Foxmeister

Back in the late 70s through the 80s, many manufacturing businesses moved from northern to southern states because of unions. When GM started the Saturn division, it built the plants in TN and not in any of the northern states for a reason; however, they did hire many laid of GM workers who agreed to relocate at their own expense, but there was no union. The startup costs would have been much higher had they opened in any northern state where there were GM plant operations. Those costs would have prevented them from starting the Saturn division had they not decided to operate from TN.

He's already won the Grand Slam for 2015; just ask him.

Let's get something straight. I don't begrudge them at all for making above the national median income. What I don't like is the tactics the union uses like work slow downs to intentionally cause their employers to lose money. That's the mentality unions have that I cannot stand. I've seen that mentality come back and bite union members in the ass.

The court order stated the workers could not slow down work. They did just that and that's why the judge ruled they were in violation. Have you looked at what the offers were from the union? They don't want co-pays in health care premiums; they don't want any medical co-pays, and they don't want to have a deduction to meet before their health insurance kicks in. In other words, they don't want to pay a single penny towards the cost of their health care. That in my opinion is completely unreasonable.

He brings up a point about how union membership has seriously declined over the decades, but the reason he gives is his opinion was not based on facts or any statistical analysis to support his opinion.

The following is a quote from page 2 of your article: The opinion piece was written by Rick Ungar, a liberal.

Let me make this real simple for you. The judge had issued an injunction to prevent the workers from conducting a work slowdown. The workers did it anyway. That's why the judge said they violated the court order. Got it?

I know salary is only part of a wage compensation package. I misread the article; however you can't deny making $75K a year is damn good money and much more than the median income in this country, which according to the US Census Bureau is $59,939 for 2014. My point about this whole labor dispute involving the longshoremen has been their several of their demands are outrageous and I find their methods of slowing down work to be unethical. I find your comment regarding marriage to be hilarious. You come on here thinking you're always right. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has fou

Most of the time you don't make any sense at all. They make more than $70K a year now. Before contract negotiations began, they did more work. Now they are only performing nearly half of what they had been doing.

Williams was Walter Cronkite's mentor.

When both sides have to come to an agreement on the selection of an arbitrator, they are selecting one who each side can agree will be fair and unbiased. When the union wants the authority to fire an arbitrator, they are wanting one who will side completely with them. From our article: Judge: Longshoremen’s work slowdowns violate court order.The union used the same tactic during negotiations in 2012.

Who is putting their money where their mouth is Eddie? I have never seen or heard of a union contract where only one side chose the arbitrator. In every case, I've seen where the arbitrator was a joint decision between the union and management.

The last contract offer made to the longshoreman included a 3% raise; the maximum pension would rise to $88,800 a year. PMA said its offer also met the ILWU’s two biggest demands: maintenance of its so-called Cadillac health benefits — which feature no worker premiums, no co-pays and no deductibles for in-network benefits — as well as jurisdiction over maintenance and repair of truck chassis. Source

Here's an interesting article on how the union is slowing down work on the docks. They also want to have the authority to fire any arbitrator who they feel is ruling against them. Arbitrators are decided upon by both the union and management. In other words it appears the union only want arbitrators who will agree to their contract demands.

The shipping companies would lose millions of dollars each day of a strike. Do you really think the shipping companies are not negotiating in good faith and that it's the union that is trying to take advantage of that?

You missed my entire point. It is apparent the longshoremen will hold the economy hostage in order to get what they want. So far they have rejected six offers for a new contract. Now imagine what will happen if they go on strike and how that will affect the country.

Not at all. You and Eddie are definitely envious of those who earn a lot as you want the government to take more from them and redistribute it to the likes of you.

Don't forget they also load stuff onto ships. That means exports would suffer as well. That's not shabby at all is it? In fact it's twice the median income in most states.

They get paid an hourly rate of $35 an hour on their current contract. New hires start out at $20/hour and then after six years are making the same as everyone else. Do you make that kind of money? What kills me about this is CC and some others see nothing wrong with this when it comes to guys in unions. However, it's a different story when someone working for a defense contractor makes this kind of money.

The hourly wage of an experienced longshoreman under the most recent union contract, affecting U.S. East Coast ports, is $35 per hour; with wages for newcomers starting at $20. Source. Here's their contract for the east coast.

I found an interesting article that says the average earnings of a longshoreman on the west coast is $98,603 a year. Another article says, They make some serious coin and they want more.

That's not true at all.

Here's the impression I get from those on the left here. It's ok for a union to hold a company hostage and in the case of the dock workers it's the economy in order to get more money; but it's not ok for people who own or run companies to be rich. Things that make you go Hmmmmm.

Fixed them for you. No need to thank me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd8BJr1-QCw