Globalized Union

[Bob Owens]

From the AFL-CIO blog;

July 3, 2008

Yesterday, the United Steelworkers (USW) and Britain's largest
union, Unite, joined together to form Workers Uniting, the
world's first global union The new union draws on the strength
of 3 million members to fight corporate globalization's race to
the bottom that exploits workers in developing countries and
ships jobs out of industrialized nations like the United States
and Britain. Says USW President Leo Gerard, "Only global
solidarity among workers can overcome this sort of global
exploitation."


And here in the airline industry we have no solidarity among unions, heck the unions cant even manage solidarity within themselves-look at the TWU-AA, 21 seperate Locals under one contract. I've heard of Locals having more than one contract but how often do you hear of one contract having 21 seperate Locals? Its a corporate dream-divide and conquer built right into the structure of the union.

Global solidarity is what the Steelworkers are shooting for. Jim Little would rather have us win the race to the bottom.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

Have you guys (airline workers) ever thought of dumping unions altogether and giving the airlines the ability to hire and compensate each of you according to your skills & abilities as opposed to DOH? To me from reading comments on these boards it appears that no matter what union is on property the workers get screwed. For example: TWU = company union; AMFA really showed NW who's boss; IAM = dues priority over members.
The alternative seems to be an in-house union for AA employees only (like AA pilots and FA's) but even these seem to have scandals.

PS. this is an honest question. I don't want to turn this into a management is rich and evil vs. poor screwed over working class. I'm curious of the pros & cons of going union vs. non-union, why or why not.

 

[Hopeful]

Have you guys (airline workers) ever thought of dumping unions altogether and giving the airlines the ability to hire and compensate each of you according to your skills & abilities as opposed to DOH? To me from reading comments on these boards it appears that no matter what union is on property the workers get screwed. For example: TWU = company union; AMFA really showed NW who's boss; IAM = dues priority over members.
The alternative seems to be an in-house union for AA employees only (like AA pilots and FA's) but even these seem to have scandals.

PS. this is an honest question. I don't want to turn this into a management is rich and evil vs. poor screwed over working class. I'm curious of the pros & cons of going union vs. non-union, why or why not.

How about this? With a union....ALL WORKERS ARE COMPENSATED EQUALLY IN THEIR CRAFT?

Can you say that for corporate America where women earn less on average than their male counterparts? Minorities?

No union means they tell you what shift to work, what days off you get, when to take ur vacation with no regard to one's seniority...

 

[Hopeful]

Deleted by Moderator. Response to post which has been deleted.

 

[swdriver]

(Deleted by Moderator. Response to post which has been deleted.)

 

[Hopeful]

(Deleted by Moderator. Response to post which has been deleted.)

 

[UAL_TECH]

(Deleted by Moderator. Profanity not allowed. Don't care what Youtube calls it.)
B) UT

 

[El Che]

From the AFL-CIO blog;

July 3, 2008

Yesterday, the United Steelworkers (USW) and Britain's largest
union, Unite, joined together to form Workers Uniting, the
world's first global union The new union draws on the strength
of 3 million members to fight corporate globalization's race to
the bottom that exploits workers in developing countries and
ships jobs out of industrialized nations like the United States
and Britain. Says USW President Leo Gerard, "Only global
solidarity among workers can overcome this sort of global
exploitation."


And here in the airline industry we have no solidarity among unions, heck the unions cant even manage solidarity within themselves-look at the TWU-AA, 21 seperate Locals under one contract. I've heard of Locals having more than one contract but how often do you hear of one contract having 21 seperate Locals? Its a corporate dream-divide and conquer built right into the structure of the union.

Global solidarity is what the Steelworkers are shooting for. Jim Little would rather have us win the race to the bottom.

Bob, the AFL-CIO has always been a shill of big business. Don't expect any type of REAL unionism from them. Have you ever heard of the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD)? This is more in line with what you would expect from the likes of Jim Little.
American Institute for Free Labor Development

 

[1AA]

(Deleted by moderator. Response to post which has been deleted.)

 

[Ralph]

:cop: TOPIC DRIFT! DANGER! :cop:

Do not turn this into another childish who sleeps where argument. The poster asked a question regarding the value (or lack thereof) of unions. If you can not or will not stick to the topic, the thread will be closed.

 

[TWU informer]

A Global Union idea might be a sound idea, until the leaders decide to make it into a global political wing.

I cannot stand the AFL-CIO, I cannot stand the TWU, and cannot stand the belief that any politician is our friend.

The Supreme Court ruled that money is free speech.

The lobbyist with the all the money get what they want, while the rest are just bottom feeders made to believe their vote every 2 or 4 years really matters.

Even with the amount of cash the unions and the AFL-CIO are stealing from our paychecks for political influence, it isn't enough to keep up with those that have unlimited cash to influence politics.

What really should happen is the AFL-CIO should be dismantled, the union political lobby effort should be dismantled, and that money used to form third party, a working man's party. We can beat them at the ballot box, but we will never beat them at the game of who has the most money to influence.

Fact is though, the union leaders have become fat rich cats off of our dime and will never lower their own standards and stop the theft of political influence cash. The greed of continued status quo outweighs the need to change direction and what is right for the laborer.

We are being held hostage by our single issue political views regarding, gun control, abortion, gay rights, wars, christian right views, and thus we are subjected to the shell game the two current parties play to keep things even and the status quo alive. Until a legitimate third party is created to wedge the two party system into real change, the middle class will continue to suffer at the hands of those propagating the current charade against us.

Why is this so simple, yet impossible?

GREED!

Your union leaders are fine with stealing your paycheck and playing the current game with the current rules. Because they too are now rich and could really care less about your well being. Do you really expect them to move in a direction that would risk their wonderful lifestyle to maybe influence improvement in your lifestyle?

Our Union Leaders have joined the ranks of the "have's" while we mingle with the "have not's". Creation of a Global Union will only create more rich union leaders, and I think the intended goal would be claimed to have the working man's best interest at heart. I am not much interested in creating a larger global version of our current worthless labor movement. What is need is a complete overhaul of what we already have.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

How about this? With a union....ALL WORKERS ARE COMPENSATED EQUALLY IN THEIR CRAFT?

Fair enough.
I myself would probably have a hard time sacrificing for others. I would want the best for me first.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

"Only global solidarity among workers can overcome this sort of global
exploitation."

While this sounds good, I don't think it is a possibility. I myself would find it difficult to support (by striking/picketing, etc.) here in the USA a worker in another country. Heck, even now there is division between workers in the same company (exTWA vs. nAAtives) - imagine the global division & bickering.

 

[TWU informer]

While this sounds good, I don't think it is a possibility. I myself would find it difficult to support (by striking/picketing, etc.) here in the USA a worker in another country. Heck, even now there is division between workers in the same company (exTWA vs. nAAtives) - imagine the global division & bickering.

You don't support or belong to a union now, why should we care if you would find it difficult to support global corruption?

Globalization of our current inept, weak, and corrupt labor organizations is an insane idea. Your support or non-support is irrelevant. And the division and bickering is a direct result of unions for individuals instead unity and one for all. These organizations are nothing more than company and political pandering dues collection agencies. They shouldn't even qualify as having the word UNION attached to their inadequate representations of the working middle class.

 

[Barfbag]

Have you guys (airline workers) ever thought of dumping unions altogether and giving the airlines the ability to hire and compensate each of you according to your skills & abilities as opposed to DOH? To me from reading comments on these boards it appears that no matter what union is on property the workers get screwed. For example: TWU = company union; AMFA really showed NW who's boss; IAM = dues priority over members.
The alternative seems to be an in-house union for AA employees only (like AA pilots and FA's) but even these seem to have scandals.

PS. this is an honest question. I don't want to turn this into a management is rich and evil vs. poor screwed over working class. I'm curious of the pros & cons of going union vs. non-union, why or why not.

I don't believe you can simply answer the question without all the variables in the mix, not just unions and management, but you should include the price of fuel, deregulation, and the Internet. The later threes have done more damage to our careers than management could ever have done so alone.

Eventually though only the rich will afford to fly, and those few fortunate workers will have decent wages once more.