themselves.



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 09:24 PM
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reply to post by hangedman13
 


This is all true, but did you read my post? What did I say about people who would rather just get rid of than fix?

Workers deserve representation, I don't care what you say. Unions in and of themselves are a necessity, if they fall into corruption it's because WE allowed them to and it's US that needs to take back the power.

Good for you thisguyrighthere, you are one of the VERY few, great for you buddy! Congrats! No one else matters, do they? I got what I wanted...


Of course you don't want a union whitecolarguyrightthere, you don't want your workers getting above their station causing you grief with all their demands for a good pay check and safe working conditions. You gave them a job, that's enough right? The 'job' creating hero you. Well done, we're all so proud.

Maybe if the unions were supported and not allowed to have fallen into corruption America would still have jobs...From what I hear Korea has plenty, #ty pay and conditions though, strangely we here still pay the same amount for the products now made there though, strange that...


[edit on 1/24/2010 by ANOK]



posted on Jan, 24 2010 @ 09:42 PM
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Of course I'm the boss. I would embrace the Union if I'm just an employee. I never liked representation one bit, that is unless I apply as an employee of some other company which will never happen of course.



posted on Jan, 25 2010 @ 01:20 AM
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reply to post by Unregistered
 


And this is why we need to end private ownership, so that there will no 'boss', per se, who has a different counter-motive to the rest of the employees.
In a collective the supervisors share in the profits made just as everyone does, no private owner with themselves as their main interest.
In other words no one person can claim rights to what the company makes and the right to distribute those profits as they see fit, this leads to unfair self interest where the boss, private owner, is in a position to manipulate the workplace, the market, and society to serve themselves at the expense of the communities it claims to serve.
The communities end up serving the 'private owner' and their right to life's resources are in the 'private owners' hands. This is not fair and this is not freedom.

It serves the private owner well, this is what the 'system' is all about, but it destroys communities as can be seen all around us.

Edit; oh yeah, and no need for UNIONS if there is no 'private owner'. In a collective there is no difference between workers and bosses, the final outcome is the same for all, so no self interest conflicts, all are working for the same goal, max profit for the company and thus themselves collectively. No need for mediation between worker and owner, all decisions are collectively reached. It's the 'private ownership' (Capitalism) that created the need for unions, welfare, and numerous other things blamed on socialism.

[edit on 1/25/2010 by ANOK]



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