But, the unions protect them after they’ve been hired and turn bad.

I’ve been at the VP level in several companies. Now gladly retired. Do you really think the CEO gives a damn about whether your family is in good shape? Nope. He only cares about the bottom line and the resulting stock price. Earnings per share is the biggest criteria and his and only his criteria. He, not you and me, is held accountable for the profitability by the shareholders.

The Executives reporting to him must have the same outlook.

Employees are one of the factors of production just as are sales and other related expenses(cost of goods sold).

I’ve owned my own business and have had to cut expenses due to market pressures. Never enjoyable.

Knowing the pressures on the top Executives to stay prosperous I believe union have their place.

By adding more pressure to stay prosperous? Nothing prosperous about parasites feeding on the host.

I've never met anyone that was a hard worker and wanted to advance their career say unions are a good thing.

Shoulda been a poll. Bet it woulda been pretty lopsided.

I was a union member in the fire service for 34 years. In all those years we only had one employee that was not a member and it was due to him having a family member involved with politics or he would have. He did contribute to our local pack fund. Without the union would not have had the equipment, safety, and pay that we did otherwise. I would not have near the health, quality of life, and retirement I do today without it. Not to mention the good done by the charitable activities and funds our local provided to the pubic. It was a good thing, but it is different than other labor unions. For example public safety employees are prohibited from striking. And with near 100% union membership there is no union/non union discord between groups. But I do understand the frustration others have with many other types of labor unions. I am sure mine was not perfect either, but I never heard anyone complain.

"Union people" are part of the ever-growing populous that believe they deserve XYZ instead of earning it. Instead of paying dues to an organization that does not have their best interest, why not just find a better employer? Maybe do some research before jumping on to a ship. If a place is bad enough to need the laborers to organize, it's likely a bad place to work.

Do unions make good people bad or do bad people form unions to start? There is a manufacturing facility nearby with a union presence (the only one around I know of) and you can nearly guarantee getting into an accident at 5:01 PM every day because they stack up at the time clock to go home and drive like maniacs. One guy I know that works there parks in the same place every day, backed into a one-way spot the wrong way because it points straight at the parking lot exit, and is in his truck driving away at 5:00 sharp (the factory is on a road I travel at 5:00 on Thursdays). If he were doing his job until quitting time, how'd he clock out and get in his truck AT quitting time. Small example but it shows the mentality of "someone owes me _____".



You tell me. You brought it up.

What are you talking about? Your question was, "Wonder if you know how much a normal auto tech makes if he's been in the business for over 30 years, is top 10 in the zone by Mark of Excellence rating, and better than 300 in the nation?"

I didn't bring this up, you did.

Union employees get the stereotype of being worthless or lazy. I’m in agreement to an extent as to their are bad and good. People/workers in general can be worthless or lazy as well. I think forum members would be surprised how many people they talk to or have met on here that are union employees…

Why do you think it is that we haven't had any responses from union members making the case for how great unions are for our country?

Union workers are too busy working to respond

I’m a very active union member, some of y’all already know this……

I’m not changing anyone’s mind.

Keep spewing your ignorance.

I knew I could count on you!

And now I know one person that's in a labor union and does good work.

Dave, what you say is true but the free market decides on how the employee compensated. Not paid enough with the right benefits or treated with respect and the person moves to greener pastures. He is not tied down. The company knows it has to compete and adjusts accordingly.

TBar, Agree on free market. You’d kinda right. However, once an employee hits a certain age, they become almost unemployable due to higher health insurance costs. A guy over 50 has an uphill battle unless he has very unique and scarce skills.

Get hurt on an assembly line and, unless you have other skills, you are probably toast.

There’s no EEOC for old or crippled up white guys.

You're right, I changed companies at the age of 58 and 28 years with the same company. Got the targeted job with the targeted company I wanted to work for.

We had a POA labor organization but I wanted nothing to do with it. As a condition of employment we had a no strike, no slowdown no lockout agreement.

So Boeing goes on strike and shuts down production of a new commercial jet. You have any idea what the average worker makes?

The machinists make $75,608 per year on average, not counting overtime, and that would have risen to $106,350 by the end of the proposed four-year contract, according to Boeing.

And the 737 max is a train wreck.

What would a new pickup cost us if it wasn’t for the union?

Then take off all the costs of regulation, taxes, and fees…..probably about 25-30% of what they cost now…

I don’t have any issues with registration fees but when I buy a vehicle from an individual and then get hit for sales tax is BS.

Your government at work, and this is both parties...

Probably my biggest gripe with county and state governments. Buy a used vehicle and pay full price sales tax, over and over again, on the same product!!! Stupid!!!

I made both of these points already but that's okay because there are like-minded people here.

Not the employer's fault. Why do they then have to pay more for an old guy that can't work? All that happens is the extra cost is sent straight to the consumer. It's very democratic, dare I say socialist to make the employer take the hit for a guy that can't work due to age. It's called the way it is. Any attempt to overcome nature is futile. I'll be 50 in a couple weeks so...