What is the deal with the dock workers earning 100K+?

Me

[solmar_israel]

On all these newscasts dealing with the strike at the ports, I keep hearing that these dock workers make between $80,000-$160,000.

Does anyone else find that a little strange? Why exactly are they striking?

No one seems to be asking how exactly these guys are getting paid like this... I know surgeons that don't make this kind of money.

Can anyone fill me in?

[nanny]

". Don't you recognize unionized blue-collar elitism for what it is? "

My post had nothing whatsoever to do with the unions, but with lot of other posts regarding blue collar workers. It was really a cumulative response to all the posts when the union is discussed. I do not, will not, have not supported or defended any union. But some people enjoy making jokes and denigrating people who do not work in a nice clean office. Some of the posts sounded exactly like the Democrats do when trying to divide people. It is wrong whoever does it.

[jjm2111]

I don't know about dock workers, but the mates union charges a $4000 entry fee plus like $500 a quarter in dues. Then there's the "voluntary" political action fund contributions. Blacklists still exist. I imagine the dock workers have it similar.

Even if they contributed 20% back to the union, they have health care, 80k before taxes, etc. It beats minimum wage.

[Mr_Mayor]

would have told him, no thinks keep your computers due to your inept sales policies. Would you have followed that statement with an act of assault with a deadly weapon? Inquiring minds...

No, but i would have told him to get heck out my office and quit wasting my time!

[Mr_Mayor]

"Sure we do—I've done it three times already. The difference is that, when some dumb schmuck came along to replace me after I quit, I didn't break his kneecaps, because I was too busy making more money somewhere else. The only power unions have is that acquired through violence and coercion; unions are cartels, and cartels cannot succeed without using force to prevent defection. Whether it's a rock thrown by a striker enforcing a picket line, or a gun held by a policeman enforcing socialist pro-union laws, the bottom line is that unions take by force what they cannot get through honest effort. If you want to feel proud of that, go right ahead—DU is just down the hall to the left, and I'm sure they'll be all too happy to join you in a few dozen choruses of The Internationale."

HA HA HA. Here let me get you some cheese for your whine!

[gueroloco]

LOL, Thanks!

[Rytwyng]

The posts was regarding working class people and the elitism shown here. But most of the posts are not necessarily anti-union. Many of them imply a working man has no right to make a good living.

I've always resented the terms, "working class", and "working man", because they carry the implication that other people don't work. As one who has done both manual and mental labor, I'm here to tell you that brain-work is HARDER.

I have blue collar folks in my family and friends. I wish they all made $100,000 a year. Heck, I wish I made $100,000 a year. I don't begrudge ANYONE who makes a high salary... but I and a lot of other folks suspect that these longshore workers are paid $100,000 a year, NOT because of earning it, but because of union extortion. And we've got a problem with that.

[Redcloak]

Doctor: "With overtime you make $120,000?! That's more than I make!"
Dockworker: "I know. I used to be a doctor."

I'm starting to wonder why I put all of that time and effort into an engineering degree.