--- In
ham_amplifiers@yahoogroups.com, "Mike(W5UC) &
Kathy(K5MWH)
" wrote:
>
> At 11:18 PM 1/1/2007, you wrote:
> >For the ones questioning the unions, if it wasn't for them, the
non-
> >union folks wouldn't have the minimum wage or other wages they have
> >now, nor any saftey standards and health benefits. It was the
unions
> >of this country that fought for every workplace right we have, and
> >put a stop to child labor.
>
> Agreed! I don't have an issue with what unions were originally for
or
> what they did for the worker. However, modern unions have become
> machines of greed that totally disregard the effect that their
> demands have on the company and those who have to pay for their
> demands through higher product costs.
That's not actually the case. What has happened
is two fold in a
majority of large companies.
First, the health insurance companies are in the pockets of a certain
political party and they have allowed them to jack the premiums up
they charge the companies for medical insurance to unsightly high
amounts without placing a cap on it. This all started happening after
Januaray 1980. After 1980, there was 12 years of attacks on unions
while allowing insurance companies to charge higher and higher rates.
Remember when someone fired the aircraft controllers? The courts
began to be packed with judges who were pro company in place of pro
worker. There was several large companies still in business who
declared bankruptcy for some of their subsidaries that had already
quit business and were only there to pay out both pension and health
benefits to retirees. These judges ruled in favor of these solvent
companies to get out of paying these benefits for the subsidaries
even though they were guaranteed under signed contracts. The first to
do this was A.T. Massey Coal Co., and after their win, every company
with these types of subsidaries took the unions to court and pretty
much picked the judges they wanted. They actually got away with this.
In the end of Clintons last days, He and Al Gore gave $40 million to
the UMWA to prop up the medical insurance they had to pay for their
retirees that Massey and some others got out of paying. Keep in mind
that A.T. Massey Coal is still in business. Bethleham Steel pulled a
similar tactic a few years back. ACF Industries where I worked is
doing it now. Massey did this in the early 80's, and it started up
again about 6 years ago all around here.
Second, the pension plans promised were not kept up. A lot of large
companies didn't pay into the pension plans all the money they took
from the employees pay checks. What they did was to continually
raise
the salary of the CEO's of these companies via this very money while
just issuing an IOU for the pension plans. They bet on the pension
insurance through the fed to pay for any pension plans that went
belly up. They again figured on bankrupting subsidaries to do this.
Also, the 401K plan was really another scheme to get out of handling
pensions. All this penny pinching led to higher profits and higher
salries for the CEO's, etc...
These manufacturing compaines, the insurance companies, and the
consumers are directly responsible for what's happening in America.
Caps should be placed on health insurance, dental insurance, and
prescription drug costs. Pension laws need updated to where they
can't be denied, and that what money is taken from the employees all
go into the funds which have to stay solvent. The consumers need to
start buying US union made products even though they cost more. Last,
the southern
states factory workers need to accept unions into their
plants instead of fighting them, and working for half or less of what
they are worth. If they would let them in, they would receive all the
benefits, and stop northern union companies from moving plants to the
south for slave labor. That's what I've seen happen during my 42
years of life on this old rock.
Best,
Will
> GM appears to be a prime
> example. The unions have priced them out of the market, and
> ultimately are pricing themselves out of a job.
>
> 73,
> Mike, W5UC
>
>
>
>
>
> "age & treachery will overcome youth & skill"
>
>
