Friday, October 24, 2008

More Union Stuff

Much of the talk around the water cooler this morning is about the IAM Union Negotiations. No one knows anything for sure, but people want to have something to say, so they just make stuff up.
"I know a guy that talked to someone who knew someone that said...."
I have really mixed feelings about Unions.
First of all, I do not trust Corporate America has my best interests at heart. As we have had repeatedly had demonstrated to us, Corporate America is driven by the profit motive. The bean counters rule, and greed is good. As in most irresponsible thinking, things are not tied to fundamentally sound practices. A policy that is built upon speculation based on the concept that things will continue to improve forever is inevitably going to fail. A lot of the financial despair has been caused by financial institutions and big business, having seen how far they can push things inevitable taking one more step.
Business needs to be driven by more than mere profit. Some underlying principles need to be the operational basis for the whole enterprise. Corporations as well as individuals need to be held accountable for their actions. Our society cannot function otherwise. Corporate and individual fiscal irresponsibility have fueled our current economic discomfort.
I have done a lot of different things in my life, so I can appreciate a lot of different points of view. It puts me in a rather unique position to appreciate both sides of the current labor difficulties. Mind you this is strictly my personal opinion.
We have two negotiating teams that are both trying to make their bones on this contract. If they can do a good job of representing their side, their reputation will be made for life.
So first of all, they have a personal stake in the negotiations. Neither of these things is of any concern to me, so right out of the box, I don't feel that either of them have my best interests at heart.
Secondly, they have their own corporate interests at heart. The Company wants to give as little as possible to the workers so they can fatten up the bottom line. Every dollar they give me comes straight out of possible profits, so the Company does not have my best interests at heart. On the other side of the coin, the Union's first line of business is to make sure the Union continues to exist. They put their own survival at the top of the list, and they will do whatever is necessary to survival. Even before profitability, the primary concern of any entity is it's own survival. Neither of those entities has MY best interest as the heart of it's existence.
So they meet behind closed doors, and refuse to communicate with anyone outside. I for one would like to have access to the negotiations. How can I do a good job evaluating how well the teams are doing, if they REFUSE to let me know what is going on.
So the Company will declare it's "Best and Final Offer". Who do they think they are kidding? It's the best and final offer right up until the next and final offer. And as far as the Union goes, they can refuse things in my name without even asking my opinion. We are supposed to trust them. I say televise the whole thing end to end. It wouldn't be all that expensive. What do they actually sit around and discuss all day long?
I say we employees band together and buy out the company and fire them BOTH and elect our representatives. Put someone in charge that actually gives a shit about the business of building aircraft, and gives a shit about the employees.

7 comments:

rennratt said...

At the end of the day, you just can't trust anyone, can you?

We aren't allowed to have unions here, but still have to follow union rules. Why? Our Corporate office is based in a mandatory union state. So I get none of the benefits, but all of the rules.

Al said...

Renn: That sucks. I don't understand how a state can make it against the law to have unions.

rennratt said...

I don't, either. It's probably because a) I live in the south b) it is the land of farming and migration labor and c)it is also the (former) land of textiles.

I'm guessing that the Good Ole Boy Network (still very much alive) would have a problem with the "lesser people" having a say.

Michael said...

I think we've been in a downward spiral since years ago when they told us we weren't a "family" anymore. I used to have a lot of pride in our company but now, who the hell can get excited about "shareholder value?!"

Al said...

Michael: I agree absolutely. Seems that line came from Harry Stonecipher, the old crook.

sue said...

It is a no-win situation, imo.

Al said...

Sue: A strike benefits no one. Al least not at my level.