Employee_Free_Choice_Act

[rjwjr]

Re: Employee_Free_Choice_Act

Or 'parasite'.(in lieu of 'scumbag')

But parasites need a toxic environment to thrive, and businesses that have to deal with unions generally have only themselves to blame, whether at present or in the past, for being toxic. The most toxic environments generally are in medium to large corporations, where the toxicity is due to corporate bureaucrats, aka 'managers', and not so
much in smaller firms still lead by entrepreneurs; the exceptions to that, though, can be the most hellish of all.

Atlas Shrugged is a great and entertaining piece of fiction, just like War of the Worlds or ET. It's about as relevant to operating in the real world as those other two as well. Any adult(over 30, say) that views it as a real life guide exhibits significant narcissism and possibly delusion. I sure as hell wouldn't provide financing or investment to a firm with such leadership.

Regarding point 1: There are, actually, beneficial parasites. I'm not sure there are beneficial scumbags. Regardless, point well taken, the use of the word parasite was indeed meant to incite. My apologies to you and your fellow parasites.

Regarding point 2: Surprisingly, I can see your point here. Companies that become unionized probably had it coming, and I can't disagree with that. On the other hand, and to the original point of this thread, I don't feel that government should make it any easier for employees to unionize, nor should they require or even encourage union organization. I'd prefer the government stay neutral on this issue. Fat chance.

Regarding point 3: I first read "Atlas Shrugged" because my local newspaper did a piece about 15 years ago in which they interviewed 25 of the area's top business leaders and asked them a series of questions. One of the questions was to name their top 3 favorite business books. It was amazing to me, in addition to the expected works of Deming, Peters, et al, how many times these business leaders answered the Bible and Atlas Shrugged. I immediately bought it, read it, and upon contemplation, was proud of those business leaders for having such a good moral compass (Bible) and such a passion for business, production, and objective thinking (Atlas Shrugged). To belittle my reference to it in comparing it to other random works of fiction is misguided at best, small-minded and arrogant at it's worst. Have you read it or was it too long with too few pictures?

[vanvaley1]

Re: Employee_Free_Choice_Act

vanvaley1,

Although making what I would categorize as a flippant, dismissive comment, you have (likely unknowingly) hit the crux of a very important aspect of this discussion. Successful businesses, especially manufacturing businesses, are the pillars and drivers of our economy. In my opinion, they are the golden goose. Unions and government are the parasites that attack the golden goose, making it sicker and sicker through taxes, regulations, requirements, mandates, and on & on ad nauseum. Due to the resiliency, ability, intelligence, and drive of many good managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners, many businesses survive and forge ahead IN SPITE OF these parasites, not because of them. Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" provides a terrific fictional account of just this producer/parasite relationship and is a favorite read, often an inspiration, for many entrepreneurs. Unions and government can push and push, and for a while evrything seems fine, but eventually the best and brightest producers will sell their businesses and a slow, steady decline toward mediocrity and economic/societal failure will occur. But hey, that's just my biased opinion. And what should I care, I'll be on a beach in Tahiti sipping mai tais by then watching from afar to see what happens when only parasites are left.

Categorize it as you like...and it wasn't 'unknowingly'. If the requirements of running a successful business are too much...get out. We did. We we're exhausted from competing with our own company, training and monitoring an influx of new folks, and keeping up with the new rules and regulations coming down from the state and judicial decisions...not to mention the confusion of interpreting them in the legal community of attorneys... led to a decision to sell the franchise. Which we did most fortuitously as the real estate market began it's six year decline less than a one month later and we had just had our best quarter in the history of that company prior to sale. Thought about selling shares to the independent contractors in our business but thought better of it.

What is wrong with selling a business to a labor union? If they run it into the ground it's no skin off your back. If they're successful then you oughta be happy for em...No?

[tree]

Re: Employee_Free_Choice_Act

"Members of the DoD Civilian Expeditionary Workforce shall be organized, trained, cleared, equipped, and ready to deploy in support of combat operations by the military; contingencies; emergency operations; humanitarian missions; disaster relief; restoration of order; drug interdiction; and stability operations of the Department of Defense in accordance with DoDD 3000.05..."

Remember, this used to apply only to overseas operations. Why would a president desire to remove that limit?
Reply With Quote

Well, for starters, what about Oakland, Calif., which will probably blow this summer unless steps are taken right now? And I'd put L.A. on the list right after Oakland.

Better to have federal folks in those places today than local Calif. police cracking heads in five months.

As for card check, yes, the invasion of privacy is very troubling (and I say this as someone who got through cancer thanks to union health insurance and sick pay). But businesses brought it on themselves by not allowing fair and free elections. That said, the bill probably won't pass: more kindling for the fire next time.

[wkwillis]

Re: Employee_Free_Choice_Act

One of the reasons I like antitrust is that the unions and management can't leach off the rest of us by restraining trade. No big businesses, no unreasonable union (or management) demands subsidized by monopoly or oligopoly power.
I work as a security guard. There is zero barrier to entry in this business. I know my management isn't making a lot off the business because their competitors keep shutting down for lack of profits.
The whole business world should have companies going into and out of business constantly.