Right to Work Bill

[jblomenberg16]

Prevailing wage will plummet. Then everyone will need to work 60hrs a week for a decent pay. Hell lets just throw any OT rates out the window. I admit there is bad things about organized labor.

I think you'll find that prevailing wage won't plumment. In many exempt roles, prevailing wage actuallys stedily increases as the collective labor pool gets more competitive. Employers can then use their wage as a way to hire who they want.

If they want a highly skilled and highly trained person, they'll offer a high wage, and carefully interview and select. If they need less training, they might offer less money.

In many exempt cases OT is still offered as a premium over the standard wage. OT premium isn't just a union thing.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I am definitely for the right to work, but there needs to be other changes within the National Labor Relation Act and Board, along with union structure, to better determine how workers' rights AND employer rights are addressed. Right now, there are too many people taking advantage of their unions when they are in need, although they don't pay dues. Also, the unions, in some instances, totally ignore some workers when they are in need, even though they are dues-paying members. On the other hand, I am not in agreement with any form of union-busting tactics that some employers have attempted to use in the past, so some protections will need to stay in place.

The bottom line is, this needs to be dealt with in the legislature and just because any particular side happens to be in the minority, that does not give them the right to walk away from the table. If there is a proper argument, a statesman should be able to convey the benefits to his colleagues in a way to sway them to his side, regardless which side of the aisle the sit. The art of debate is nonexistent today, because of staunch party lines and politics.

Excellent statement.

 

[gvbcraig]

Maybe I should of just kept my mouth shut. Nobody is forcing to pay anybody. The unions will be crushed if bills like this pass across the country. Then it will be every man for themselves. You stand where you stand, and I'll be over here. I'm not gonna play the debate game.

I am in the construction industry, I am in a position to hire contractors and their subs. I have see good and bad on both sides and there are certain trades that I would prefer particular contractors period and it varies from project to project.

I represent those who are paying for the labor and materials, why should we not have choice of who we want to hire.

Everyone gets a chance to bid the work, if they quality...that is the key..if they qualify.

What has gotten to me in the past is the attitudes of union labor. They get in your face, they create obstructions, they create tension on a project that has both open show and union labor. I take it as personal insult when one of my projects gets shut down because of a labor dispute, you got a beef with management, go talk to them, but don't shut me down.

I do not have those issues with open shops, and the quality of work does not suffer, they are more of a team player.

As far as every man for himself....isn't that what this country is all about. Stand up for yourself, I have all of my life, sometimes you get kicked in the face and you use that as learning experience.

 

[Caleb]

My troll alarm is going off, anybody else's going off as well?

 

[ATM]

My troll alarm is going off, anybody else's going off as well?

I just troll when the urge strikes me, I don't actually schedule a specific time of day.

 

[Denny347]

I didn't realize the republicans have done that too. What was the issue when they refused to show?

I heard the news mention it last year when the Dems ran out of state. I do believe it was some time ago. I tried Google it but there are a million posts for the current BS that is going on so it will be hard to find.

 

[Hotdoger]

Prevailing wage will plummet. Then everyone will need to work 60hrs a week for a decent pay. Hell lets just throw any OT rates out the window. I admit there is bad things about organized labor.

What bill is going to over turn over time rate laws?

 

[Destro]

14 busses full of union trade persons not at their jobs on a thursday afternoon...hmm...

 

[hornadylnl]

What bill is going to over turn over time rate laws?

I made just shy of $30k in overtime alone at my non union job last year.

 

[dhnorris]

I heard the news mention it last year when the Dems ran out of state. I do believe it was some time ago. I tried Google it but there are a million posts for the current BS that is going on so it will be hard to find.

I don't know when the the repulicans did it but, I seem to remember that no-good will of the majority blocking whig who jumped out a window so they wouldn't have a quorum in 1839...............................................


Abe Lincoln of Illinois

 

[DRob]

Union pals

I have several buddies who are retired UAW guys. To a man, they will tell you the only people the unions helped were the deadbeats and the union officials. That would currently be deadbeats by the bus load, no doubt!

 

[9lock]

I would like to see the right wing fascist's crushed for spitting on the soldiers graves "past and present" who paid dearly for such FREEDOMS.

 

[Hotdoger]

I made just shy of $30k in overtime alone at my non union job last year.

It is all going to get thrown out the window now. What are you going to do?

 

[Stschil]

Prevailing wage will plummet. Then everyone will need to work 60hrs a week for a decent pay. Hell lets just throw any OT rates out the window. I admit there is bad things about organized labor.

Prevailing wage???? What exactly is that?

I've dealt with many unions in many different situations.
One instance, I was FORCED, ie told that if union labor didnt do the unloading, the police would be called and I would be escorted from the convention hall, to have a union forklift driver unload my truck and paid approx 3 times what it would have cost me to have my own employees do it and it too twice as long.
I have heard too many UAW workers complain that they were CALLED BACK to work. Seems that with their sub-pay and unemployment they were only making about $100 less than when they were at the plant.

 

[Cerberus]

I would like to see the right wing fascist's crushed for spitting on the soldiers graves "past and present" who paid dearly for such FREEDOMS.

Could you please explain this?

 

[tlkidd]

My daughter asked me about how unions work. I told her to imagine that I am a potential employer and I want to hire you. This is a very good job but you have to pay your sister $100 every month or I have to fire you. I did not pick the $100 figure arbitrarily. That is what I pay each month. I can't say I would withdraw from my union but I should certainly have that option. Give me options. I can decide.

 

[mike8170]

How does one determine that a job is a union job? How does the union get ownership of that work?

I generally have no problems with organized labor. There are benefits, such as the training and qualifications you cited, and the union worker also benefits from a collective voice during wage and working conditions. I manage a few Union guys who are some of the hardest workers in our factory.

Unfortunately there are also abuses of the Union and it can be used as a ring of defense to defend poor performance and poor behavior.


The modern day Labor unions needs to rethink their business model. If done right, it can offer a comparitive advantage (refrerence to the training, certifications, etc.) but it must be willing to work in a competitive bidding environment vs. and entitlement environment. The right to work bill is one way that the state can help promote a healthy competition in the labor pool.

In the trades, any contractor can bid on the work, just a certain wage obligations are set out in the specs of the project which must be met; usually it is prevailing wage. What it comes down to is that most non-union contractors are too small to man the work, and don't have the equipment or supplies. For example, no one can compete with Wilhelm when it comes to the big concrete jobs around Indy. They have the shop support, the gang forms, and equipment to get the job done.

I really get irritated with people that claim I, as a union carpenter, make too much money, when I work around non-union guys that make the about the same as I do. The difference is they get vacation time, sick days, comp. time, etc. I get none of that, but I do have benefits that I can depend on, no matter which contractor I am working for.

There are good non-union outfits out there, but there are a ton of crappy ones.

 

[Carmelbythecorn]

I took this pic on my way to lunch as I drove past Laborers union local 120. I counted over 14 buses in the pictured parking lot and 2 more in the union hall parking lot.

Regardless of your thoughts on the right to work, the unions are taking it serious and throwing a lot of money and man power behind it.

I am for the right to work bill to be passed. (just want to include my opinion at the end.)

Given that unions have essentially become money laundering mechanisms for the democrats, I'm not surprised that the unions will fight this hard...

 

[jblomenberg16]

In the trades, any contractor can bid on the work, just a certain wage obligations are set out in the specs of the project which must be met; usually it is prevailing wage. What it comes down to is that most non-union contractors are too small to man the work, and don't have the equipment or supplies. For example, no one can compete with Wilhelm when it comes to the big concrete jobs around Indy. They have the shop support, the gang forms, and equipment to get the job done.

I really get irritated with people that claim I, as a union carpenter, make too much money, when I work around non-union guys that make the about the same as I do. The difference is they get vacation time, sick days, comp. time, etc. I get none of that, but I do have benefits that I can depend on, no matter which contractor I am working for.

There are good non-union outfits out there, but there are a ton of crappy ones.

Mike-

Hope you didn't misunderstand my post...I wasn't saying that the prevailing wage was too high, just that I don't think it would drop if a right to work bill was passed. As you say, in a competitive bid, the best equipped to do the job will typically get it. Many companies can and will charge a premium for having the best tools and capabilities for the job, and I think that would only continue to support a good relatioship of payment for quality of work.

 

[PistolBob]

As a union electrician I am against the bill. Union jobs need to stay union.

You need to go read the legislation. It's won't destroy labor unions, it just won't make it mandatory to join one. Why should ANYONE be forced to pay dues to a labor union they don't want to belong to?