You don't think that between 30 and 40 dollars per hour is a bit excessive for a production line employee?

No, of course not. I'd take it while I could get it, I won't deny that!

I build trailers and truck bodies, any of which could have a malfunction, come apart from their parent vehicle and kill someone. Now, at the end of the day after all expenses are paid, I don't come close to making 30 dollars an hour, but I still care about what I'm doing and feel I'm turning out a decent product that's safe all around. And I didn't need to make a large hourly sum of money to feel good about myself and my product.

I'm not against unions, I'm really not. I AM against the idea that people need to make upwards of 70 grand a year to be considered competent in their chosen field. I'm also a paramedic and most medics I know make somewhere in the area of 40 grand a year. Paramedics can literally have your life in their hands, so if the amount of money a person makes determines their competency, why don't we pay them more in line with auto assembly line workers?

As far as Fiat having a hand in Chrysler, what's the difference if it's Fiat or Mercedes Benz? The only real difference we saw with MB was the name 'Daimler' appeared before Chrysler on the door tags. I suspect we'll see a similar thing this time around too.

chaikwa.

 

Exectly HOW does joining the union make someone more skilled ?? If anything it makes them lazier.
This may not be apples to apples, but my experience in construction has taught me that both union and non union trades strive to do the job right. The difference is that the non union guys work faster because they have a pride along with fear of being replaced. The union guys may still have the pride, but they work s l o w. They try to make the excuse that slow = quality, but when it takes someone 15 minutes to get a ladder, that's union.


IMO IMO IMO IMO

 

I won't DISagree with you, but I'm NOT union and when it comes to s l o w , I'm right up there with the best of 'em! (But I DO come from a public service background!)



chaikwa.

 

Nice ghost writing ther chaikwa ha ha ha

 

It takes a lot of practice, but I can teach you if ya want!



chaikwa.

 

oy..............

 

Sounds like I hit a nerve....good.

 

So you basically just said that you would take the money if you could. But you cant.... So it wouldnt be a problem if YOU were making good money. Its only a problem if everybody else is doing it. Then what you need to do is get a better job....simple enough for ya? Its not rocket science hoss.....good education and good training = good pay.

 

If working union didnt benefit me and my family, I wouldnt do it.Its just that simple..... We always felt like non union construction ran fast because they were scared for their jobs. I make good money, a good pension and nobody rides my *** at work. Doesnt sound too bad does it?

 

Yes, I would take the money, I'm not a TOTAL idiot. But I wouldn't be crying about how poor I was if I were to lose that 'good money', simply because I don't live to the absolute ends of my means. Just because you make 70 grand a year doesn't mean you have to spend that much to live.

chaikwa.

 

Stop it. Your embarrasing yourself. Who are you talking about? Me or somebody else you don't know. And now you'd have me believe that you'd have no problem losing a very good job and possible loss/or damage to your pension? Stop blaming unions for high wages......The company/contractor AGREES to the pay scale. Its called collective bargaining. If they didnt think their workers were worth it, they wouldnt pay these wages and they wouldnt operate as a union company/contractor. But they do...Why do you think that is....must be a reason right? BTW, I checked out your website...pretty cool. Welder, logger, and firefighter instructor. I definitely respect that. Politics aside, we're both country boys.

 

Um, actually I DID! I forfeited my pension when I quit a 23 year full time career with the fire department to become an independant FF instructor because I believe that the fire service in this country could use more/better training. I easily make at least 1/3 less now as an instructor than I did as a full time FF, but I think I did the right thing. (I'll let you know in a few more years!)

Or they'd move their operations to a third world country.

Thanks, I appreciate that! That's what I like about this site and it's members... you and I can disagree but still maintain a certain amount of respect for each others views and beliefs. Maybe DTR should be running the country!

Speaking of which, if were going to continue this conversation, maybe we should move it to the political section before it gets moved FOR us!

chaikwa.

 

BTW jrn, I didn't mean to insult YOU when I said, "Just because you make 70 grand a year doesn't mean you have to spend that much to live." I was generalizing, but I can see how you may have taken that to mean YOU you, not 'you', as in people in general.

Sorry!

chaikwa.

 

We are both passionate about our beliefs. And thats a good thing. You are your own boss? I'm jealous...thats always been my dream. The american dream.....to make your own way and answer to no man. And now back to our scheduled broadcasting!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Don't be too jealous... sometimes it's not just a dream, it's a nightmare!



chaikwa.