Unions ...... Good Or Bad??

Sam, when I started trucking in 1993 I was making about the same money or more than what drivers are making today. Adjusted for inflation, drivers today are making barely half of what we made 20 years ago doing the same job. And yet the upper management at these same companies are making triple or more what they were back then.

Your theory is that people are making exactly what they deserve and they aren't entitled to any more. If they want to make more money then they should quit being so lazy and uneducated and get out there and make something of themselves. So the reason drivers today are making half of what we were back then from your perspective must be pretty simple and obvious:

• Drivers today must be working half as hard as we did back then
• Drivers today are producing half as much value for their companies as we were back then.
• Upper management at trucking companies must be three times as productive and they're producing three times the profits today as compared with 20 years ago

Would you say that's accurate? If not, how would you explain the 50% decrease in driver wages vs the 300% (or more) increase in executive compensation during that period?

Yes the Waltons deserve to make billions. After all, it is THEIR company. Not yours! As for all the lazy people making minimum wages, guess what, you can survive on minimum wage. Can you live where you want? Nope. Can you have cable, Internet, a car, cell phone, eat steak, drink beer, go out, have a big screen TV, or any of the many other things people think are a rightright. NO!!! But do all of these people have these things, bet your a$$ they do. Not only do they have all of this, they think they deserve it all. Guess what, life is hard! Stop crying and work harder.

1.) The Walton's have exploited the people for decades, created people dependent on these meager tidings, did so, making billions, and now you want to justify it afterwards?

2.) NO, you cannot survive on minimum wage. No where in the country can you afford to live on $7.25/hour. No where.

3.) Never once was I talking about LUXURIES (cell phones, etc).

4.) Why is life so hard? Are you telling me that you want to justify the Walton's paying slave wages and making life so hard for people because they need another billion?

5.) How many minimum wage jobs should I get?

6.) Interestingly, you totally ignored my FDR remarks about paying a living wage. Also, I find it completely FASCINATING that you blame someone making $7.25/hour because you think that they think that they deserve more without working, yet you have no problem with the people that created this reality. It shows lack of empathy and lack of compassion and shows your true character.

Lol, yep. You are completely right. Nobody in the Walton family worked for the money. It was the genie of the lamp. Damn, now if only we could find that lamp so that you can be rich. I mean why should you have to work for it! Lol... The real problem is your jealousy of the rich. Like I said, Anybody can be rich! Just work for it. I'll have a nice chunk to hand down to my son, who will in turn, add to it and hand down to his. And so on and so on. This is how empires are born. Nobody just wakes up one day from nothing to the top 1%. It took generations to get there.

WOW.

Where to start with this one...

First, all that I have been saying is completely NOT about me. This is about those who have to work for minimum wage. I actually do pretty well for myself. BUT, the difference is, I have been where it was nearly impossible. I got lucky a few times and I am doing ok. I know many who could not have had my luck and are SOOL.

I am so NOT jealous of the rich. I am rooting for everyone. society as a whole. Not even just "born in this country Americans" either. But, the complete naive nature of your posts show me that you were probably born lower to middle class and will always be there. You have been duped by all the media, you believe that it is ok that the chart Brett posted showing all new money goes to the top 1% is ok.

WHY IS THAT OK? Why is it ok? You say anyone can become rich. I think you fail to understand what rich actually is. Most can become well off. Most cannot become rich.

It is kind of like this:

There are three people sitting at a table. A rich Republican, a worker and an immigrant. There are 10 cookies on the table. The Republican grabs nine of them, then says, "Watch out, that immigrant is going to take your cookie!"

"IF ALL US TRUCKERS COULD JUST SET ASIDE OUR PETTY DIFFERENCES AND ACT AS ONE BODY, WE COULD RULE THE WORLD" I did not mean this as support for any union, just pointing out the POWER we could have if we wanted. We are the true "SLEEPING GIANT" and someday we will awaken and roar. I just hope it happens before the unions or government find me and silence me. Keep on Keeping on Brother Truckers,

I'm Jerry Escondido and I approved this propaganda.

OK. I think I see part of the problem here. Jerry is correct. A union that functions as unions sometimes do is pretty shabby. However, that does not mean unions are the problem. Implementation of the union is the problem. We need a union that follows strict guidelines. If we had a union that worked FOR US, not for itself. Yes, unions can get large, cumbersome, unwieldy, and counter productive. But, management is already that on the other side, and we need a body acting on our behalf. So, a better union we need.

Those who are anti union should wake up in the morning, slap themselves hard in the face and say, "I need no representation. Management is on my side." Then, calmly go about their day.

What is bolded of Jerry's post is what a union is supposed to do. Just because it does not do it does not mean unions are not necessary. A NEW union might be needed, but representation is needed.

If we look at unions, and how they organized, and did an amazing job, we can easily duplicate that. The trick is not not fall into the same traps, and pitfalls, that they did. the UAW, AFL-CIO, NEA, and Teamsters, all started out great, but in their largeness, became bloated, and just as greedy as the corporate world. This left the workers without any true, legitimate representation. There are plenty of smaller , and locally run unions, that do an amazing job.

The ones who are anti union, but want to fight for a better wage, fail to see that, if done properly, a union is the best avenue to that end. They cannot see past the corrupt policies of today's current big union structure. To them the word union is the ultimate curse word.

As I have stated before, I am neither pro, nor anti union. I see the value in them, but also believe that they are not needed, if people are paid fairly. Unfortunately, most, are not.

The best union, would be made up by people from both sides of the fence, so there could be proper checks and balances. "Seniority" and "not in my job description" could be balanced by performance based incentives. Promotion from bottom up, and paid continuing education/training, so members can stay competitive. These are just a few ideas.

But just like our political climate, both sides refuse to compromise. Why is that?

Dan, this is pretty good. I do think that business has everything in their favor, so I think unions are a complete necessity. You are right that when they get too big, they start to fail. The difficulty lies in the fact that they need to be big, or they have no power. If it is a small union, anti-union work will make the union very ineffective.

1.) The Walton's have exploited the people for decades, created people dependent on these meager tidings, did so, making billions, and now you want to justify it afterwards?

2.) NO, you cannot survive on minimum wage. No where in the country can you afford to live on $7.25/hour. No where.

3.) Never once was I talking about LUXURIES (cell phones, etc).

4.) Why is life so hard? Are you telling me that you want to justify the Walton's paying slave wages and making life so hard for people because they need another billion?

5.) How many minimum wage jobs should I get?

6.) Interestingly, you totally ignored my FDR remarks about paying a living wage. Also, I find it completely FASCINATING that you blame someone making $7.25/hour because you think that they think that they deserve more without working, yet you have no problem with the people that created this reality. It shows lack of empathy and lack of compassion and shows your true character.

1. Nobody forced you to shop at Walmart, you choose to. You are not dependent on them, you just want to save a few bucks. 2. There are slums everywhere. Grab a few minimum wage buddies and get a place. 3. Besides food and shelter, everything is a luxury. 4. Life is hard because you have to work hard to get ahead. I don't even know where to begin with the slave labor ****. You realize that slaves weren't paid right? They didn't have a choice on anything in their lives. They were forced to work until they died. How could you even possibly compare someone who chooses where he works, when he works, and how much he is paid to a slave? That's right I said he chose how much he is paid. That's the one thing you seem to forget is that he Chose that job. He wasn't forced! 5. You only need 1 minimum wage job. Reefer to answer 2. Nobody said you had the right to your own place or to raise a family on your income. In fact, if you chose to start a family when you can't even take care of yourself, that makes you even a bigger dumba$$. 6. Obviously they make a living wage.

It seems that some of this is getting rather personal.

We all need to just sit back, chillax, and, in some cases, agree to disagree. Ideological differences, are just that. Nothing more. Neither are right, and neither are wrong.

Sam, when I started trucking in 1993 I was making about the same money or more than what drivers are making today. Adjusted for inflation, drivers today are making barely half of what we made 20 years ago doing the same job. And yet the upper management at these same companies are making triple or more what they were back then.

Your theory is that people are making exactly what they deserve and they aren't entitled to any more. If they want to make more money then they should quit being so lazy and uneducated and get out there and make something of themselves. So the reason drivers today are making half of what we were back then from your perspective must be pretty simple and obvious:

That's not at a what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that it is all supply and demand. That if you want to get ahead then you have to work harder than everyone else. Remember that kid in school that everyone picked on for being a geek or a nerd? He was working harder than you to secure his future. He got straight A's in school and got a scholarship to college where he continued to work hard and got on the dean's list. Now he's one of those fat cat ceos you hate. You could have done the same thing but instead you chose to go the way you did. Which led you here. The trucking companies have realized that all of us are a dime a dozen. That it takes very little skill and that there is always someone waiting to take your spot. This is why there isn't more money in it. Same with every other entry level position. We don't bring anything to the table. If you want more money then you have to work harder than an entry level job.

Sam, when I started trucking in 1993 I was making about the same money or more than what drivers are making today. Adjusted for inflation, drivers today are making barely half of what we made 20 years ago doing the same job. And yet the upper management at these same companies are making triple or more what they were back then.

Your theory is that people are making exactly what they deserve and they aren't entitled to any more. If they want to make more money then they should quit being so lazy and uneducated and get out there and make something of themselves. So the reason drivers today are making half of what we were back then from your perspective must be pretty simple and obvious:

That's not at a what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that it is all supply and demand. That if you want to get ahead then you have to work harder than everyone else. Remember that kid in school that everyone picked on for being a geek or a nerd? He was working harder than you to secure his future. He got straight A's in school and got a scholarship to college where he continued to work hard and got on the dean's list. Now he's one of those fat cat ceos you hate. You could have done the same thing but instead you chose to go the way you did. Which led you here. The trucking companies have realized that all of us are a dime a dozen. That it takes very little skill and that there is always someone waiting to take your spot. This is why there isn't more money in it. Same with every other entry level position. We don't bring anything to the table. If you want more money then you have to work harder than an entry level job.

Let's take this off personal. I was one of those "geek"/"Nerd" kids. I got straight A's, I got scholarships to college. I worked ten years in "big business" as an assistant actuary. I made money. I hated it, so, I became a math/science teacher. That became tedious because business tried to take it over. (big topic, different conversation), so I moved back to the family farm. Now, I am a trucker. So, none of this is about me. I work harder than most people I know. But I also know what it is like to have nothing and work hard. I always want everyone to succeed. There should be no slums. Ever. You say there are always and will always be slums. Believe it or not, there does not have to be.

When businesses run everything, there always will be though. Have you ever been to Europe? Go to Stockholm. Go to Oslo. Go to Rekjavich. Go to Goteborg. Lots of cities without slums.

Watch this video. It will challenge your perceptions and show you how you were spoon fed things.

Jeff Daniels makes uncomfortable statements, but he is not wrong.