I remember back as a kid…stores weren’t open 24 hours, no Sundays and no holidays. Family meant something over consumerism. Fast forward a few decades and people only worry about profit, greed and keeping score these days. It’s sad to see how bad the family bond has degraded in most families. Anyhow, back on topic…I disagree that unions are needed these days. I think that workers are empowered enough (and then some) to determine what they are and are not willing to do. I also don’t agree with a minimum wage today…I think that people are entitled enough and the wealthy are rich enough that some form of balance would come naturally. Maybe I’m idealistic…maybe not.
Note: It wasn’t THAT long ago before you go taking shit Don
I agree with unions for worker protection from shitty conditions. Working in industry is dangerous enough as is. Conditions, equipment and lighting for example were dangerous, if it weren’t for unions and people fighting for these rights most companies would have left the status quo alone because it’s cheaper.
I can’t believe the number of comments I’ve seen like, “Well tough, I’m a nurse/EMT/cop and have to work all kinds of holidays”. Going into a profession that everyone knows is 24/7/365 with good reason isn’t really the same as retail suddenly thinking they need to be open on holidays just to squeeze out a few more dollars in profit.
Father-in-law’s side of the family is all old Ford stamping plant blood. I was told I was driving brand X… I asked why, and was told b/c I didn’t buy American. But yes I did, it’s a Honda. No it’s not, that’s a (insert Azn slur) car. Try again, your Ford was built in Mexico, read that vin # right here? 3? yeah, that’s made in Mexico. See this? My Honda was built in OHIO, in America… So you’re driving brand X tough guy. Poor old man hasn’t been the same since.
Don that comment was in reference to you making fun of my age, ya punk kid. It was isolated from the first sentence I typed so it didn’t make much sense as I read it back now. LOL. Senility I suppose.
the folks at walmart supercenters can’t complain too much though.
they’re 24/7 anyway.
Only difference really is more people are working then usual, and less during the other days of the week.
I was glad for 2 of the 3 black fridays I worked, I just got to sit in the photo lab (I was a photo specialist) and cash people out. I was nice and protected by a couple of counters, and had it easy.
The other one I worked, I spent the first half of my shift walking around handing out packages of memory cards that we didn’t have space to display properly so nobody could really find them. So I just shoved my way through the crowds yelling DOES ANYONE ELSE NEED THE MEMORY CARD OR JUMP DRIVE?!?!?!?!
I believe it was 2x2gb memory cards for $15, and 2x2gb jump drives for 15. This was 3-4 years ago when memory was still pretty expensive. It was a great deal… I think I ended up buying 4-5 packages of the memory cards… Even though we’re not allowed to buy anything until we punch out after our shift.
I actually ended up buying a Xbox and some games and some other garbage on lunch one year, a Ps3 another year, and a 32" LCD another year… (32" LCD was $599 and was a GREAT DEAL at the time… now look at the prices)
I asked every time if it was ok before I did though. But policy says you can’t until the end of your shift. that really annoyed a lot of us, because we miss out on the good deals… If they aren’t sold out by the end of a 4hr shift.
Usually we’d hide shit we really want
Could get fired for that also…
Wal-Mart had us watch videos and sign off on the videos about how bad unions are and that we should always say no to them.
Occasionally when Unions were out spreading their shit, the managers would pull a couple of people to just wander around the store and report anyone trying to get people to sign things about a union. then a manger would come and escort said person out of the store.
The corporation as a whole was VERY anti union. But I don’t believe you really needed one, at least when I worked there. Managers were generally fair, benefits were good. Health insurance was great, there was dental insurance, life insurance, 401k. You didn’t even have to put money in to the 401k! they did it on your behalf. You could always put more in… When I left there after 2 years, they cut me a check for $1300 for the shares I owned that I didn’t even know I had! Most people can get on a set schedule, so no fluctuating hours. ESPECIALLY if you’re in school… they were very kind to nearly everyone that went to school as far as their schedule goes. I talked my manager in to letting me close on night on Thursday (12-9) and then open Saturday/Sun (8-5 in summer, 7-4 in winter). It was extremely convenient for me, and helped them since I’m closing (people hate closing), and working both weekend days (people get bitchy about having the work weekends). Win-Win.
Anyway, I rambled enough.
Point is, don’t believe all the shit you read about companies. I’d read TERRIBLE things about the local walmarts, most it it being untrue. For fucks sake, when I was helping set up a new store in Macedon NY near rochester… 3 of us went over there for 5 days. They put EACH one of us up in a $150 hotel room for the time we were there. It was pretty fuckin’ baller honestly. We were expecting to all have to share one room in an econolodge or something. Then we go to the hotel they told us and shit ourselves with excitement. We got paid for drive time, all meals were paid (up to a certain amount, it covered about 80% of what we spent… and we went to nice places every day for the most part to take full advantage), and mileage paid.
I worked at a Walmart for a short time while I was in college and couldn’t find anything better that fit my schedule. It really wasn’t a bad gig, other than dealing with trashy people day in and day out.
Of course they didn’t make me come in and start my shift at 10pm on Thanksgiving back then either.
I have a lot of friends parents that are from the stamping plant, they were mad when I bought my wife a new camry, I let them know it is the most american made car on the US market, and I put food on many americans table, this had nothing to do with the purchase decision. Thier reply was all the the profits go to Japan, I just shake my head and stop because there is no point in wasting my time lecturing a bunch of 50 year old know it alls about globalization, economics etc.
It always boggles my mind when workers who own no shares of a company argue that which shareholders are paid dividends is more important than which workers get paychecks.
Or perhaps they are mindless idiots who don’t understand the mantra they are chanting.
Disgusting when someone bases their convictions on the convictions of others, rather than thoughts generated by their own brains.
All Im saying about unions is this… I spent 14 hours watching a union guy do a job that would have taken me 4hrs. Not being in a union member i wasnt allowed to do my own job in their plant despite the fact that i spent 8hrs the previous day taking tests and watching videos that would have allowed me to do my job the next day. 2 of those 14 hours were spent waiting for the union electricians to show up. When the 3 union electricians showed up, it took them about another hour to open a high voltage box (1 “lock” that opens with a screw driver) and tag out the disconnect (right next to the HV box). The chain of events was kind of funny. 3 show up. One checks for power (IDK why it was obvious there was some) The second de energized the circuit and tagged it out. The third opened the box after putting on his bomb disposal suit on(480box requiring only level1 flash protection). The guy that was my escort/ minnion for the day was actually performing the work i would have been doing. Half way through the day as my minion was coming down a latter I moved a wrench that was directly under the ladder so that he did not step on it and fall. I almost got kicked out of the plant for that.
I have many stories like this.
I just cant seem to understand how business owners in this country can let shit like this fly. Didnt American axle pull out for just this reason? I could be wrong but I could have swore that the AA workers were told that they would have to work a year without raises and its either that or they loose their jobs. They went on strike and guess what happened?!
Everyone in unions and other places always say “buy American, support our economy”. Well what the fuck is made in America anymore?!?! Isnt our biggest export our debt?! Its kind of discouraging if you think about it. And TraderBase I also remember the days when malls and stores were closed on holidays and sundays. I kind of long for those days. Unfortunately greed seems to override family. But I doubt any of us can do anything to change that. Unfortunately we are all conditioned to compete with the “Johnes” and shoot for the “high score” and seem to think that we are entitled to it all with little to no work. Our culture is such that once you turn 16 you “need” your drivers license, and you “need” to have that part time job. In a sense we are all stamped from the same cookie cutter with the same “basic routine” stamped in our mind, and sub routines that seem to discourage independent thought. Work, buy things, work, buy thing. Dont get me wrong there is nothing wrong with buying things, and being able to buy things or even working for that matter. But we should be working to live not living to work. Idk this is more of a rant then anything, its just one of those days. Who knows i could be wrong.
I got in trouble at Delphi a few years ago when I plugged my computer and monitor in and connected the network cable. Apparently that’s a union job. After 2.5 days of waiting, I finally did the “job” myself. Later that day someone finally came by and the “job” was already done.
I now work at GM and we had a brilliant stroke of genius a few years ago to save money. They removed clocks from the buildings. This meant that they would no longer have to replace the batteries or adjust time for daylight savings (both would be a union task, 2 people required for these tasks).
Working for UB and seeing how ripped up we got over picking a non union paint color and all the different carpentry, electrical and hvac inefficiencies blows my mind. Much of what you are describing is what I witness daily as well. 8/
American Axle I got a good laugh out of, the people that strike during a recession or when outsourcing is rampant make me laugh.
If unions were solely focused on worker safety in dangerous trades…that I could get on board with. They really don’t seem to though, to me unions seem to focus on pay hikes and actually try to keep eager workers out and entitled babies in…which I take great issue with.
Work to live…AHHH I love that concept. That’s how things should be again. I miss my childhood and the innocence of not knowing half of what I know. 8/
getting off topic here (maybe not) but this is a situation I always enjoy hearing. Something like your company is working with a European company in some way and somebody has to complain that the Europeans are on vacation again and aren’t getting anything done. Don’t you envy the privileges they have?
the example he gave is pretty drastic, most of my guys slap a lock on and also disconnect any other hazardous energy within 30 sec and start to work. IT’S NOT ALL GUYS! but it sucks the good ones get paid the same as the asshats
HAHAHA, that’s another funny story about my father-in-law’s family, their entire retirements are “invested” in ford stock. Every time they gather, they talk about how much money they lost.
Ford…1999 high of $39…down to a 2008 low of $1. OUCH LOL
Diversification is a must for simple minds or lazy people that aren’t financially intelligent. Putting all your eggs in 1 basket can be ok if you watch the basket closely. Putting all your eggs in 1 basket when you pay no attention or are dumb is a recipe for disaster.
As long as they are bitching about how much they lost I’m good with them. I HATE when long term holders of a stock begin quoting off the low instead of where they bought. That’s a gambler talking, when you hear “price is at $10 off the low of $1 so I’m up $9 per share”. LOL WUT, you bought at $30 so you should be saying you lost $20 per share. DURRRRPPPP.
Also the traditional use of the terms “retirement” and “nest eggs” make me laugh considering they are almost all based on an instrument of perceived value. Pensions are even worse but we won’t get into those. My old man draws a federal pension and I told him to diversify some into metals when silver was super low and gold was around $400. He laughed at me and thinks his pension is a guarantee…to which I laugh right back.
