Unions Destroying American Middle Class (IMO)

[ttriber]

I have this urge to lash out about certain Unions that are really screwing us up and the jobs are being given to other countries for cheaper labor while these damn Unions keep on fighting for more and more money when they know that the company does'nt have all the money the Unions think they have. Just working inside of a Public School is why I have come up with the mindset that the problem isn't the people but it is the Unions who keep on going about $$. I know the cost of living has gone up but what about If that job was shipped to a foreign country and you were basically left high and dry because some silly union wanted more money and you were living happily before these Unions stepped in. It's a growing problem and If we don't stop it our middle class will vanquish in the next 20-30 years. We will be left with the educated rich people and the uneducated who will be the poor. Now If you don't agree please give me a good reason to say yes to Unions?

[lily]

It doesn't make sense blaming the unions for jobs going overseas. They don't get union dues from people that aren't in the union.

As for the union demanding more and more money, better benefits, better working conditions, ect..........that's their job.

There is also a reason why people get fired for trying to get unions in.

I'm not sure what education has to do with being either educated or rich or poor?

[Stoner]

Despite being a business owner I'm extremely pro-union. It's a perfect balance.

[sbannon]

There are certainly pros and cons to everything in this world, including unions. However, ranting about unions sending jobs overseas is like blaming the ketchup because your Big Mac tastes like cardboard... the last thing unions want is jobs leaving the country.

You mentioned working in a Public School, so I have to assume you're targeting Teacher's unions with that? If so, I'd ask you the same question I ask everyone who complains about Teacher's unions and their taxes paying for schools, "since teachers are the primary care givers for a third of our children's lives, and also the educators from whom our kids will get the skills and knowledge to either succeed in life or not... shouldn't they earn at-least as much as the person who drives a bus or delivers the mail?"

I know some teachers do very well, there's a lot of disparity in the profession, but the majority don't really earn a decent wage (compared to the bus driver or mail man) until they have a dozen or more years under their belts--so, as bad as some have it today, how bad would it be for them without unions fighting on their side? Who would actually enter that field then?

[PatrickHenry]

What's your job, triber?

And how would a teaching job be sent overseas?

[firefox]

Unions are a problem when they get ties to government, as many have (the NIE for example, as well as IBEW and the UAW). Unions can be useful for negotiation purposes for both employees and employers, but the problem is when they become de facto labor cartels by lobbying for special treatment that cuts out the competition for labor.

[Asrael]

I have this urge to lash out about certain Unions that are really screwing us up and the jobs are being given to other countries for cheaper labor while these damn Unions keep on fighting for more and more money when they know that the company does'nt have all the money the Unions think they have. Just working inside of a Public School is why I have come up with the mindset that the problem isn't the people but it is the Unions who keep on going about $$. I know the cost of living has gone up but what about If that job was shipped to a foreign country and you were basically left high and dry because some silly union wanted more money and you were living happily before these Unions stepped in. It's a growing problem and If we don't stop it our middle class will vanquish in the next 20-30 years. We will be left with the educated rich people and the uneducated who will be the poor. Now If you don't agree please give me a good reason to say yes to Unions?


Your post do not make sense.

Today, the rich is the education ones, the the majority of americans are very uneducated. To be totally honest, even the "educated ones" know quite little (knowledge -> Education) compared to the other western nations of the world.

To the first part of your post, Unions have nothing to do with jobs going overseas. They are oging overseas because other countries can supply better then in the U.S.

China can do the same job cheaper, same in India etcetera, simply put, They are better ar Capitalism then You are. You seem angry/jealous that they are superior, to bad, thats life, accept it, move to China (wonderful country).


Regarding Unions, i am a bit on and off about it. They are a good concept, but in certain countries (generally the most superior nations in the world, which are the Northern European ones) they act a bit overkill. In the U.S, they should have a bit "better" power, but still restricted. Considering the minimum wage was around 4,5 US $ last time i asked (i spke to several employees at McDonalds), and in comparision, you get around 15 US $ (no matter what skin color you had, as it was in the U.S they told me).


In any case, Capitalism is "destroying the middle class", nothing else. You are not good enough to keep up with the world.

[firefox]

How is "capitalism" destroying the middle class? What is your definition of "capitalism" to start with.

[April15]

At one time the Samuel Gompers unionism was needed in this nation. I am a union man and prefer union workers to non. But when the union hall is empty I go with what is out there.
The union workers are much more skilled than the non most every time.