[cartoonistx]

Collective barginning, as a concept, presumes that all union workers represented are, as a class, of the same abilities and worth to the company. It precludes and is opposed to individualized compensation based upon performance or assessed employee value. Underlying these negotiations is the union job action, a threat routinely used as leverage to strengthen the workers' position.

A union strike is, in reality, an act of economic violence against a company and as such should only be used when true health and safety issues are the issue. To strike for increased wages, benefits, vacation time, senority issues or the reduction of productivity standards is, frankly, extortion.

[papertyger]

The problem with you
doctrinaire theoreticians is you don’t seem to realize you can’t sell
theoretical products.

Feminism sounds pretty reasonable too, when all you think about is doctors, lawyers, and indian chiefs. But guess what happens when you’re a ditch digger paired up with a woman making the same wage you are.

[jaydubya2]

I've been a union member for the majority of my career, and while I disagree with how some union leadership spend my dues, particularly political contributions, I have never been on strike. My company's management and union have a good relationship, and when disagreements happen, they are usually resolved with a mutually beneficial compromise. While I see my non-union counterparts lose benefits, pay, retirement, and get terminated without notification. I'm not taking sides, there are pros and cons to both systems, I'm just stating my experience.