Help me rebut this. Re: Ohio's anti union bill.

[ceile]

I made a comment that I don't understand how 350,000 workers, teachers and firefighters included, could be hung out to dry.

"Economics. Unions had a place...70 years ago. They are no longer needed at all. They continue to suck industries, private and public, dry. I have watched it for years. It's funny when people don't look at the entire benefit some receive - salary, pension, health/life insurance, LTD/STD. It all adds up to a lot of money."

[rucky]

1. Corporations are showing record profits

Meanwhile, real wages & benefits for the middle class have been stagnant.

The only crisis here is one of corporate greed. Not only are they trying to welch on pilfered pensions promised 20 years ago - we're being asked to make up for shortfalls produced because the people and companies who are benefiting in this economy are being handed tax breaks and record bonuses. They will continue to take more and offer their workers less for as long and as much as they can get away with it. Meanwhile our standard of living dwindles to third-world levels.

If that's not an atmosphere that calls for more workers rights and more democracy in the workplace, than I don't know what it.

[JDPriestly]

2. The problem is the disparity in incomes between rich and poor.

There is plenty for all, but too much money and too many assets are in the control of a very tiny percentage of the people.

Actually, the salary, pension, health/life insurance, LTD/STD does not amount to much at all for the average worker especially in this age of zero job security.

[county worker]

3. Corporations pay little or no taxes and have record profits, add it up and it's billions!

Don't try to defend against their talking points. Give them one of our talking points, change the subject!

[ceile]

4. I know, I know!

I actually thought I had "unfriended" him during all the AZ immigration stuff. He's one of those "I don't hate Mexicans! See I speak Spanish, so I can't be a hypocrite."

[sinkingfeeling]

5. You know, I still have the 'agreement' I signed in 1973 when I went to work for IBM. It

clearly states that my pension (based on salary and years worked) is 'deferred compensation' and that IBM would pay for my medical insurance after I reached retirement (30 years or more). And then in 1994, they decided to change the way retirement was calculated and in 1999 they decided to scrap pension funds and go with 401Ks. They also scrapped paying for retirees' health insurance. I, amazingly, did reach retirement with about 20% less than what I was promised.

We older employees did sue the company and regained very little. And the unions have been attempting to sign up IBM employees ever since.

Apparently, your friend believes it's alright for corporations to lie to their employees and I don't think their being sucked dry. Profits for many corporations including all of the oil companies were at their highest ever in 2010.