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In Reply to: These facts are overwhelming posted by Observer on January 31, 2004 at 16:22:26:
It is all so mixed. Considering what we have discussed, it would seem that saving money (which we all want to do) causes an eventual pay cut on the other end (which we all don't want).
this is probably the second most interesting time to be involved in unions in our history. The first being when the modern unions were started.
Unions have a bad name in this country, and when you talk about them, people think of fat lazy men with their but crack peeking out of dirty jeans.
But, the fact is that the labor unions in this country are the only organized group working toward keeping high paying jobs and good benefits in the US. I know this is an odd thing for a Manager to say, but it is true.
That union jobs pay living wages and good benefits causes even non-union employers to offer better wages and benefits to their employees. If for no other reason than to prevent them from jumping ship, or worse yet, organizing.
In the Convention Industry, we are sort of protected. If you want to have an event in Southern California where we have things like Disneyland and good weather, you have to work with us. You can't have that same quality event in TJ.
But, most people don't know or care where their Ford car is assembled. Those nice people who used to make $25.00 per hour with health and pension benefits are now working for WalMart for $8.00 per hour. Nobody could do anything to protect those jobs once NAFTA came in.
14 years ago, I bought a brand new Ford Bronco for $20,000. It was assembled in the US by members of the United Auto Workers Union. A similar Ford SUV today, assembled in Mexico goes for over $30,000. So, in some cases, we aren't even getting lower prices. Just big American Corporations with big American greed taking advantage of the poor in the third world.
It is disgusting. I couldn't believe it when I read on that website about the Mexican Auto assembly crew trying to strike for better wages and conditions and they just shot a few of them, gave the rest a pay cut and put them back to work. That's the kind of stuff that Dickens got famous writing about, except it is hapening right now.
