Struggling Through Tough Times

[tdavis]

It is not always easy to be a cheering squad for organized labor in these times. Unions across the country are cracking into contracts to give concessions, bargaining away rights to keep jobs and, really, it is pretty messy out here for workers and the unions that represent them. I am getting a lot of email and phone calls from a lot of disgusted people and everyone is asking in one way or another the same question ... why? I don't know specific answers, but I feel it, too.

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[yy4me]

1. I can see why union members are upset with any forced

changes in their contracts but some of my feeling is tempered by the fact that many are way overpaid for the skill level at which they work. I note in reference to the transit workers in Boston. Many of then are making huge salaries with overtime for jobs that really to not merit the pay level. The transit union has great bargaining power. In good times, concessions were made to them and now they are squawking that their life has been severely curtailed because of forced cuts.

There are other examples everywhere where unions have pushed the limits. THe Boston Globe is in trouble and will probably be sold. One of the provisions that was finally negotiated out of the current workers contracts was the "lifetime" employment benefit. Who of us has a lifetime job guarantee?

It is hard for those of us who are looking for jobs to feel sympathy for demands where no concession is given to the state of affairs in which we all find ourselves.

It is not my intention to downplay the importance of unions but to bring attention to the fact that they must give a little. Many of us have given all we had and have found ourselves out on the street in terms of jobs.
It is not shameful for overqualified people to take lower paying jobs to get through this economic mess we are in, I suggest that some unions review their adamant posture and give a little so their member companies can survive. When things ever get back to normal, the time will be right to renegotiate. At least your company will have survived and you kept your job.

No insult meant, just my opinion.