WASH: Taft-Hartley Act. (ORDERED)

TBO ^ | 10/8/02

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Bush decided to order the Justice Department to seek the injunction after board of inquiry hand-picked by the White House reported that the two-week-old labor standoff has no chance of ending soon, said two administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The board's brief report does not go into detail about the economic and national security impact of the shutdown, but it does hold out little hope for a resolution of the conflict, said one of the sources.

[pepsionice]

Whatever idiot allowed these morons to get their average salary up to $120k per year ought to be put in jail. There is no way that they are worth that much. None of these guys ought to be making more than $25 an hour. I think we ought to encourage the Mexican government to put up three or four ports down along the west coast of Mexico and divert 80 percent of all US requirement to south of the border. None of their dock workers get more than $6 an hour. For some idiot to claim they deserve $120k a year for unloading a boat....just doesn't pass the judgement test. And then there is the old-boy deal where you get your son or daughter into the same union and they get the same deal. This is what hurts the entire union.

[erikm88]

I personally know of people who work for UPS who's pulling in over 90k/year, and that is just driving around delivering packages!?!?! And the requirements are a high school education, and a strong back...

There's even clauses in the contract between UPS Management, and the union that limits how much a UPS driver can lift/carry etc...

I don't see how unions make any private company productive... other than pulling its weight around, and having Luigi smack company execs around a bit..

--erik

[fogarty]

"Likewise, what do you expect now that he has intervened?"

Ultimately it doesn't make a difference. This economic effect of this strike/lockout is a proverbial drop of water compared to the tsunami of unraveling credit and debt which has been ongoing.

The worst is yet to come, but this strike/lockout is miniscule compared to the large scale bubbles which are now imploding.

[billbears]

Between states yes. Between nations yes. But this is not regulation of the commerce. If the workers don't want to take it off the ship, then I would suggest to allowing the private companies find someone who does want to and break the strike. But to force someone to work who apparently does not WANT to work is not the responsibility or right of the national government.

[RobRoy]

>>Isn't that a large part of what being an American is all about? <<

No.

People should get paid for the value they give to society. What I say to young people today is that in the future they will never be more than the "working poor" unless they can say one of the following things: 1) I own my own business; or 2) You cannot teach someone else my job in less than a month. Thats the problem the dockworkers will eventually have. That's why Unions are collapsing. They were usefull when strugling for "fair." They no longer serve that purpose.

They're becoming Ludites...

[TexasCajun]

$100,000/yr union dock worker

Higher union wages is what has sent all the steel mills and textile mills overseas.

Next we will see these carriers off-loading in Mexico and putting the freight on rails or semi's headed north on the NAFTA Highway. Then we'll see crocodile tears from the unions crybabies.

And what high-tech technology are they whining about??? ...barcodes!! can you believe that?

[Billy_bob_bob]

Any union stupid enough to demand so much as to bankrupt their employer is a union that deserves to go out of business.

I'm afraid that rapacity exists on both sides.

[snopercod]

Not to mention how much harder it is to raise taxes in a down economy.

The California budget is a fantasy. Tax revenues routinely fall 5% under estimates. And now this strike/lockout is shutting down businesses all over the state.

California is already getting a short-term loan "in anticipation of tax revenues" for $12.5 billion later this month just to make ends meet. After this port shutdown, that ain't gonna' be enough. I figure that California "loses" $200 million in tax revenue each day this shutdown continues.

This should be fun to watch!

[RobRoy]

Maybe the barcode readers will reduce their supply of electronics and big screen TV's in their homes.

Their annual income is only part of their "income." And before any pro-union guys flame me, I have direct personal information on this very subject.

Just a thought...

[jiggyboy]

Being An American is about abhorring socialism and racketeering, which is purely and simply what modern union function has become. It's well and good to speak with one voice to your employer, but when that voice can't come to an agreement and the employer is not free to pick another supplier (of labor), that's just plain wrong.

[Billy_bob_bob]

I think what happened was that as technology advanced (like container shipping) the number of jobs declined radically. One compromise worked out was to pay the remaining workers a higher salary. $120k a year is a very good income, however this is the West Coast where a home often costs $300k or more.

[Teacher317]

I like that smaller version of the fundraiser post. Thanks!

[Willie Green]

And the remaining private-sector unions seem to be hell-bent on pricing their members out of the market.

No, remaining private sector unions have minimal advantage over their non-union counterparts. There are exceptions, however, such as the UAW, which enjoys a symbiotic relationship with management of the global automotive cartel. "Savings" generated by moving automotive component manufacturing offshore are never passed along to the consumer. The substandard conditions and wages exploited offshore merely support ludicrous bonuses for the entire cartel workforce, from the lowliest UAW janitor to the Ford and GM CEOs.

[MissBaby]

Poll needs FReeped.

Are the longshoremen responsible for shutting down the West Coast ports?
- The shippers association is trying to break the union. The shippers association is responsible. 51%
- The longshoremen started this dispute with a work slow down. They are at fault. 20%
- U.S. economy is already under attack by our enemies. It does not matter who is at fault. Open the ports. 29%

Should say, is this a set up to make Bush look bad at election time and bring on a recession so the Dems can blame Bush for that. Terrible this thing.

Poll Link Here

[snopercod]

No tinfoil hat required. Hutchinson-Whampoa (of Panama Canal fame) operates the port at Ensenada, BC. [link]

[steveegg]

Did someone ask for the relevant portions of the Constitution?

(Article I, Section 8)The Congress shall have power...(t)o regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes....

(perhaps the most-abused and -misunderstood clause of the Constitution)(t)o make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

The line of reasoning is that since virtually all of the commerce that takes place at a dock is with a foreign nation, Congress would have a role in this. The scope of this role would then fall into debate (IMHO, the further the claws of government remain from this, the better).

[steveegg]

No tinfoil hat required. Hutchinson-Whampoa (of Panama Canal fame) operates the port at Ensenada, BC.

You're right; this calls for the entire tin foil suit (now where did I put my records of various tin foil graphics?)

[William McKinley]

A Freeper Challenge!!!

To: Mo1; William McKinley; yall; Grampa Dave

Would one of you gifted people help me out?

I'd like to make a donation challenge for everyone who wants the Tag Line feature re-instated, without e-mail linking, and I will match the total new monies donated to FreeRepublic, up to $500 total to get this done.

Can someone make up what tables or whatever you do, so I can do some thread bombing with this challenge? Thanks a bunch. JL

743 posted on 10/8/02 2:26 PM Eastern by lodwick

Lodwick wants people who want the "tagline" back to make a donation! He'll match the first $500 worth of donations made by people who clamor for this functionality to be returned. Make the donation, then come to the Fundraiser thread and reply to lodwick and John Robinson saying "I just donated $xxx and I want the taglines back!"

Donate Here By Secure Server

[steveegg]

Agreed.

[steveegg]

Next we will see these carriers off-loading in Mexico and putting the freight on rails or semi's headed north on the NAFTA Highway. Then we'll see crocodile tears from the unions crybabies.

I KNEW that NAFTA was good for something :-)