What Happens If America Loses Its Unions?

[Stoney]

Talk about a weak mind, I think Granite Guy has lost it.

Hey, don't hold back. R14 says its ok for you call me anything you like. R has your back! So go ahead and spew you're narrow minded, union zombie hateful bull****.

[little d]

Ok, now that that drama is over, back to the op's question.

This is just my take on our society, what I've observed. We, as a whole, take things for granted (include me into this), our Union's, jobs, Government, hell our way of life.

A good example is me. As I have said, I was at Overnite in the 90's, my first freight job. My first full year there, I had payed in 12 thousand in taxes and still owed 4 at the end of the year, man I was pissed. Went over to my Dad's and was pissing and moaning about it. Dad said to get a cup of coffee (we talked a lot over coffee) and come sit down, which I did. When I came into the dinning room he said, flip that light switch. After sitting down he said, “Now, you took it for granted that when you flipped that switch, the light would come on didn't ya?” I said well....ya. He asked me if I knew that the Utility were regulated by our government and with out that regulation, chances are that that light wouldn’t have came on because our government forces the utility co's to maintain their infrastructure at all times, not just when it is profitable for them and they regulate the cost so most everyone can afford them? He went on to say, “ The simple fact that I own this house is because of our Government, with out laws and regulations any one could lay claim to anything and the biggest bully around would “own” everything.”

[little d]

He went on, citing what our Government does for us every day, things that we don't even notice and when it is all laid out there, it's a pretty good bargain for the money.

The reason that I used this example is because some would say that the public sector Unions have over stepped, that rank and file Government workers are over payed and have to good of bennys. I would argue that they have maintained their buying power, their way of life, while most of us in the private sector have not. Millions upon millions more middle class Americans are now working poor and the working poor are now just poor and when it comes time to make the house payment, car payment, to put our kids in school, etc...It is easy to look over at the amount of taxes on our check stubs and say, man if only I had that money, I could afford to take care of my family, when in fact, if we had indeed maintained OUR wages, we could.

[little d]

J.F.K. Had it right when he said, “ Ask not what your Government can do for you, ask what you can do for your Government.” The very same thing applys to OUR Unions. Folks, there is no free ride, those of us that have taken it for granted, just sat on our asses and enjoyed the wages and perks of being in a Union with out sacrificing a little to participate in it have weakened it to the point that we are just a shadow of what we once were and are now struggling just to keep what our forefathers fought and died for.

If there is any hope for OUR middle class, hell OUR Country as a whole, it is with in OUR unions and the message that when WE stand together UNITED, when WE ALL fight for our way of life, all benefit.

[Stoney]

Where's the two boulder brains?

[Stoney]

Uh oh! I just got a warning from the great R14. Well, if I wasn't ignored by the Mods I wouldn't be soo pissed. Being a member since 06, and one of the top contributors mean nothing. Don't worry about following the rules. The Mods wont enforce. Well they just enforce against me.

[Stoney]

And will somebody please change my username to Stonehead!

[wolf]

The man called on you....accept it and quit with the little girlie stuff. Life ain't always fair

[mud]

I'll just make all these union men happy, I will never post on any union thread ever again, I won't post in the Teamster forums, I won't post on any ABF, YRC, or UPS thread,

You asshats win. Go on about your narrow minded, miserable, hate filled lives.

I'm glad to see you came back Stoney. Have you been up all night posting?

[ABFer]

Watching his meltdown has actually been entertaining.