What happened to the unions?

Originally posted by RABiam
...

... If I got out of college would I go make $17.00 in an office or around $28.00 an hour as a server. ...

WOW. I knew American workers were underpaid, but I didnt know that even graduates and white collar workers make so little. What is the average yearly income in the US? here its about $50,000 pa.

Just as an example, here in AU, a kid in McDonalds would make about $17 per hour (currency is about the same value at the moment).

We do need more skilled workers (in IT especially), and the weather is nice. Come on down!

un fortunatley i am in a union. the whole fair wages and work place safety issues are no longer relevant. it is all politics and money. i actually got in an argument with a union steward a couple of years ago, he kept saying that i should be thankful to be in the union, i believe that unions are destroying a competetive working enviroment , and are a contributing factor in the off shoring of jobs.the only thing that i have seen my union do is to send out fliers on who i should vote for, nothing else.

Originally posted by cartenz

Originally posted by RABiam
...

... If I got out of college would I go make $17.00 in an office or around $28.00 an hour as a server. ...

WOW. I knew American workers were underpaid, but I didnt know that even graduates and white collar workers make so little. What is the average yearly income in the US? here its about $50,000 pa.

Just as an example, here in AU, a kid in McDonalds would make about $17 per hour (currency is about the same value at the moment).

We do need more skilled workers (in IT especially), and the weather is nice. Come on down!

Believe it or not, most Americans such as myself, are pretty much stuck for the most part. Couldn't afford a plane ticket to Aussie if i wanted it...which i do I have a college degree and I only make $34,000....but of course my degree is worthless and i bartend. I do have a few friends with degrees that make $17.00, i did pull that number from somewhere. But i also have a friend, graduated from my same #ty school with worse grades that makes close to 70k a year. Its all who you know, and hell that doesnt guarantee much these days either....jobs are tough to come by

reply to post by bjax9er


Unions are a product of capitalism. So that is just entirely wrong.

In a socialist economy the workers would own the means of production, aka the shop and the materials within it.. They would set their own wages, their own benefits, their own everything.

Unions exist because capitalists abuse their workers.

reply to post by cartenz


Most college graduates don't even make &17.00 an hour.

U.S. median income fell to $26,364. The U.S. annual median wage fell to $26,364.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

Just as an example, here in AU, a kid in McDonalds would make about $17 per hour (currency is about the same value at the moment).

All McDonalds workers here make minimum wage, which is around 7.50 (but it depends on the state).

Originally posted by RABiam

Originally posted by cartenz

Originally posted by RABiam
...

... If I got out of college would I go make $17.00 in an office or around $28.00 an hour as a server. ...

WOW. I knew American workers were underpaid, but I didnt know that even graduates and white collar workers make so little. What is the average yearly income in the US? here its about $50,000 pa.

Just as an example, here in AU, a kid in McDonalds would make about $17 per hour (currency is about the same value at the moment).

We do need more skilled workers (in IT especially), and the weather is nice. Come on down!

Believe it or not, most Americans such as myself, are pretty much stuck for the most part. Couldn't afford a plane ticket to Aussie if i wanted it...which i do

I have a college degree and I only make $34,000....but of course my degree is worthless and i bartend. I do have a few friends with degrees that make $17.00, i did pull that number from somewhere. But i also have a friend, graduated from my same #ty school with worse grades that makes close to 70k a year. Its all who you know, and hell that doesnt guarantee much these days either....jobs are tough to come by

Some migrant workers I have worked with were given a relocation allowance--very common on the west coast because we're so isolated.

May I ask what your degree/major was?

Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by cartenz

 

Most college graduates don't even make &17.00 an hour.

U.S. median income fell to $26,364. The U.S. annual median wage fell to $26,364.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

Just as an example, here in AU, a kid in McDonalds would make about $17 per hour (currency is about the same value at the moment).

All McDonalds workers here make minimum wage, which is around 7.50 (but it depends on the state).

Minimum wage for an over 21 is $15, and the reason is because of our strong unions. Thats really what I was getting at, people like my grandad and my dad picketing for a livable wage.

One thing I didnt consider is that everything is a LOT more expensive here compared to the states, so its a trade off. In the eastern states living expenses are not as high, but they dont have the awesome weather we have in the west

EDIT: McDonalds pay over minimum wage (dont know about under 21's) because they just cant get people to work there except teenagers. But you cant get people for most jobs here, major skills shortage. I quit a job at one government agency on the second of last month and have been offered it back 3 times because they just cant find someone, I dont want it back so if you know a web developer with a working visa???

Originally posted by cartenz

May I ask what your degree/major was?

I have a PoliSci/PreLaw degree with a minor in Criminal Justice. I could take my butt to law school like i originally intended but somehow, I just know that I'm in for something bigger. Patience has always been the virtue I lacked, but recently, I find myself growing incredibly patient, with everything and thats strange to those that know me! My fuse has always been one of the shortest and I always imagined that once I conquered my patience, I would truly understand my path. I was never allowed to reach gateway to the path, because patience was a prerequisite that I had to learn. But now that I have patience and can see the path, I understand the next logical progression for me is to become the path.

that didnt go where ya thought huh?

Peace,

Rab Iam

Originally posted by RABiam

Originally posted by cartenz

May I ask what your degree/major was?

I have a PoliSci/PreLaw degree with a minor in Criminal Justice. I could take my butt to law school like i originally intended but somehow, I just know that I'm in for something bigger. Patience has always been the virtue I lacked, but recently, I find myself growing incredibly patient, with everything and thats strange to those that know me! My fuse has always been one of the shortest and I always imagined that once I conquered my patience, I would truly understand my path. I was never allowed to reach gateway to the path, because patience was a prerequisite that I had to learn. But now that I have patience and can see the path, I understand the next logical progression for me is to become the path.

that didnt go where ya thought huh?

Peace,

Rab Iam

I had no expectations on the nature of the response, but you seem to have a good outlook on life. If you know you are in for something bigger, then it will be. I can add nothing more

Im a member in A F of M Local 5, AFSCME Local 1583 and PPAN Local 102...so my take goes back to 1967 when I joined the 1st Union. Contract or not: they just cant be afforded anymore by the large companies contracted for.

Folks got a raise, bought a better car-house whatever...And now the contractors are coming back during negoiations with "We know you were contracted for X$$$$$ an hour and great benefits, sick and vacation time...but we cant HONOR or afford those anymore. You have to take cuts."

Right now, Im working on a 30 day extension for over 17 months without a new or renewed contract. They wont agree to anything...so our contract rolls into another 30 day ext. No one's paid any dues for those months and any temp on-call new-hire has paid no initiation dues either.

They can extend this every month forever, until we break. And even though we dont need them...our contractor-employer keeps sending newbies here for training. We think they are preparing to do anyway completey with the rest of us by balancing the scales into 50-50. Those whove paid dues...and those who never even paid initiaion fees.

We are there now....