I never trusted government. No matter who was in office. Now unions I trusted

[NNN0LHI]

Maybe that is the answer here? Perhaps people need to start unionizing? I know it isn't an easy thing to do. But nothing worthwhile is.

Its the only way I can see for the working person to get treated with any dignity and respect. And it is the only way to avoid having someone else always being willing to scab your work for a little less money.

But we would have to work together and be prepared to respect and support other unions. Its a two-way street. Stand together or hang together.

When union membership was growing the middle class was growing. When unions began dwindling in membership the wealthy just kept getting richer and richer. Do you see the connection?

When I was going to school large corporations came and recruited graduates right out of high school into well paying jobs. The kind of job you could support a family on with one paycheck. A union job. Don't see that any more do you? Just the army is in our high schools recruiting our kids these days.

Don

[Laelth]

1. It was unionization that allowed the General Strike of 1926 in the U.K.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926_United_Kingdom_general_strike

Unionization is essential to a strong middle class. We can not expect the Democratic Party to protect us.

:dem:

-Laelth

[The2ndWheel]

2. Unions have strength when place means something

In an increasingly placeless world, where your job can be done by anyone, where your job can be done anywhere, unions can't have the same place at the table. Unless unions also become placeless, by becoming global in scope, like corporations. Governments are larger in scale than unions, however governments are still regionally based, which is why they can't stop international corporations either.

As long as you as an individual are not needed, and you're really not in our current reality, unions won't have much power. Which doesn't make sense, since unions are about collective power. But whether it's because of automation, or cheaper labor somewhere else, or whatever other standard, if the job can be done with or without you, what value do you have? Your presence is irrelevant. Until that changes, however that changes, unionizing won't mean much.

[varelse]

3. I grew up reading about (and being lectured about) the Teamsters union

so I learned that some unions are corrupt and dangerous. My dad was a union steward for a union that was worthy of trust, so I also learned that some unions can be forces for justice.

[life_long_dem]

4. I agree, but in a bad economy it's pretty tough to organize.

I'm a union electrician. My local has organized many people over the years. But, unless the economy is
booming and you can put a newly organized person to work, it's hard to convince a non-union person to quit their job. I work in new construction, mostly commercial and industrial. I have 20 years in the union. The first 17 years I was never laid off, the last 3 years have been slow.

So, until the economy really turns around, I'm afraid that union membership is not going to increase.

Have a great day.

[NNN0LHI]

6. But we have had just as many recoveries as recessions yet union membership has continued to dwindle

When the economy improves I think people get complacent. They don't worry about the next generation of American worker any more.

Don

[life_long_dem]

7. Then what is the answer? If people don't want to join a union,

in good times or bad, unions need to rethink the way they organize.

I went to a trade school for commercial and industrial wiring. My instructor never once mentioned joining a union as an option after I graduated. I'm not sure why.

Any ideas on how to increase union membership?

[NNN0LHI]

8. If people continue to rely on government and not organize we will continue down the same path

A path to lot of disappointment and not much else.

I don't know what the answer is? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Don

[lonestarnot]

5. In my opinion, this is one of the answers in addition to education.