I remember a unionization campaign at our local chicken processing plant several years ago. Most of the workers were Guatemalans brought in (legally) by the company. However, they were paid so little they could not survive on their salaries. They could not search for better work because nobody else would hire them. Those who complained were summarily fired – with no money to go home and no money to live on, they had to survive on the help of their already struggling compatriots. When they eventually tried to unionized with the help of a couple of churches and the local high school Spanish teacher, more were fired, the churches were vilified in the press, and the Spanish teacher received multiple death threats. Oh, did I mention that they were allowed to live in only one part of town (which the company owned and “rented” to them. It was a run down trailer park. Unions, like companies, can do a bad job. But the need for them is very real – and when done right, they can work very well for both laborers and management. My father was management in a factory and got along very well with union workers. But the knee-jerk anti-union reflex is just plain ludicrous.
Usually, when a unionized company goes bad, it isn’t just the union. When a company treats its non union help worse than its union help, pretty soon, it’s “every man for himself.” They try to get the most money out before the plant closes. They think up “make work” jobs for themselves and the Hell with the company.When the workers get treated worse than dogs, it is no wonder they don’t care about the company.
There was a union drive at the local company that makes switches and clocksprings for autos. Those most opposed were the ones that had worked for a nearby shuttered IH plant that had the same union. Said that all they did was take our dues and never did anything for us!
You are sadly mistaken. I live in a right to work state and the only rights workers here have to is the right of the company to fire you for any or no reason. That is the true meaning of right to work, the company has all the rights and the workers have the right to be maltreated however and whenever it suits the company. Unions were the only protection we had and Reagan took care that little problem for the plutocrats.
And last I checked, teachers, policemen and firemen are not axe-wielding maniacs. You’ve mistaken them for the Republicans, who are taking one to the social safety net.
Thank you cdward, for setting the record straight. The plutocrats would like nothing better than to return to the days of the company store and demonizing unions is one good way to go about it. Apparently, thirty years of right-wing propaganda have had their effect, unfortunately.
I find it interesting that those “Right-to-Work” folks, who object to paying Union dues as a condition of employment (Union shop), have NO TROUBLE with accepting the Union-scale wages and union negotiated benefits, paid holidays, vacations, sick days, etc. that they would not have without the Union…and then complain about “Freeloaders” on “MY stolen-frum-my-back-pocket Tax-Munny !” – I know a few of ’em.
ratlum about 11 years ago
This could cause a real problem .Get the royal problem solver.?
ratlum about 11 years ago
Maybe a good spell on these varmits.
2252895 about 11 years ago
Sweep’em under the rug.
Aussie Down Under about 11 years ago
Will this affect Disney?
johnt204 about 11 years ago
Where’s Mickey?
bkybl Premium Member about 11 years ago
If they’re on strike, why are they still carrying water?
cdward about 11 years ago
I remember a unionization campaign at our local chicken processing plant several years ago. Most of the workers were Guatemalans brought in (legally) by the company. However, they were paid so little they could not survive on their salaries. They could not search for better work because nobody else would hire them. Those who complained were summarily fired – with no money to go home and no money to live on, they had to survive on the help of their already struggling compatriots. When they eventually tried to unionized with the help of a couple of churches and the local high school Spanish teacher, more were fired, the churches were vilified in the press, and the Spanish teacher received multiple death threats. Oh, did I mention that they were allowed to live in only one part of town (which the company owned and “rented” to them. It was a run down trailer park. Unions, like companies, can do a bad job. But the need for them is very real – and when done right, they can work very well for both laborers and management. My father was management in a factory and got along very well with union workers. But the knee-jerk anti-union reflex is just plain ludicrous.
green8019 about 11 years ago
Walmart is only unionized in Europe………
sbchamp about 11 years ago
Swellonion rant
Saturday's Child about 11 years ago
Unions ARE a good thing, but they need to be run by honest men, not the greedy or the Mafia. cdward is right.
route66paul about 11 years ago
Usually, when a unionized company goes bad, it isn’t just the union. When a company treats its non union help worse than its union help, pretty soon, it’s “every man for himself.” They try to get the most money out before the plant closes. They think up “make work” jobs for themselves and the Hell with the company.When the workers get treated worse than dogs, it is no wonder they don’t care about the company.
edstephens74 about 11 years ago
Time for some illegally imported brooms Wiz
tuslog64 about 11 years ago
There was a union drive at the local company that makes switches and clocksprings for autos. Those most opposed were the ones that had worked for a nearby shuttered IH plant that had the same union. Said that all they did was take our dues and never did anything for us!
alise.duhon about 11 years ago
@cubefarmer:
You are sadly mistaken. I live in a right to work state and the only rights workers here have to is the right of the company to fire you for any or no reason. That is the true meaning of right to work, the company has all the rights and the workers have the right to be maltreated however and whenever it suits the company. Unions were the only protection we had and Reagan took care that little problem for the plutocrats.
And last I checked, teachers, policemen and firemen are not axe-wielding maniacs. You’ve mistaken them for the Republicans, who are taking one to the social safety net.
Thank you cdward, for setting the record straight. The plutocrats would like nothing better than to return to the days of the company store and demonizing unions is one good way to go about it. Apparently, thirty years of right-wing propaganda have had their effect, unfortunately.
potrerokid about 11 years ago
“Right to work state” = oxymoron!!!!! It just means that you’re doing the employers a favor for allowing you to do a job for them!!!!!
potrerokid about 11 years ago
And, you must have an interest in slave labor, it seems!
Steve_The_Beard about 11 years ago
If the brooms being unionized is a problem, then just ionize them again.
JP Steve Premium Member about 11 years ago
Wow! I didn’t think there were that many union supporters left — good on you!
The Fly Hunter about 11 years ago
What’s a campain?
Robert C. Premium Member about 11 years ago
I find it interesting that those “Right-to-Work” folks, who object to paying Union dues as a condition of employment (Union shop), have NO TROUBLE with accepting the Union-scale wages and union negotiated benefits, paid holidays, vacations, sick days, etc. that they would not have without the Union…and then complain about “Freeloaders” on “MY stolen-frum-my-back-pocket Tax-Munny !” – I know a few of ’em.
loner34 about 11 years ago
Without unions greedy businesses go bad.Without some controls unions get greedy. (Union bosses that is)
AmyGrantfan51774 about 11 years ago
leave politics out of the freakin’ comics will ya????!!!!!!
AmyGrantfan51774 about 11 years ago
what’s worse in the comics, politics or Cialis???!!..in today’s Garfield someone said Jon was staring at Liz to see if his Cialis was working