For the last decade unions have been forced into contracts with givebacks.

[sufrommich]

UAW workers, construction workers,trades workers,etc.


This has been going on for over 10 years!!!!


Where have you people been?



Union power in this country has been eroding for decades,maybe you all should have been paying more attention.

There's a huge class distinction here on DU now that union bashing is hitting college educated teachers.Apparently this wasn't really worth getting riled up over as long as it was contained to factory rats losing their skins.

[wtmusic]

1. Correction: tenured college educated teachers.

If you have less than 6 years of teaching experience you've always been a "factory rat".

[gatorboy]

2. I think conservatives have slowly infiltrated the officer ranks just to bring unions down.

[Little Star]

3. You may be onto something.

[sufrommich]

5. lol. Yes, that must be it. It can't possibly be that Americans

have not been supporting trade union as they should have.

[gatorboy]

13. Er. Maybe it's both?

I'm not quite sure why you think this idea is so off the wall. Conservative extremists have been encouraged to infiltrate school boards, city boards, etc. for years to set their right wing agendas as policy.

I don't think it's that far fetched to believe that right wingers might try to gain power through unions to destroy within.

[arbusto_baboso]

6. That's certainly happened in SEIU chapters in California.

They accept the most objectionable shit, and claim it was because "there was no objection from the rank and file, and no support for stronger bargaining". Bullshit. And when the strongest "union action" your "leadership" suggests is wearing a purple fucking t-shirt, how serious ARE they, really?

[sufrommich]

8. Are you seriously blaming unions for their troubles? nt

[arbusto_baboso]

14. I'm blaming certain union "leaders" for not truly representing their members.

When union leaders are in the back pockets of the people they are supposed to be protecting members AGAINST, you're going to begrudge me blaming them?

Listen up, our local SEIU ELECTED LEADERSHIP was removed by the international a couple years back for various invented reasons. The installed leadership from the international included a woman whose husband is the chief personnel officer for an agency within the local government here (in case you're wondering, we are a local government chapter). Members raised holy hell about this blatant conflict of interests and do you know what happened? Not one goddamned thing.

So, what are union members to do when the organization that is supposed to represent and protect them is screwing them big time?

Answer me THAT!

[gatorboy]

15. Hear hear!

several friends in CWA have noticed the push in right wing policies. I don't see why anyone would think this can't happen...

[wtmusic]

16. +1

[wtmusic]

10. Subclasses within unions are threatening their integrity

It's not a question of conservative infiltration, it's conflicting interests. At one time officers *were* the rank and file.

[JVS]

18. It's hard for the officers to seem like the typical rank and file member...

when roughly half of the people represented by the bargaining unit refuse to participate in choosing representatives because they think they're fucking John Wayne or something. A union that fears a decertification election is truly in a bad position when it comes to negotiation.

[wtmusic]

26. Good point. nt

[JVS]

4. What are you mad about. You always praise the big 3 despite demanding concessions.

Now you're upset that teachers are fighting for their benefits.

[sufrommich]

7. What! I don't praise the UAW taking concessions! I don't praise

Americans buying non union made cars either.I'm big on putting my money where my mouth is.

[JVS]

11. You praise the big three constantly despite the fact that they bust their unions.

Despite the fact that 2 of the three used tax payer money to fund their survival at the same time as absolutely shitting all over their contracts with the unions.

Now you mock those who support Wisconsin state employees.

I've never seen you take the side of labor over management and I hope other people are reading this and notice that too.

[sufrommich]

17. That is absolute bullshit! My argument has always been that UAW

would not be forced into bad contracts if AMERICANS WOULD BUY AMERICAN CARS! I suppose you think all those UAW workers who were forced to choose contract givebacks as being "management" too. You're quick to deflect from the real reason UAW workers are in the shape they're in,which is their fellow Americans choosing foreign over domestic cars.

[JVS]

21. Your argument is bullshit because even when GM sells "American" cars,,,

they prefer to move the factories overseas. The UAW decided in the 80s to side with management and blame imports, and the consumer for declining market share. This became even more ridiculous when the foreign companies started opening factories in the US. I can buy an import made in Ohio or a domestic from Korea now. And the UAW seems to be uninterested in organizing the "foreign" plants in the US, while agreeing constantly to concessions to management of the big 3.

As an aside, I didn't notice the UAW getting upset when the big 3 bought lots of cheap imported steel instead of domestic.

[sufrommich]

23. You obviously have a deep seated hatred for the UAW and

they are indeed trying to organize the southern factories in the "right to work" states:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/17/obama-wisconsin-gov-walker-waging-an-assault-on-unions/#

Keep buying those non union cars and convincing yourself that UAW workers don't deserve your hard earned money.:puke:

[NNN0LHI]

Recommended

[SoCalDem]

9. More than a decade..

Once the unions reached their pinnacle (probably in the 50's), republicans have made it their focus to destroy them:(..and have been successful

[sufrommich]

12. Yes, it's been over a decade. With very little fanfare or

outrage.

[myrna minx]

19. Uh, I'm from a UAW town, Janesville, as well as a supporter of

AFSCME and the teachers unions. It's not an either or issue.

[sufrommich]

20. I'm not calling it an either or issue. All union should be supported

every time there is need for support.That would include buying union made products and supporting union contractors.

[Dappleganger]

22. Good grief, I remember my father complaining about this...

25 years ago with the CWA.

[PVnRT]

24. Oh, bullshit

People have been ranting here for years, myself included, about the decline of unions in this country and how often they get the shaft. Not to mention "right-to-work" nonsense and government-sanctioned union busting.

[sufrommich]

25. Have you seen huge protests against union busting? nt