Tuesday, December 20, 2005

On striking

Just days before Christmas, and I see that New York's transit workers have gone on strike. I have mixed feelings about strikes (I live in a place where unions have incredible power and strikes are common) because I understand the notion of standing up for what you believe, but at the same time, if you don't like your working conditions - go find another job. I myeslf have never belonged to a union, though I once voted not to unionize. When unemployment is low, there is no reason why people can't get out and find a job or an employer that will treat them better. There is this idea that if you work for an employer for a long time that you deserve that avenue of making money to be secured and constantly increasing. But for most people, this is not the reality. For most people, you're only as good as your last success, and every week the employee must prove that they are (still) beneficial to the organization. When unions get involved, it's like the employer has to be good enough for the employees.

Two years ago there was a transit strike here. It was all because the custodial workers in the metro stations walked off the job, and then the drivers and mechanics walked off in "sympathy". So the whole transit system shut down essentially because 130 workers on the cleaning staff weren't happy with $20 an hour, they wanted $25 after all that's what their counterparts in Toronto get. (Shh, let's not mention that the cost of living in Toronto is much, much higher than Montreal) The impact was terrible for me, as I use the transit system to get me to all my various lessons. In the first week of the strike I lost $300 due to classes I wasn't able to get to. So as you can imagine, I was quite bitter about losing income because of some whiny workers who feel they are entitled to a 25% raise.

I can't wait to read New York bloggers and their experiences this week. I predict wild ranting. Should be juicy.

10 comments:

Snooze said...

I'm mixed - I've had to belong to unions at several points in my career and have loathed the experience. But, I don't think unions would exist if it wasn't for bad management. There are some real abuses out there. I also come from a mining community and there's no way those guys could survive - literally - without a strong union. Sometimes it's not a simple as getting another job, but in fighting for working conditions. When we see things though like the whining because people in Toronto make more, it makes unions seem completely irrelevant.

The Wisdom of Wislon said...

Unions provide mixed blessings.

liked Quickly ' came lame

Have a fab Festive time!! ;-)

Adam said...

Its definately going to be interesting.

I have the same mixed feelings about unions too. Although these people may not have seen raises in several years and they have to pay for healthcare out of their paychecks too. They probably don't see too much in the end.

St. Dickeybird said...

I have mixed feelings about unions too. In the beginning, they were good. They cut us down to a 5 day workweek, got general workers liveable pay and basic rights. But yeah, when $20/hour isn't enough for a janitor, it's getting to be too much. F'em. That's what you earn for a job like that!

_Psycho said...

I totally aggree, with the part "If you don't like your job, change". When I was at the gov, I was FORCED to give the union my cash (like 15$ every pay). This pissed me off, I don't care if some peoples need it. If I don't like my job/emlpoyer I will change.

I remember the case torn is talking. Some peoples that sell tickets at the metro was getting 42,000$/year and they wanted more. It's not because you been selling tickets for the last 20 years that you should get that much for that job. No brain is involved selling tickets. No physical effort etc. Still, they went to strike. Piss me off, Union are so much useless most of the time.

tornwordo said...

Bernard: Yes I am a teacher, but I work contractually, session by session. I decide which contracts to accept and reject. I teach English to executives and then I tutor kids after school.

Patricia said...

i live in an extremely pro-union state.

(can you say "u.a.w."?)

i still believe in the reasons unions were formed. but when people use their greed to exploit loopholes or to work the system for the good of the few, rather than the good of the many, the system fails everyone.

i don’t know the details of the nyc workers. i just hope both sides play fairly. ‘cause it’s gotta be hell to be living in the city right now.

Anonymous said...

I see your point. But I also think that people collectively bargaining for their salaries raises the bar for all jobs. How many employers do you know that raise minimum wage without being forced to? How many companies are out there where the company leadership is paying workers the absolute minimum and skimming the profits for thhemselves?

American health care... do I need to say more?

I know it is a PITA when strikes happen, but I also know that there is no other way to pry salary increases out of most management teams.

The stock prices keep rising though, you know?

Anonymous said...

Great post, Tornwordo! I enjoyed the perspective.

You sounded a little like Ronald Reagan.

r said...

I'm a member of a union, yet I have mixed feelings about it too. Of course, the teachers here have never actually gone on strike; and even with the bargaining members of our union, I'm still grossing less than I did last year. Without the bargaining, I'd be making $1200 less this year, rather than $500 less.

And, as a teacher, if a kid gets pissed off at me and accuses me of something nefarious, the union's lawyers are there for me. Otherwise, I'd be up poop creek without a paddle.


em, what's a PITA?