I believe that if unions are to survive they need to overhaul their practices and image. The traditional union was about making demands to increase worker “comfort” and pay. There have been many companies brought down by unions. A union can cripple a company by demanding wages that make their product overpriced compared to the competition. The only reason for continuing unions that I see, is to try keeping the “big wigs” from raising thier own salery to new heights while lowering the pay for those who are producing the product.

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I agree, the longshoreman’s strike was domestic terrorism.

There is a place for unions, especially in trying to protect
against excessive management salaries while the DOMESTIC workforce
is being laid off.

BUT, unions need to flow with the times and be more flexible
and work with companies to keep jobs here and to promote
PRODUCTIVE work practices. The longshoreman’s strike was about
preventing productive work practices, old school thought. In addition
that incident created a lot of resentment and bad feelings from the
rest of the people who were held hostage. Especially since they are
on a whole very well compensated already.

We have to ask ourselves, “why do the Japanese car/motorcycle/watercraft companies
continue to produce a bulk of the vehicles they sell here in the USA in US factories
while our own domestic auto manufacturers are increasingly sourcing their
vehicles from foreign plants?” Labor’s short term goals have killed
the long term goal, continued employment.

Unions need to rethink what their focus and purpose is short term gains or
long term employment and benefits. If the company closes or moves off shore then
there is no long term anything.

It’s a world economy. That’s the reality.

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Union need to look at global expansion to survive. They should have years ago expanded to 3rd world countries where the manufacturing jobs have gone.
Promising these people more money would have forced mgmt to re-think relocation to these countries.
Unions also need to re-think their stand on several issues – many of them protecting dead beats which many union and non-union workers see as the union only purpose. And they like business need to stream line their orgnization. Many workers see their dues as a waste of money – just fueling wasteful spending by their leaders
Also they must look past the democratic party as many Americans see them as wasteful as the union leaders. Unions must realize people are fed up with wasteful spending – in their organization and by government

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I was born in the 30′s and watched families destroyed by the unemployment of those times. The late 30′s and 40′s brought brave men to the forefront to fight for labor. From their efforts came good times up to the present generation.
Sadly, the efforts of the labor leaders of those times has gone. The present work force will have to recognize what is being done to them in the name of the ‘World Market”. Wages already are on the way down and jobs are going to the emerging low cost countries. And we are buying our way into a third world status and rebuilding the Communist
army of China. Strange way to cure our ills????
I probably will not see results of our huge errors. But, my poor grandchildren and others wil suffer for this.

Sad, sad, sad!

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I find it very interesting with all the union bashing in these responses, sounds like managers that have an axe to grind. A union’s purpose is to promote fair wages, good working conditions, and protect employees’ rights, which I’m sure that everyone who has responded to this article can appreciate (if not, I am truly sorry for your arrogance). However, I’m sure most of those who responded didn’t think of that just what is the bottom line of the company and how it affects the company. Without the people you don’t have a company! The best workers in the world are American workers, if you want the best you have to pay for the best, an axiom that the higher echelon can understand. When CEOs and the rest of the alphabet soup upper management are raking in multi-million dollar salaries and options, and the average worker is barely above the national poverty level without medical coverage, it does make one wonder where the land of opportunity went.

Granted times have changed and Unions need to change too, I think you will see with the split between the ALF-CIO and the Change-to-Win Coalition you will see that change. This day and age nobody can have their cake and eat it to, both parties will have talk and work together to come to a mutually reasonable and responsible collective bargain, otherwise all that was gained will ebb away.

One point that I would like to clarify for Jim is that a union does not protect slackers at the expense of the responsible productive employees. It protects the RIGHTS of all employees, the productive ones and the slackers. If management does their job properly than there is no problem when it comes to discipline, and the slackers can be dealt with appropriately. As a union Steward, the thing I hate is going to bat for someone who needs to be disciplined. Although, if it is not done properly within the system set forth, then when the productive employee is called on the carpet, we have a greater injustice to someone who does not deserve it.

A parting observation: It seems that the majority of responders think that unions are anti business and contribute to the plight in the US. The United States is a Union, remember.

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Unions should use NAFTA and GATT like a club to keep jobs FROM going overseas, why aren’t they? The saftey, pay, working conditions, child labor laws, etc., are suppost to be in place for other countries to do ‘business’ with us, right? Why aren’t the unions holding us to our own trade agreements? From what I’ve learned over my life is that if too many common since questions are ignored, someone is being paid off. Keith

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Do a comparison between a Japanese OEM and a U.S OEM and you can quickly see the difference between the output, the quality, and the attitude of its workforce. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and the others quickly rising to the challenge are leaving GM Ford & Chrysler in the dust. Employees and management truly engage in the success of the company and the company in turn invests in the employee. This is through honest pay for honest work and the ability to move ahead if you have the initiative and intelligence to do so, not because of seniority and promotion of a employee who may be capable of doing a good job but lacks the drive and initiative to do a great job. The unions promote mediocrity and mediocrity will be the end of the Not So “Big Three” very soon.
Unions need to go!

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I agree with the post from Keith and Jim above, Unions are merely scapegoats for corporations to use to cover up their management woes.

As for Fred’s post on 9/9/05, lots of good examples of how management has run a company into the ground and now want to blame the workers. Who are you trying to kid, the price of these vehicles has gone up just as much as wages, and so has CEO pay. The CEOs of these companies should be ashamed that they are raking in millions, while using the bankruptcy laws to cover up. And don’t forget, the only people buying GM and Ford and the “Big Three” are people who can afford it. Without unions, we will continue down the road to a non-existent middle class…who is going to buy anything then? Are the Chinese manufacturers making a few cents an hour going to buy an SUV at $30-40,000? I think not!

Good examples of bankrupt companies. Take a look at a company who is making record after record after record in profits (PPG Industries).

PPG has enjoyed a stock increase from $44 to $60-$70+ in the past three years; has raised upper management pay and benefits by 200%, and ancitipates contiued grown in Chemicals (which Natrium WV makes) and then they ask the workers to take concessions at their Natrium plant in WV, by offering a two-tier pay system which will cause dissention among the unionized workforce. Union busting is all that it is. Doesn’t sound like “working together for a company’s success” as one of the earlier posts says. This is not the way to join forces with your union to make the company successful.

Doesn’t sound like management should be in “sole” control of what happens in manufacturing, sounds like someone needs to hold them accountable. Unions need to stand up for what’s right and to fight for equality for its workers. Blatant discrimination should not be allowed on any level and large corporations need to be held accountable for even trying to push something like this through.

PPG Natrium in WV has said “NO” to the strong-arming of management and have been on strike for the past 3 months in an effort to get the company to negotiate … just talk, that’s all they want. But big business says “NO, we don’t need to talk, we’re the boss and you’ll do it or else!” Good business sense to drive your employees and company into the ground?

Big business has brainwashed this country into thinking that its a blessing just to have a job, ANY job; forget about the American Dream, that’s just for the top student from Yale, who can be CEO of PPG. They have caused us all to live in fear of moving our jobs overseas because its cheaper. Something has to change or we are all in very big trouble in the US. You can’t have all chiefs and no indians.

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