DU this poll: "Are labor unions still relevant in today’s working world?"

[TheMightyFavog]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=GPGopinion

Yes: 45.8%

No 46.7%

Not Sure: 7.6%

[Mythsaje]

1. It's scary that the percentages are shaking out that way...

Do 50% of people REALLY believe we don't need organized labor?

[TheMightyFavog]

2. It's a symptom of listening to too much Limbaught, IMHO.

The right wing hate radio jocks keep spewing that kind of anti-union bullshit out.

[Mythsaje]

3. I don't think his listening audience is THAT large...n/t

[Selatius]

4. People have forgotten the abuse that bosses inflicted on workers.

In many industries, the only reason wages are as high as they are is because of the presence of a labor union in that industry, even if that labor union is not in your immediate area. The wages are as high as they are in order to discourage unionization, but if that labor union is destroyed, there is no future for wage gains in that industry because then employers would begin applying downward pressure on wages such that wage gains no longer keep up with inflation.

[Mythsaje]

5. It's funny...

I get annoyed with co-workers and especially my best friend for skipping breaks. As I've said in the past--people DIED to give you that break. Not taking it is disrespectful.

Maybe it's because I'm as well-read as I am, or because I remember seeing a Joe Hill movie when I was VERY young. I KNOW how hard people fought to get what little we have left.

I don't ALWAYS think a labor union is necessary in EVERY business--there are good employers and situations where another layer between the employer and employee isn't conducive to good relations...especially when it costs the employees more than it's worth.

But I damn well know it's necessary in industries where abuse is commonplace and easy to find.

[Journeyman]

6. I believe Labor Unions serve a purpose even when "unnecessary". . .

There are good employers and labor-friendly work environments, but I believe those situations are created -- in part -- by the possibility of unionization.

In my own experience, until I started my own business, the threat of unionizing kept management honest. Without it, I know the owners would have rode roughshod over wages and benefits (they told me as much in our management meetings). So even where active unions aren't immediately necessary, union activities elsewhere are a necessary element to influence and keep management honest.

And like you, Mythsaje, I'm easily angered by ignorant fools who don't understand the sacrifices that were made for them to live the comfy lives they don't appreciate.

[mrcheerful]

7. Having grown up in a GM family and been around union workers for the past 50

years find it amusing that the biggest anti-union people I met were in fact union workers. They whinned and bitched that the union did nothing for them, that by belonging to the union gave them no benefits and they had to pay union dues. Yet these same people skipped union meetings, didn't vote on most union issues and when told they could opt out of the union they made excuses on why they couldn't or wouldn't opt out. What they really were saying was unions were bad for other people but it was ok for them. As a side note, the majority of them also belonged to fundy type religions.

[Selatius]

20. I ran into a fool like that working for Disney in Orlando.

We got onto the topic of labor unions, and I said workers have a right to unionize anywhere where they feel it should be brought, and he said, "Why would you go and do that in a business that isn't yours?" At the time, I had no response, but if I had come up with the answer at the time, I would have said, "Because an employer is nothing without his employees, and that if he whips his workers constantly, he deserves to suffer the consequences of an angry work force."

Edit: For the record, Disney claims to be family-friendly, but the way they treat their workers belies their propaganda. They're just as cold and cruel to their workers as any Fortune 100 company, and the few labor unions that haven't been crushed by Michael Eisner's "purge pogroms" are now fairly weak. Then again, it's not like the company was ever union friendly. Walt Disney detested labor unions and leftists of any stripe.

[TexasProgresive]

13. That's how I see it too.

It's like vacination. If a large proportion of a population is vacinated the individuals not vacinated are offered a vicarious protection.

[UrbScotty]

29. Hell I'm surprised there were that many Yes votes (nt)

[madokie]

8. 47% yes with 812 total votes

[Beerboy]

9. The company I work for sure seems to think so.

:)

[SalmonChantedEvening]

10. Done.

47.4% yes

45.5% no

7.1% uncertain

[ngant17]

11. anytime labor can be organized for the common good

it will be the most efficient way of accomplishing tasks.

People who are responsible for the most productive part of labor, when they are allow to control the way the work schedule is organized, they will tend to create the best conditions in the work environment.

Management shouldn't be separate from organized labor, they should be an integral part of it.

[flyarm]

12. just voted yes! lets DU this poll please!!...this is what *hes North American Union is about

killing US unions!!

and the US labor force!

please get that poll up on the yes column!!

fly..a lifelong union member!

[andlor]

14. done

[MethuenProgressive]

15. So, if we "DU" it, the poll will be more acurate? Honest? Truthful?

Gotta say this "DUing" has always struck me as misguided.
Well intentioned? Yes. Meaningful? Nope.
(I was vote #857)

[pnorman]

28. It's relatively "honest" at any rate.

Most such polls institute safeguards against egregious multiple-voting. But I recall a posting over at Freek Republic, about "Hey,let's go over and FREEP that poll!". They openly boasted about using "Perl scripts" that get around those safeguards, and let them cast as many votes as their "consciences" permit.

As a STAUNCH unionist, I too voted. I couldn't look myself in the mirror otherwise.

pnorman

[treestar]

16. Really sad, and if fact, labor needs international ones

Now that the corporations can go wherever they want in the world in search of the cheapest labor.

[Senator]

17. K&R&D

[BlueCollar]

18. done

yes : 48%
no : 45%
uncertain : 6%

[Vidar]

19. done 48% yes-45% no.

[Mugu]

21. Done. n/t

[WillyT]

22. Done !!! - K & R !!!

:kick:

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. If they aren't, they should be. Do we Americans never learn from our mistakes?

:banghead:

[upi402]

24. yes 48%,

[blondeatlast]

25. 48% yes. nt

[BlooInBloo]

26. Are they? Not very. Should they be? Yes, very....

... I suspect that dichotomy is the reason for the split.


EDIT: Hell, even DUers aren't terribly supportive of labor.

[TroubleMan]

27. They're more relevent than they've ever been since the early 1900's.

If they're any time we need a resurgence of unions, it's now - worldwide.