Garbage Strike - Give Me a Break

[landscaper]

Union garbage collection at high wages is more efficient since when the private sector collects it it is usually Darryl and his other brother Derryl doing the collecting and they screw it up all the time. Who cares about lower taxes, I probably paid double your taxes and it doesn't bother me. A high wage economy is a high standard of living economy and unions drive up wages and make worplaces safer as they should. With your philosophy the kids would still be in the mines.

Toronto is the only municipality that I can think of that does not contract out things such as garbage collection landscaping etc. I can't remember the last time I have heard of a garbage strike from anywhere but toronto.

Our garbage pickup is contracted it does in fact go to the lowest bidder and if in fact Darryl and his other brother Darryl can meet the requirements and provide the service they get the job. Providing the service doies in fact require paying their employees a competitive salary or teh employees will go elsewhere for either more money or better working conditions, that is how free enterprise works.

In the beginning of the union movement yes employers did take advantage of employees in ways that would not be tolerated now either by society or the law. That time has passed unfortunatley the unions have not moved forward with society.

The concept that if it is in a current agreement it can never be removed, jobs for life, sick day banks all of which are now outdated ideas at least to the people who are paying the bills.

What is the problem with replaceing the sick bank with short term disability? Nothing besides the fact that the union members want the retirement bonus that the time represents, the company owners( read voters here) are against that perk as it will cost them hundreds of millions in taxes over time.

The complaint that the police and firefighters got 3% per year and we should get it too. Oh well perhaps if you ahd started negotiations early and settled a contract without the last minute crisis system of bargaining that is the only system the Toronto unions seam to use you migt have actually got that. Times have changed in case you had not noticed the economy is in the toilet and everybody is cutting back, including your employer. Please note the people who have to approve this contract are up for re-election next year and their only concern is making sure they get re-elected so they get to take a hard line and be heros.

 

[blackrock13]

Three points;

I would give police and firemen 3% every year.

My garbage is being collected by Daryl and his brothers and I am really happy with their work.

Unions are good for their members as shown by the time test practise of have newer members of the unionized workforce are told to call in sick so that more senior members fill in and get overtime, niiicce!

I'm a freelancer as well. I get well compensated. I'm really only as good as my last job, but I do get invited back often. Every penny I make, I keep, legally. Job security is what I make it. I also have a part-time job that I work at when I feel like it and that makes me feel real good. The hourly rate is more than the average person gets. The unionized workers there and I get along well on the job. Some may start making more money than me, but in the end, after deductions, they take home less than I do. SSSHHH! Don't tell them, please.

 

[Mrbig1949]

Many of those "deductions" will be for things like a good pension, upgraded heath care, insurance, LTD etc. This is also money in the bank and peace of mind my friend. Worked union almost all my life, wouldn't have it any other way.

Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, the union makes us strong.

 

[blackrock13]

Many of those "deductions" will be for things like a good pension, upgraded heath care, insurance, LTD etc. This is also money in the bank and peace of mind my friend. Worked union almost all my life, wouldn't have it any other way.

Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, the union makes us strong.

As a freelancers with a good business sense and a great accountant, all those thing listed are taken care of by ME and many are deductible. Again, money I make, I keep. Even my accountant is deductible.

I noticed you didn't comment on the overtime scam; must have hit a nerve.

 

[train]

Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, the union makes us strong.

Do your eyes just sort of glaze over when you chant this?

 

[Mrbig1949]

Like there aren't scams in private business. Since I retired at 55 from my union job I run 3 private business'. Come on private biz is almost one big scam.

 

[Mrbig1949]

Do you mean do I love this old song? I do.

 

[train]

Like there aren't scams in private business. Since I retired at 55 from my union job I run 3 private business'. Come on private biz is almost one big scam.

Hope your employees unionize and strike , wanting 25 paid sick days and lifetime employment Unless, of course your business involves selling homemade jewellery on E-Bay in which case you don't have any employees.

 

[blackrock13]

Hope your employees unionize and strike , wanting 25 paid sick days and lifetime employment Unless, of course your business involves selling homemade jewellery on E-Bay in which case you don't have any employees.

He has at least seen the light and joined the private sector. I suspect he'll be negotiating with himself. Hope he wins.

 

[Mrbig1949]

Just me but thanks I'm doing fine on my big fat union negotiated pension plus biz.

 

[Mrbig1949]

boo hoo, nobody guaranteed you a profit, In the construction business I always found the guy who paid the most and had the best benefits and working conditions had a happy loyal hard working labour force, union or non-union. As a former union organizer I can tell you it is very difficult to convince happy workers to join a union. Lucky for me there were always enough exploited ones working in terrible conditions for crappy pay by law breaking employers. Oh- maybe that was you guys.

 

[JohnLarue]

boo hoo, nobody guaranteed you a profit,QUOTE]

Without a profit the company soon goes under & then the unions guys are looking for work.


I have seen this scenario happen enough times

Management to the union: We can not meet your demands. I fact unless we get a roll back we will have to close this plant.
Union to Management: That is not our problem, we do not believe your numbers , we want the demands met & a roll back is out of the question.

Six months later:
Union to itself, , Hey they were not kidding around, the plant is closed. Boo hoo!
Oh well we lost our jobs, but not our principles.

 

[JohnLarue]

Yea, the private sector is great. I for one really like Enron, Worldcom, Wall Street hedge funds, Sub-Prime mortgages, General Motors (or is that Government Motors) Chrysler, Big Oil, Big Pharma, Fort McMurray, global warming, pollution of the oceans, smoke stacks, the tobacco industry, private car insurance, man you could go on and on. The private sector is so efficient and no corruption either. LOL

And unions will fix all of these issues????
Exactly how???
Sorry they had a hand in the GM & Chrysler fiasco & we all know how that played out

I have never stated the private sector is perfect, but the degree of inefficiencies, & waste in union operations is a whole other level of magnitude.
I have worked in both & seen it first hand.

 

[blackrock13]

boo hoo, nobody guaranteed you a profit,QUOTE]

Without a profit the company soon goes under & then the unions guys are looking for work.


I have seen this scenario happen enough times

Management to the union: We can not meet your demands. I fact unless we get a roll back we will have to close this plant.
Union to Management: That is not our problem, we do not believe your numbers , we want the demands met & a roll back is out of the question.

Six months later:
Union to itself, , Hey they were not kidding around, the plant is closed. Boo hoo!
Oh well we lost our jobs, but not our principles.

Couldn't say it more clearly. The higher ups in the bigger unions keep so much information, that might temper the strike vote. One poster on here said that he didn't vote to strike, that wasn't what the vote was for, but the union reps turned the vote into a strike.

The average striker spends approximately 200 days on the picket. They never make that lost salary/money in the life of the new contract. in a 3-5 contract they'd have to get a 10-15% increase per year and that ain't going to happen, ever. Of course the reps aren't going to tell them that.

Everyone here knows a factory that closed after a long strike. That 200 days is just over the 6 months timeframe after which the strikers aren't guaranteed their jobs, by law. Go figure. The workers are never told about that law before they strike, never.

 

[Mrbig1949]

You guys can cry and cry about unions but guess what-nothing is going to change. Get over it.

 

[Rockslinger]

Since I retired at 55 from my union job I run 3 private business'.

You could have retired at 45 with full pension if you had been a cop . You would be a bar owner now.

 

[blackrock13]

By the way, Ford has just been given #1 status in sales in Canada; US figures not in.

 

[Rockslinger]

As for favoritism and nepotism, glad you brought them up (I didn't). While they definitely operate in unions as much as in any organization

I have neighnours where all 3 generation are employed by the City of Toronto. For them, life is good. Lots of pay and benefits for little work and education.

 

[Rockslinger]

You guys can cry and cry about unions but guess what-nothing is going to change.

The French "let them eat cake" nobility said the same thing in 1780.

 

[blackrock13]

You guys can cry and cry about unions but guess what-nothing is going to change. Get over it.

CRY!! CRY!! What are you talking about; I haven't shed a single tear for a union.

Somehow I knew you were a shop steward. It showed in your comments. Things sured changed at GM and Chrysler. You'd better clean off your crystal ball; it's fogging up again.

Yes, solidarity for ever, at least until you're out of a job and are not paying your dues. Oooops!! Bye.