Dave Smith wrote:

> On 2021-04-27 10:04 p.m., Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> > On 4/27/2021 9:26 PM, Dr. Bruce wrote:
> > > Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> > > > If I was born into the 1930s working class I'd be a union
> > > > organizer but when I hit the workforce I'd never join one and
> > > > pay the thugs. I had a front row seat dealing with them for
> > > > about 17 years.
> > >
> > > Without unions, everybody who's not rich would be fu... fu...
> > > stuffed.
> > >
> >
> > Yes, but their time has passed and the unions are as big a thief
> > today as the company was back then.Â* They have steadily been
> > losing ground. I've been at the negotiating table.
>
> It's a strange business. I will point out that union positions are
> filled democratically. It is unfortunate that more reasonable people
> leave it to others to do the union work and leave it to the radicals
> and the skuzbuckets.
>
> I had my eyes opened at a union demand setting meeting back about
> 1980. One of the issues that came up was maternity leave. There was
> already maternity leave and women could collect unemployment
> insurance for a period of time. The women at the meeting were pushing
> for paid maternity leave and when it came to a vote on the issues to
> be included in negotioations, all the women voted for it. The men did
> not and it didn't pass. The next one to be voted on was unpaid
> paternity leave. The guys figured it was a good idea and it was not
> going to cost the employer much, so they voted for it. The women were
> ****ed off about their paid maternity leave being rejected so they
> voted against it.

I remember a union trying to move in on a big textile production plant
near Anderson SC. The folks working there voted it down by a 90%
majority.

See, the owners already did everything the union proposed and more.
Lets see, they had company provided housing (for life if you stayed to
retire), guarentted jobs for your kids. Free medical and dental
insurance and heavily subsidized for spouse and kids. Retirement plan
in addition to social security. Well above median income for area for
all jobs (believe the lowest paid was 10$ an hour in 1978 and most were
20$ and up). Good bosses who had external companies come in for saftey
reviews annually. Listened actually to the suggestion box so they
gained a playground, baseball park, and pool for the kids. They ran a
community cafeteria for 3 meals a day and it was very cheap and rumor
said really well done. The union was determined to just want a fat
percentage of their paychecks with nothing back they didn't already
have.

I heard they did unionize later but in their own way. It was a local
only 'had to work there' not affilited with any other union so no diues
to them) and done because other unions were causing problems working
with them.

Unique, CEO on down were equal members of it. The dues? Paultry at 5$
a month and went with company match to support a big Christmas party
for all with gifts for everyone, even the retirees living there.