Just so you're aware, there is a debating room called "Anything Else", which is where we should be posting this. If you wish to make a rebuttal, you can do it there.: Well, from what I've heard, UPS WAS converting many part-time jobs to full-time, and creating many new full-time jobs. As for the employees' pensions, it was widely reported that they would have gotten a much better deal under UPS's plan than they would have under the Teamsters'.
Widely reported by Rush Limbaugh, no doubt. You've got to start getting your information from sources other than right-wing radio. In fact, the pension increases are better than those promised by UPS. Workers will be able to retire after 30 years with a pension of $3000 a month, which is 50% more than the current amount. On the matter of part-time vs. full-time jobs, the company propagandists neglected to tell you that UPS preferred to hire subcontractors for new jobs. The new contract puts limits on that scam. UPS offered to create only 1000 new full-time jobs before the strike. Now they've agreed to 10,000,
in addition to new jobs created through company growth.
:As I understand it, the strike was planned as a diversion by their leader because he was/is under investigation for fraud. The rank-and-file can't vote in the Teamsters Union, and most of them did not want to strike.
Unions always have ulterior motives, don't they? They couldn't possibly have any legitimate reason to strike. Please check out some Teamster websites before you pontificate on union corruption. Of course most of the workers didn't want to strike--who would? But they knew they had to if they wanted to secure their future. There's a reason why the rank and file don't vote, but I'm not getting into that here. Read "Which Side Are You On?", by Thomas Geoghehan and perhaps
you'll understand.
: Although UPS will likely remain profitable, and the largest courier service, its business WAS wounded. Many small and large businesses have switched to Fed-Ex and others, including many departments at my company. Customers who have to depend on these carriers to get their jobs done do not want to face the possibility of a strike commencing.
As Quincunx already replied to you in an earlier message, customers have a tendency to come back. Business is in a constant state of flux. You may have a bad experience at McDonald's and decide to switch to Burger King, but in all likelihood you'll eventually go back to McD's. UPS is in more danger of losing business through bad management than through strikes.
: As for the employees at the auto plants, I could sure use $24-plus an hour.
Would you be willing to give up your clean, comfortable data processing job to work under the hellish conditions of an auto plant? That's why they get those high wages. It's not likely that you'll be mutilated, or even killed, in your job. Auto assembly workers face that possibility all the time, not to mention an extremely uncomfortable environment. It's odd that working-class Americans resent other workers who earn high wages, but have no quarrel with CEOs earning
salaries which are nothing less than outrageous.
: And yes, job security is a valid concern, but much of that is up to you, too. Example: The GM plant in Arlington, Texas was spared, and the Flint, Michigan plant was shut down because the Arlington employees had a much better work ethic, which showed in the quality control.
That's a joke, isn't it? You couldn't possibly be serious. Not even Rush could say that with a straight face. If you're really curious about what happened in Flint, rent the movie "Roger and Me".
: To close this, if McD employees do get their union, and the crews at 3 or more local franchises strike, crippling or putting their owners out of business, what will that get them?
I don't have any statistics to back me up on this, but maybe you do. How many companies, especially large franchise operations, have been put out of existence by union activity? My guess is that it's nowhere near the amount that have gone bust because of poor management decisions. Workers should understand that their greedy, opportunistic bosses pose a greater danger to them than any union.
McD workers aren't going to be fooled by horror stories from people who want to keep them in their place. They will organize.
None.
