re: USW strike...** POSSIBLE END IN SIGHT **

quote:

---

Message Posted by FalseProphet No. They are just destroying our economy.

---

I completely oppose public sector unions. Those negotiations directly affect taxes which the tax payers have no choice but to then pay higher taxes.

Private sector unions are a different story. If the company agrees to a bad contract (for the company) and passes along those costs to the consumer then the consumer can take his business elsewhere.

I can say through 17 yrs and 4 contracts, our local has never asked for anything unreasonable. Our pay is slightly lower than non union plants in our area and our raises are alwaYs in line with the rest of the industry.

I welcome it. Someone has to fight the good fight against you organized freeloaders.

quote:

---

Just heard a "rumor" that 270 Union workers at Deer Park have crossed back in. This comes from someone who's staff at Norco & locked in. Don't know if it's true or not.

---

Contract negotiations love rumors.

quote:

---

I just saw about 20 of them on River Rd at Shell Norco. Doesn't seem like a very big turn out.

---

20...??? I saw 4 at the main gate and 2 at the CEB gate.

quote:

---

I'm really not trolling. In what sane world is it okay for you to voluntarily leave work for three weeks, AND THE EMPLOYER HAS TO GIVE YOU YOUR JOB BACK?

---

FMLA, I can leave for months at a time...and still have my job when I return. Where have you been working?

Eh, they aren't exactly synonymous. In one, you have a medical emergency, in the other, you are trying to exert power to get more for less.

quote:

---

I'm not reading this whole thread, but has anyone mentioned they're at Shell Convent? They kept me from making my delivery, which is no big deal because I still get paid non the less.

---

Surprised you would try to make a delivery 3 days into a strike.

I saw a car pulling up to the front gate at norco. He waited in the turning lane for one of the two total people picketing the main 4 lane entrance from river road, and then pulled up to the gate. Whatever percentage 250 of deer park is, I bet norco can beat it

quote:

---

There is no way a union worker is cheaper than a contractor.


Wages
Benefits
Employment taxes
Training costs
Workers comp
Retirement benefits

---

What u see on the check is not all the cost of labor. I'm my industry, our union guys make around $25/hr on their check, and we pay another $11+ in benefits. But we also have another 28% in labor burden, which is FUTA/SUTA, SS & Medicare, workers comp, liability insurance, ect.

So every dollar u see we pay another $0.28 for burden. This is commercial side, industrial side I would imagine would be higher.

quote:

---

I can say through 17 yrs and 4 contracts, our local has never asked for anything unreasonable. Our pay is slightly lower than non union plants in our area and our raises are alwaYs in line with the rest of the industry.

---

So, basically, what you're saying is that there are other places in the area you could do comparable work and get paid more, but you willingly stay with the union, get paid less, and have to pay union dues on top of it.

Please, give me a rational reason why you would choose this arrangement.