Pat Lehman, grand lodge representative for the Machinists union in Wichita, argues the pro-union side of a Labor Day debate on The Eagle’s Opinion pages today, opposite Lew Ebert of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. One colorful anecdote from Lehman’s commentary ended up on the editing room floor:
“At one facility in Texas, the opening of the movie ‘Patton’ was re-created, complete with a retired military general striding to the stage in front of a huge American flag, with the roar of jets flying overhead, and martial music being played while the general delivered the union-busting message that joining a union was really an unpatriotic act, and the military in the United States did not like to have union members doing their work!
“Because many of the workers at this facility were veterans, the union-busting consultant felt this was the best way to approach the workers, along with the usual one on one threatening meetings with their supervisors, and the mandatory viewing of films using paid actors to depict union violence.
“Turns out the retired general was paid $158,000 for his one-time acting gig, and most of the private military work down in the United States is done by union members, with the full support of the military. At least the workers got some cookies and lemonade at this meeting.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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12 Comments
Unions were once a good force in the nation, but not any longer. They have exhast their useful life, and now they are deterimental to the economy and growth.
If only the aerospace industry in Wichita will get with it, we will not see much growth in the industry because of Unions. That’s ok. Unions defeat their own purpose and will end up lossing every job in America that was held by them.
That is why new industries coming into the US, like the Nissan, Toyota, Honda, BMW, and more are all NON-UNION! People there do not want unions, although the Unions will build a building across the street and try to recuit people, but it fails. People want jobs and individuality, not Unions. But GM and Ford in Detroit lays off more and more workers. Because they are union, which protect the unproductive and encourage their own workers to screw the company at any expense. They are never inline with the company’s mission or try to improve the companys profitablity and survival, they just want more for them, which is not what they deserve.
The Unions are dying such a slow death, somebody needs to shoot a bullet and end the suffering they cause to the economy.
Unions have chosen to “thrive” on an adversarial relationship with management, much like fever-swamp liberals love to hate anyone smarter than them. (They hate a lot.)
After they soon become extinct, both groups will be remembered fondly, like the dinosaurs, especially for their eventual oil.
Yes, giddammitt. Of course, it’s unpatriotic. Why do you have to ask?
Pat Lehman, bless her union-made, heart, is the epitome of the abrasive, confrontational, emotional labor tactics of the past. She’s a dinosaur. It’s time to look to the future, not the past.
Pat Lehman, bless her union-made, heart, is the epitome of the abrasive, confrontational, emotional labor tactics of the past. She’s a dinosaur. It’s time to look to the future, not the past.
Ask not what your Boss can do for you, but what can you do for your Boss!If employers could bring back slavery, do you doubt for a moment they’d do it? Of course unions are unpatriotic, since they stand in the way of that first of all American Rights- the right to screw your fellow citizens out of everything they have!
The CEO of Walmart makes more in two weeks than an average floor worker makes in
a. a year?b. ten years?c. a lifetime of work?
Answer: c, a lifetime of work.
If that doesn’t bother you, then of course you don’t see any need for unions.
If you believe that no American should be paid so much while others who help produce that wealth should be paid so little, then you believe unions are needed.
I believe the latter.
If it weren’t for unions, there would be no Labor Day holiday, no company paid health insurance, no weekend (as we know it), no 40 hour work week, no overtime pay (current administration trying to weaken this), no paid vacations, less safe working conditions, no pensions for hourly workers, the list could go on and on. Even if your job is non-union and you have these benefits, non union employers had to offer them to retain workers.
Galahad and Brown, you are both so right. It was the fact that companies treated their employees as endentured servants that started the unions in the first place. Look what happened to the steel workers: they struck because of working conditions and were shot.I’ve worked for both good and bad companies. Personally, I prefer a good company without a union, but not everybody has the wherewithal to enjoy the same.Unions are still needed in this country, and will be until companies learn that without their skilled workers, they would fail. But that’s like beating a dead horse.
Of course unions are still needed. We need look no further than some of the posters here to PROVE that.
As to whether supporting a union is un-patriotic? Well if patriotism is now defined as saying “yessir boss, whatever ya say boss, ya know boss? you are always right” Well that sort of “patriotism” is the roots of fascism. Do what you are told! Love the leader! Never ask questions or make demands! Fight vigorously and report those who question the leader. Embrace the misery of your predicament and just be thankful it aint worse! Shut your mouth and do what you are told or you may well find you and your family homeless and starving.
Now maybe I’m just unlucky. But personally, I’ve never yet worked for an employer who I felt treated me as any more than a thing. Even in my last union job of 14 years, the union was so weak and corporate management so idiotic and abusive that I ultimately quit.
Unions are necesssary because no small portion of America gets its jollies by exploiting and mis-treating people.
I may have had bad luck, by
Unions are only needed by those workers who don’t realize that they can always go look for, and get, a better job. Employers get the message in a hurry when the good employees leave.
Once workers start acting like adults and taking initiative for their own well-being then the unions will become history.
That being said, what a load of B.S. to make people think it’s unpatriotic to be in a union. The two are unrelated.
Proudman I thank you for knowing and acknowledging that union membership is not unpatriotic. This shows you at least may have a mind worth saving.
Who cares more about the success of an enterprise or business than the workers? Their livelihood depends on it. That said I think I can convince you that unions are not only relevant but VITAL in the current American economy. I do know as I have lived it.
Current American corporate culture does things this way.
Investors are not into the long term success of a company (or sadly even their country) these days. As they do not work and do not care to, they are all about profit NOW. They are into short term gain by any means necessary. They get in, make the bucks, and get out. So, CEO’s and board directors are appointed not to the success of the enterprise, but with all concern for the short term gain…..at any cost. Hence you get CEO’s and board members with prepaid salaries and golden parachutes. They have no stake in the success or failure long term. They already get paid one way or the other. Thus those in charge have no accountability at all save short term profit. remember ENRON?
There was a time when this was mitigated by “promotion from the floor” the essence of the American dream. Concern for the workers and the long term success of the enterprise migrated upward that way.
This is not the case anymore. Before I was encouraged by force of threat to quit my last employer (You can either quit and we will not dispute your unemployment benefits, or we will fire you and dispute your compensation), my immediate supervisors included a 19 year old woman whose last job had been managing a Quik Trip, and a man whose last position was managing a hog farm. Neither of them could even turn on the machines ……much less run them to do what I did. I am a former operator for 14 years of machines that made parts for aircraft. I can’t tell you how many times I was told to not worry about safety or quality and get my nose into quantity and production as I could easily be replaced.
Proudman you speak of workers voting with their feet and walking away, thus forcing employers to pay and treat employees fairly lest they lose the makers of their product. I wish that still worked. But American business no longer cares about who makes their product. That lack of care extends also to the quality of the product. (I’ll never fly again)
Unions made the middle class that made America great these last 60 years. Henry Ford said ” I must pay my workers enough that they may afford my product” It may well be unions that SAVE America yet from those with less concern for country and more sick obsession on short sighted self centered greed.