Liberty is an inherently offensive lifestyle. Living in a free society guarantees that each one of us will see our most cherished principles and beliefs questioned and in some cases mocked. That psychic discomfort is the price we pay for basic civic peace. It's worth it. It's a pragmatic principle. Defend everyone else's rights, because if you don't there is no one to defend yours. -- MaxedOutMama

I don't just want gun rights... I want individual liberty, a culture of self-reliance....I want the whole bloody thing. -- Kim du Toit

The most glaring example of the cognitive dissonance on the left is the concept that human beings are inherently good, yet at the same time cannot be trusted with any kind of weapon, unless the magic fairy dust of government authority gets sprinkled upon them.-- Moshe Ben-David

The cult of the left believes that it is engaged in a great apocalyptic battle with corporations and industrialists for the ownership of the unthinking masses. Its acolytes see themselves as the individuals who have been "liberated" to think for themselves. They make choices. You however are just a member of the unthinking masses. You are not really a person, but only respond to the agendas of your corporate overlords. If you eat too much, it's because corporations make you eat. If you kill, it's because corporations encourage you to buy guns. You are not an individual. You are a social problem. -- Sultan Knish

All politics in this country now is just dress rehearsal for civil war. -- Billy Beck

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Unions are an Anachronism

Unions are an Anachronism

Watch this short Reason.TV video:



I've worked almost 24 years in an industry that supports mining. In that time I've watched the number of mining companies in my area drop from 10 or 12 to three or four, and I've watched as the big mining companies have broken their labor unions with the enthusiastic help of the majority of their workers. Those that were successful at breaking their unions are still in business. Those that didn't aren't around any more. Those that were successful currently employ about half of the number they did at the peak of the previous economic boom. Those that didn't don't employ anyone.

The economy currently sucks. Competition for everything is heavy, and profit margins are tight. Spending on luxury items is greatly reduced. Raises and benefit expansions are on hold. Some people are taking pay or hour cuts to remain on the payroll.

So United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99, which represents 15,000 Fry's and 9,000 Safeway grocery store workers is threatening a strike if an "acceptable offer" is not presented by Friday.

In the interest of full disclosure, my wife worked for Fry's for about three months as a non-union employee, and a sister-in-law is currently a union employee. My wife's pay was about what those stores are offering "temporary" employees - $9.00-9.50/hr. My sister-in-law has been an employee for years. I have no idea what she gets paid.

Something tells me that Fry's and Safeway will have a lot more job applicants than they'll have job openings. The Union isn't doing its members any favor, here. I would not be surprised if my sister-in-law didn't have a job come Christmas.

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