Comments on: Trade Unions International Day of Action in SL http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html Always Fairly Unbalanced Tue, 04 Oct 2016 13:18:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Rafe http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9349 Rafe Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:11:03 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9349 Yes intlibber, i believe it's called Card Check. There is no rational reason i can think of that Union officials need to know the identity of those that voted against them, except one nefarious one. Considering the history of violence associated with some union tactics i'de be very skeptical that this is necessary for any benevolent reason. If unions wish to sell themselves to some labor pool fine, but if the vote fails that should be sufficient. Yes intlibber, i believe it’s called Card Check. There is no rational reason i can think of that Union officials need to know the identity of those that voted against them, except one nefarious one. Considering the history of violence associated with some union tactics i’de be very skeptical that this is necessary for any benevolent reason. If unions wish to sell themselves to some labor pool fine, but if the vote fails that should be sufficient.

]]> By: Solidarity Forever http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9348 Solidarity Forever Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:53:35 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9348 @IntLiar: "There is a new law that the unions are trying to get passed, which will do away with secret ballotting to organize a union shop, and instead enable unions to come to workers homes one by one and bully them into joining." Bzzt. Wrong. But thanks for playing. http://tinyurl.com/46du97 @IntLiar: “There is a new law that the unions are trying to get passed, which will do away with secret ballotting to organize a union shop, and instead enable unions to come to workers homes one by one and bully them into joining.”

Bzzt. Wrong. But thanks for playing.

http://tinyurl.com/46du97

]]> By: IntLibber Brautigan http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9347 IntLibber Brautigan Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:09:49 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9347 While I uphold the fundamental right of individuals to collectively negotiate for better wages and working conditions (IBEW member myself) I do recognise that many unions have gone beyond this remit, and also operate from fundamental misunderstandings of economics and business, or see their business as predating upon the businesses that employ their members. When unions recognise that the success of the businesses their members work for is fundamental to their own success, and take steps to help ensure that success in a proactive manner (many trade unions like the IBEW manage apprenticeship training programs to produce skilled workers, for instance), then both can win. There is a new law that the unions are trying to get passed, which will do away with secret ballotting to organize a union shop, and instead enable unions to come to workers homes one by one and bully them into joining. This bill not only needs to be opposed, but we need to bring an end to closed shops altogether. The individual should always have the freedom to belong to a union or not no matter where he or she works. While I uphold the fundamental right of individuals to collectively negotiate for better wages and working conditions (IBEW member myself) I do recognise that many unions have gone beyond this remit, and also operate from fundamental misunderstandings of economics and business, or see their business as predating upon the businesses that employ their members. When unions recognise that the success of the businesses their members work for is fundamental to their own success, and take steps to help ensure that success in a proactive manner (many trade unions like the IBEW manage apprenticeship training programs to produce skilled workers, for instance), then both can win.

There is a new law that the unions are trying to get passed, which will do away with secret ballotting to organize a union shop, and instead enable unions to come to workers homes one by one and bully them into joining. This bill not only needs to be opposed, but we need to bring an end to closed shops altogether. The individual should always have the freedom to belong to a union or not no matter where he or she works.

]]> By: Rafe http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9346 Rafe Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:04:17 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9346 I agree with Lord, Unions artificially hold wages above market clearing levels and actually cause unemployment to rise by making it illegal for two people to engage in whatever type of wage negotiation those two people desire, this is not freedom. This has the unintended effect of actually hurting the poor and unskilled the most as they cannot offer their services below labor fiat value, not to mention is accelerates the development of automation that makes labor obsolete. If employers, union bosses, and employee's FREELY enter into union contracts then that is a different issue. But it's more commen that union power is fundamentally backed by government force and thus is essentially a primal leveraging tactic for some group that establishes a monopoly on labor supply. If one is essentially using the promise of coercion to negotiate I only recognize the legitmacy of such agency to the extent i recognize the legitamacy of somebody holding a gun to my head while demanding money, a primordial mob whoe's efficacy relies on violence. I agree with Lord, Unions artificially hold wages above market clearing levels and actually cause unemployment to rise by making it illegal for two people to engage in whatever type of wage negotiation those two people desire, this is not freedom. This has the unintended effect of actually hurting the poor and unskilled the most as they cannot offer their services below labor fiat value, not to mention is accelerates the development of automation that makes labor obsolete.

If employers, union bosses, and employee’s FREELY enter into union contracts then that is a different issue. But it’s more commen that union power is fundamentally backed by government force and thus is essentially a primal leveraging tactic for some group that establishes a monopoly on labor supply. If one is essentially using the promise of coercion to negotiate I only recognize the legitmacy of such agency to the extent i recognize the legitamacy of somebody holding a gun to my head while demanding money, a primordial mob whoe’s efficacy relies on violence.

]]> By: Alazarin http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9345 Alazarin Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:06:36 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9345 What a shame I missed the WDDW day at Union Island. Only found out about it today. I'll have to pop over and check it out. As a member of the Musicians' Union (London Branch) I know about trades unions being slow adopters of new technology! I remember offering to design a website for the Musicians' Union years ago when the internet was a new thing, being turned down and then seeing the all-new Musicians' Union website announced in the quarterly magazine six months later. What a shame I missed the WDDW day at Union Island. Only found out about it today. I’ll have to pop over and check it out.

As a member of the Musicians’ Union (London Branch) I know about trades unions being slow adopters of new technology! I remember offering to design a website for the Musicians’ Union years ago when the internet was a new thing, being turned down and then seeing the all-new Musicians’ Union website announced in the quarterly magazine six months later.

]]> By: solidarity forever http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9344 solidarity forever Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:39:42 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9344 How surprising that someone who calls himself "Lord" would spout such tired old nonsense about labor unions. Cheers to Johninnit for organizing this and other outstanding programs in SL. How surprising that someone who calls himself “Lord” would spout such tired old nonsense about labor unions.

Cheers to Johninnit for organizing this and other outstanding programs in SL.

]]> By: ffffffffffffffff http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9343 ffffffffffffffff Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:49:54 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9343 lol unions lol unions

]]> By: Lord Kamina http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9342 Lord Kamina Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:44:25 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9342 Unions are a blight upon the free market, as they incessantly increase wages to ridiculous levels, demand more and more from the employer at the risk of bringing their own industry to bankruptcy, and intimidate and influence the voting practices of union workers. If you want an example of what I'm talking about, take a look at the United Auto Workers. Unions are simply antiquated bullies who have become totally irrelevant because of laws on the books protecting worker rights so instead they just want more and more power. Unions are a blight upon the free market, as they incessantly increase wages to ridiculous levels, demand more and more from the employer at the risk of bringing their own industry to bankruptcy, and intimidate and influence the voting practices of union workers. If you want an example of what I’m talking about, take a look at the United Auto Workers.

Unions are simply antiquated bullies who have become totally irrelevant because of laws on the books protecting worker rights so instead they just want more and more power.

]]> By: johninnit Ni http://alphavilleherald.com/2008/10/by-sigmund-leom.html/comment-page-1#comment-9341 johninnit Ni Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:33:02 +0000 http://localhost/wp_2/?p=543#comment-9341 Cheers Sigmund - it was nice to meet you. Hope you had a good World Day for Decent Work yourself! :) Cheers Sigmund – it was nice to meet you. Hope you had a good World Day for Decent Work yourself! :)

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