Port Strike

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Marbles

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Wow after reading all this: I never realized how much the american blue collar workers hated by the populace.
I can only answer for myself.

Hated? No. When you are already well paid it is hard to have sympathy. When you are well payed and willing to see others suffer to get more, you loose my respect all together.

There is a difference between not respecting east coast longshoremen and 'hating' them. There is a much bigger difference between not respecting east coast longshoremen and lumping all blue collar works into the same ilk. One demonstrated in mass what they value and were America stands in relation to their personal gain. The cost of working in critical professions is you will get judged harder for standing back to make a point. In mine, I could face loss of license, jail time, and civil action if I decide to stop showing up for work without good cause, so the longshoremen are still getting off easy.

Personally, I chewed it over before coming to my conclusion. Having worked for a company with piss poor upper management, my instinct is to side with those lower down.
 

Marshfly

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Wow after reading all this: I never realized how much the american blue collar workers hated by the populace.
Trades are what made this country at one time. I guess you can do it sitting at home now. Everyone seems to think overseas labor is the deal. I have seen several large company's leave Arizona for Mexico only to end up in China because of the work force. Amazing Chevrolet had to build a city by Nuevo Laredo to keep their workers there, schools grocery store etc. Don't forget the fence and owe your soul to the company store. Oh and by the way they are SINTTIA union, backed by the UAW. Most on here probably to young to remember Made in Japan, then made in China, etc. Made in America hard to find these days. That's probably why we need all those port workers.
Nobody here hates blue collar. People dislike greedy people.
 

schmalzy

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Wow after reading all this: I never realized how much the american blue collar workers hated by the populace.
Trades are what made this country at one time. I guess you can do it sitting at home now. Everyone seems to think overseas labor is the deal. I have seen several large company's leave Arizona for Mexico only to end up in China because of the work force. Amazing Chevrolet had to build a city by Nuevo Laredo to keep their workers there, schools grocery store etc. Don't forget the fence and owe your soul to the company store. Oh and by the way they are SINTTIA union, backed by the UAW. Most on here probably to young to remember Made in Japan, then made in China, etc. Made in America hard to find these days. That's probably why we need all those port workers.

What specific statements or quotes on this thread makes you feel the populace hates the American blue collar worker?


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ThorM465

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This show how far right you are, I've read numerous posts on this thread bashing liberals, I don't recall reading a single one bashing the right.

Edit: The I don't recall bit is an invitation to show the flaw's in my recollection. End edit.

So, the best payed, upper middle class, blue-collar workers in America, in the name of fairness, have gotten themselves even more money by threatening to starve us all.

They are as pathetic as the CEOs they attack, greed, greed, and more greed.

They also bloody suck at their jobs considering how inefficient US ports are compared to other developed countries.
You can't be that dense. Simply scroll up a few comments prior to yours.
 

ThorM465

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Wow after reading all this: I never realized how much the american blue collar workers hated by the populace.
Trades are what made this country at one time. I guess you can do it sitting at home now. Everyone seems to think overseas labor is the deal. I have seen several large company's leave Arizona for Mexico only to end up in China because of the work force. Amazing Chevrolet had to build a city by Nuevo Laredo to keep their workers there, schools grocery store etc. Don't forget the fence and owe your soul to the company store. Oh and by the way they are SINTTIA union, backed by the UAW. Most on here probably to young to remember Made in Japan, then made in China, etc. Made in America hard to find these days. That's probably why we need all those port workers.
Save your pity party. You're not a victim. Refusing to put blue collar workers on an undeserved pedestal and refusing to struggle to feed our kids so you can make $200k per year does not by any stretch of the imagination equate to hating blue collar workers.
 

Weldor

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What specific statements or quotes on this thread makes you feel the populace hates the American blue collar worker?


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You can re read so these posts and will will get the jist of this mindset. Yoder, MallardSX2, JustinNC, Jackofalltrades are just a few. They seem to overly concerned with what is precieved as being over paided for a skill set. and anti union for sure. I have heard these aruments for the last 48 years and it never changes. But like I stated above seems to be a growing anger to pay a employee a good wage . Maybe they feel slighted because they don't make as much as a union worker who knows. It really does not matter. I don't care what a CEO makes or the president of a company or a union president. It is about makeing a fair wage whatever that happens to be. I don't set those standards the economy does.
 

Weldor

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Save your pity party. You're not a victim. Refusing to put blue collar workers on an undeserved pedestal and refusing to struggle to feed our kids so you can make $200k per year does not by any stretch of the imagination equate to hating blue collar workers.
Remember that next time you call a plumber, you sure talk alot of S__t..
 

schmalzy

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You can re read so these posts and will will get the jist of this mindset. Yoder, MallardSX2, JustinNC, Jackofalltrades are just a few. They seem to overly concerned with what is precieved as being over paided for a skill set. and anti union for sure. I have heard these aruments for the last 48 years and it never changes. But like I stated above seems to be a growing anger to pay a employee a good wage . Maybe they feel slighted because they don't make as much as a union worker who knows. It really does not matter. I don't care what a CEO makes or the president of a company or a union president. It is about makeing a fair wage whatever that happens to be. I don't set those standards the economy does.

What do you think is a fair wage and where is the cut off for job roles /skills/responsibilities for someone to earn it?


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Q child

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No, this IS an act of terrorism.
"Terrorism" is a threat of physical or fiscal harm or discomfort will occur.

"I will cripple you!" is an outright, terroristic threat!

How any worker can look into the damage that Hurricane Helena caused and absolutely refuse to unload commodities destined to assist those people is one cold hearted s.o.b.!

Winter is coming on, those people need to be able to rebuild or refurbish lodging before winter sets in and one effing "union" is more concerned about their wages than the suffering of the people in the storm path!

What a bunch of lowlifes!

....and the nonstriking longshoremen on the west coast are refusing to unload ships diverted to their west coast ports!

Just like Reagan! Fire 'em all! There are plenty of "illegal aliens" who would be tickled pink to work for half their current wages!
Is this hyperbole?
 

Weldor

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What do you think is a fair wage and where is the cut off for job roles /skills/responsibilities for someone to earn it?


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What do you think they are? Who do you believe should set such things as wages and benefits? We can can do this back and forth for ever.
 

307

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What do you think is a fair wage and where is the cut off for job roles /skills/responsibilities for someone to earn it?
I don't have a problem with the longshoremen trying to get the best deal that they can, but the leverage they're applying is a bit distasteful. The "I will cripple you" comment should be enough to throw that dude out on his ass never to see the negotiating table. It would certainly not surprise me if the shipping co's were working at hyperspeed (behind the scenes) to get automation in place over the next couple of months so that they can tell the mob boss wannabe to pound sand at the next round of negotiations.

Should the doctor be allowed to negotiate his fee before he performs a potentially life saving/altering procedure?
 

schmalzy

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What do you think they are? Who do you believe should set such things as wages and benefits? We can can do this back and forth for ever.

I think the market determines this.

My own position is that the union should embrace and champion automation or any technology that makes commerce more efficient by ensuring their members are adequately trained and skilled and not made irrelevant. Why can’t the longshoreman become experts it maintaining and operating this equipment?

I can’t speak definitively to this, but I would guess that automation would certainly lower risk and accident rates as well.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The skills to maintain and operate that equipment and operation would certainly command a high premium.

The us vs them mentality kills growth.

No one on here wants to see people lose their jobs or suffer.


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sasquatch

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Remember that next time you call a plumber, you sure talk alot of S__t..

I bet he has a long assortment to call and get quotes from, being able to pick the cheapest one if he wants.

Someone pricing what the market will support and not what a fat cat sitting at a desk is demanding we pay.

If the market supported the money these guys want, surely they’d all be working somewhere else getting paid what they deserve.

I’m long time union, but I’m not oblivious to how the market works.


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maxx075

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I still find it baffling that they are fighting to keep automation out of the loop, especially when the most efficient port in the US comes in at 53rd on the world stage. It's like we want to purposefully suck.
 
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Yeah, the automation clause they want is wild. Im not against the $$ they want, depending on each area's COL. I remember not to long ago a $100k was a decent living. Depending on where you live, that isn't much any more.
 

Burnsie

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I still find it baffling that they are fighting to keep automation out of the loop, especially when the most efficient port in the US comes in at 53rd on the world stage. It's like we want to purposefully suck.
I think this Union would get a lot more support from the average guy, if they were able to proudly stand up and claim they run the most efficient, on time, top shelf ports in the world, (not the case) and that is why they deserve more pay and benefits. Instead they justify more, more , more just for existing and whining about how much the CEO makes - and fighting against any initiatives trying to make improvements that will bring them a bit closer to being world class. Nope - pay us what we want for being 53rd or "we'll cripple you"
These guys are damn smart though - they knew exactly when to spring this strike - right before the presidential election - they knew the politicians would cave and pressure the shipping companies to make this thing go away quickly.
 
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Remember that next time you call a plumber, you sure talk alot of S__t..
Not a union plumber anywhere close to me thank goodness. I can actually get work done at a competitive rate and completed in a timely manner.

Unions vote for illegal immigration’s then bitch about trades jobs being lost when they strike for 66% pay raises
 
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tony

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Yeah, the automation clause they want is wild. Im not against the $$ they want, depending on each area's COL. I remember not to long ago a $100k was a decent living. Depending on where you live, that isn't much any more.
I don't know many people making a 100k as it is.

All I know is don't get in the medical field. I've got 4 years of college (nursing) and might make $65,000. And I'm cool with that. Single, one grown kid and no wife. I'm good where I'm at money wise.

But, I see the real money is in unloading metal boxes full of Chinese junk.

GFs son graduated a heavy equipment program and got a union job maybe 6 months ago making $44.00 hour. Hes making maybe 10 more hour than me with almost 20 years on the job (nursing).
Knowing him, he will **** that up as he's already convinced hes not making enough.

Seriously, anyone considering medical, your kids, wife, etc. Tell them to get a trades job. I have actually thought about quitting nursing and getting into the same program he was in. I can afford it if it doesn't work out, plus I can go back to nursing.
 
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