Grumpa Joe's Place

Those who know me well, know that I have a hang-up about unions. Perhaps they had a real purpose in the days of the Industrial Revolution when America was coming out of the agricultural age, but they have no useful purpose today, than to promote socialism. They were a tool used to boost individuals from agricultural serfdom to the industrial middle class.  On the political side, unions were used to elect Democrats. My Dad, who was forced to join a union when he worked for the railroad was told how to vote by union bosses. Eventually,  American workers abandoned unions as a tool because unions no longer  function to their benefit in this society

Today, unions are a business. Their goal is to make money, and  to keep union bosses employed. Many times, unions are in the pocket of the management. They know the management position is right, and the unioin is left with a “take it or leave it” proposition. Much of the export of  US industry to foreign countries is the result of union demands making business more expensive  to work in. Unions also demand more pay for less work.  Very often, the negotiated work rules have no reason, and offer a company less flexibility. For example continuing to demand a coal-shoveling fireman on deisel-electric locomotives. Too many union/management relationships are adversarial in nature. Instead of building a relationship that will foster a “together we will prosper’ attitude, it is a “we’ll take you down before we give in” credo.

Last week, I read an article about a Boy Scout who built a hiking-biking trail as his Eagle Scout project. Having served in the BSA for twenty five years, I thought he picked an remarkably ambitious project. He might become an Eagle Scout as a result, because with his leadership, he completed the project. His Eagle Board of Review has to determine if he met the requirements of  an Eagle class project.  Meanwhile Allentown benefits.

The Service Employees International Union argued that the work should have gone to fired union employees instead. Did the SEIU or their members conceive the project? Did they take it before  a Scout board of approval? Did they get  permits from the park district? Did they plan the work? Did they recruit people to work? Did they lead the workers, and arrange for removal of the trash? The SEIU leaders who filed the complaint against Allentown, PA  got paid. The Boy Scout didn’t, nor did his recruits. I guess the SEIU calls him a SCAB.

Perhaps the SEIU should redefine what it’s mission statement is and what it stands for; “The desecration of the basic human values that make our country great.” They fill that requirement exactly.

Filed under: Cartoons, Conservative, family, liberals, politics | Tagged: Agricultural Age, Allentown, Boys Scouts of America, BSA, Democrats, Do a Good Deed Daily, Eagle Scout, Hiking Trail, Human Values, Industrial Revolution, Middle Class, Mission Statement, Railroad, Scab, SEIU, Serfs, socialism, Unions | Leave a comment »