The fact that dispatch told a customer to "give it to someone else" speaks to the mis-handling of personnel by the company, not the union membership!
They are causing their own pain aren't they?
People that think their company owes them a living without having to do the work are everywhere, they are idiots.
Everyone with a brain knows that each one of us needs to do our jobs to the best of our ability, every day, week in week out.
We all go to work for one reason and one reason only, so that we can have the life we want to live for ourselves and our families.
While I too "like" my job, I am not willing to become subservient and relinquish my rights and protections under our contract. Nor am I willing to go into my future with my hat in my hand wishing that I made more $, but constrained by companies and stockholders who don't give a damn about me, my work ethic, my family or anything save money in their pockets.
All because our Local Unions as well as the Internationals leadership have been in the company of the employers for too long.
It is time for all those in unions to realize that we cannot "wish" better leadership into being, we must "DEMAND" it.
If we are not vigilant in this then who? Is it not our livelhood and our future.
If we cannot find "True Leadership" then it is we who must stand in the fray and make it happen, for it is "we" that are the Union.
We cannot leave our destiny to small minds.
You do realize that people died so that you and I could have a better work environment than they had.
Don't get to a point that you are willing to give that up.
It is up to us to protect these UNION jobs so that those that come in the future can enjoy what we have, and sometimes that calls for us to sacrifice and endure the pain, that same pain that those that have came before us endured so that WE could benefit from their struggle.
I do not mean the "pain" of lesser wages, I mean the "pain" that comes with the decision to strike if necessary.
To keep true to that "Higher Ideal" that Unionism is about.
Yes, the economy is bad now, but think of this, if the companies thought the limp economy was going to last five more years they wouldn't be seeking a " Five " year contract. They would want a shorter contract so they were not locked into something onerous.
Remember, most all contracts can be re-opened under changed economic conditions, by either party. Tricky situation tho.
Think of this scenario, we were the middle class in our wages. Companies are constantly trying and succeeding to suppress wages.
Now you and I cannot purchase those durable goods (refrigerators, washers and dryers, cars, furniture etc) that make the economy move.
So now the companies that make those durable goods cut back on their production, laying people off. Not only that but they call all of their vendors and tell them that they need 60% less parts due to the lack of demand, ours as well as their employees, because our wages have been neutralized and suppressed. They lay people off. Those people are then in the unemployment line and are not buying anything either. Not only that but now they call the truck lines that haul their products and tell the truck line that they have 60% less freight to ship. In addition, the truck lines lay people off. The companies that we purchase fuel form now have less work and have a lay-off. The gas stations we used to buy gas at to go to work now sell less fuel, make less money and lay-off people, etc. on and on.
All revolving around "Greed", "Give me mine, everyone else can go scratch"
The fact is, WHO is going to buy the products that drive this economy,
when we succumb to the pressures of the greedy stockholders.( read that as the suppression of our wages)
Our wages MUST keep up with the costs of our lives.
And here I do not mean "extravagant lifestyles"
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of milk go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of your mortgage go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of Johnnies braces go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of your H&W co-pay go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of gasoline go down?
A very vicious circle that in the end, WE get the short end of the stick from.
While the stockholders and Captains of Industry "suffer", by making a smaller than projected profit, but a profit nonetheless.
And if you have been paying attention, the reason the economy is in the "Toilet" is due to GREED, not yours or mine, but those Captains of Industry.
Do not feel remorse because you ask for a wage increase that you, your work ethic and your family deserve.
The whole premise of Capitalism is to continually make a profit for the foreseeable future, is it not?
NOTE: (Currently there are a couple of books out on the topic of the inevitable end of capitalism)
How can one continue to make a profit ad infinitum?
I'll tell you how they "think" they are going to do it, on our backs, that's how!
So why shouldn't we ride on the same train as those Captains of Industry?
Are they so different than we are?
In Solidarity and Brotherhood
They are causing their own pain aren't they?
People that think their company owes them a living without having to do the work are everywhere, they are idiots.
Everyone with a brain knows that each one of us needs to do our jobs to the best of our ability, every day, week in week out.
We all go to work for one reason and one reason only, so that we can have the life we want to live for ourselves and our families.
While I too "like" my job, I am not willing to become subservient and relinquish my rights and protections under our contract. Nor am I willing to go into my future with my hat in my hand wishing that I made more $, but constrained by companies and stockholders who don't give a damn about me, my work ethic, my family or anything save money in their pockets.
All because our Local Unions as well as the Internationals leadership have been in the company of the employers for too long.
It is time for all those in unions to realize that we cannot "wish" better leadership into being, we must "DEMAND" it.
If we are not vigilant in this then who? Is it not our livelhood and our future.
If we cannot find "True Leadership" then it is we who must stand in the fray and make it happen, for it is "we" that are the Union.
We cannot leave our destiny to small minds.
You do realize that people died so that you and I could have a better work environment than they had.
Don't get to a point that you are willing to give that up.
It is up to us to protect these UNION jobs so that those that come in the future can enjoy what we have, and sometimes that calls for us to sacrifice and endure the pain, that same pain that those that have came before us endured so that WE could benefit from their struggle.
I do not mean the "pain" of lesser wages, I mean the "pain" that comes with the decision to strike if necessary.
To keep true to that "Higher Ideal" that Unionism is about.
Yes, the economy is bad now, but think of this, if the companies thought the limp economy was going to last five more years they wouldn't be seeking a " Five " year contract. They would want a shorter contract so they were not locked into something onerous.
Remember, most all contracts can be re-opened under changed economic conditions, by either party. Tricky situation tho.
Think of this scenario, we were the middle class in our wages. Companies are constantly trying and succeeding to suppress wages.
Now you and I cannot purchase those durable goods (refrigerators, washers and dryers, cars, furniture etc) that make the economy move.
So now the companies that make those durable goods cut back on their production, laying people off. Not only that but they call all of their vendors and tell them that they need 60% less parts due to the lack of demand, ours as well as their employees, because our wages have been neutralized and suppressed. They lay people off. Those people are then in the unemployment line and are not buying anything either. Not only that but now they call the truck lines that haul their products and tell the truck line that they have 60% less freight to ship. In addition, the truck lines lay people off. The companies that we purchase fuel form now have less work and have a lay-off. The gas stations we used to buy gas at to go to work now sell less fuel, make less money and lay-off people, etc. on and on.
All revolving around "Greed", "Give me mine, everyone else can go scratch"
The fact is, WHO is going to buy the products that drive this economy,
when we succumb to the pressures of the greedy stockholders.( read that as the suppression of our wages)
Our wages MUST keep up with the costs of our lives.
And here I do not mean "extravagant lifestyles"
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of milk go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of your mortgage go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of Johnnies braces go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of your H&W co-pay go down?
When your wages get suppressed does the cost of gasoline go down?
A very vicious circle that in the end, WE get the short end of the stick from.
While the stockholders and Captains of Industry "suffer", by making a smaller than projected profit, but a profit nonetheless.
And if you have been paying attention, the reason the economy is in the "Toilet" is due to GREED, not yours or mine, but those Captains of Industry.
Do not feel remorse because you ask for a wage increase that you, your work ethic and your family deserve.
The whole premise of Capitalism is to continually make a profit for the foreseeable future, is it not?
NOTE: (Currently there are a couple of books out on the topic of the inevitable end of capitalism)
How can one continue to make a profit ad infinitum?
I'll tell you how they "think" they are going to do it, on our backs, that's how!
So why shouldn't we ride on the same train as those Captains of Industry?
Are they so different than we are?
In Solidarity and Brotherhood
You are correct, he does get it. 
(Or four months late and lots of dollars short)