Here in Hawaii, there is a lot of stockpiling of canned goods and toilet paper. We are deeply affected by this sort of thing since 90% of our goods are imported. Additionally, my livelyhood will be directly affected since our MDX, TL and CLs all come from the west coast. RSX, RL and NSX come here directly from Japan so these will not be affected. This really sucks and after the downturn of tourism after 9/11, our states economy is on VERY shaky ground. The dock strike even means we cannot get coffee and pineapples to the market taking away another revenue source.

 

I really hate unions! These people force their wages so high that the employers can't afford them anymore (basically prices themselves out of a job) and then complain about it!! Unions only promote inefficiency and overpriced products. I wish companies would start standing up to them and take them down a notch or two.

 

unions

 

Even if you are not a union member, you people owe every thing you take for granted about safe and secure working conditions to american organized labor. It was the labor unions' efforts that brought you the five day/40 hour work week, worker's compensation, overtime pay, and protection from discriminatory hiring practices. These minimal protections spill over to everyone, even if you are not a union member.

I find it amazing how many people piss on Unions and then leave work at 5pm with smiles on their faces. I promise you that if you were living in a world without Unions, you would not find it much to your liking.

 

There was a time when unions were necessary. I think we are past that for the most part.

CBeyond-I own my own business, and rarely ever leave work before 10 pm. I work my ass off and some of my jobs force me to be involved with union labor. THEY are the ones that are overpaid and underworked.

Your union speak is all fine and good, but if you want to see a smile on a union workers face...don't wait until 5 pm because they will have been long gone.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rjm161
[B]There was a time when unions were necessary.

 

I've also owned several businesses in my entrepreneurial career. I would never enter a market where I would be forced to take on union labor (or where there is a very powerful union). Given the current state of government regulations of worker rights, unions are completely unnecessary.

The free market says that if someone else is willing to do the job just as well as you are, but cheaper, they should get the job. That's how companies earn or lose business, and I don't see why that shouldn't apply to workers as well. Unions breed laziness, sloth and shoddy work. I'm hard pressed to think of any industry where unions are strong (and gov't intervention low) that isn't hurt (IMO) by unions.

To keep this car related, note that Honda's US plants are not unionized, and I think they do pretty damn good work, and the employees I've talked to seem pretty happy.

UL

Oh, and longshoremen get paid way too much. Most of them work in relatively low risk jobs with minimal hours (as pointed out). The jobs are so lucrative and cherry, that many people will do anything to become a longshoreman.

 

What union "leaders" are worried about today boil down to 2 words... PENSION FUNDS. There is a LOT of pocket stuffing going on there and they don't want it to change. Of course the workers are always on board because they get to do less work for more pay, while hurting their employer. Some people think corporations exist to supply people jobs. NO! corporations exist to make money, and if it's employees become more of a liability than an asset it will either close doors or go out of business! To me, the healthier my employer is the more money I make and the more secure my job is (which makes ME healthier)

But hey... I REALLY like unions! Living down here in South Carolina I have seen LOTS of northern and western manufacturing companies come to the relatively union-free Southeast and making our economy much better. Thanks guys!!

 

Excellent reply untimate_lurker!! BMW-USA isn't unionized either. Their employees LOVE their employers!

BTW: if I was a logistics professional for a pacific-rim company you better bet that I would be looking HARD at Mexican ports right now!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CBeyond
[B]Even if you are not a union member, you people owe every thing you take for granted about safe and secure working conditions to american organized labor.