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Re: Job Insurance? An investment portfolio or a second marketable skill
Author: T Judah
Date: 03-03-2011 - 23:56
> So, just because my mother had a disappointing relationship with one lawyer, it
> doesn't mean that she would've had the same experience with all lawyers. See my point?
> As an aside, most if not all railroad unions have outside Designated Legal Counsel
> that their members can avail themselves of. And they work on a strict contingency basis.
I do see your point - always did. In fact, my original reason to post was that the job negativity and cynicism evident in some of the postings got to me; especially when I perceived that they seemed to be getting a better deal than most, even after a screw up. So presumably, that's because their union was better than mine. I can't dispute that - never intended to.
Indeed, not all unions are created equal - then again, neither are all employers, or workers for that matter. My intended point was that most of us are worse off than the complainers on several counts, even when we are in a union. My problem was why all the @#$%&, when they could have been stuck with a crappy union such as mine, with no meaningful protections at all - or indeed, no union at all with no meaningful protections.
For better or worse, unionism is dying; because too many people can't actually tell if they are better off with a union, or without. To make a comeback, most unions are going to have to perform on their member's behalf much better than before. But If railroad unions already are doing that better job; well then good. Be glad of it.
I should point out that railroad workers and their unions may have a bit of an advantage over others; in that they mostly represent those with skills or special physical prowess that must be acquired on the job. Much of the job simply cannot be learned from a book. And even those things that can be, cannot be applied in the railroad atmosphere, without lots of "On the Job Training" and experience.
Given that reality, no one can just walk in fresh off the turnip truck on Monday morning, and expect be fully proficient by Tuesday, nor even by next January. That tips the balance to a degree. The harder it is to train you, or replace you, the better your union's bargain position will be.
> doesn't mean that she would've had the same experience with all lawyers. See my point?
> As an aside, most if not all railroad unions have outside Designated Legal Counsel
> that their members can avail themselves of. And they work on a strict contingency basis.
I do see your point - always did. In fact, my original reason to post was that the job negativity and cynicism evident in some of the postings got to me; especially when I perceived that they seemed to be getting a better deal than most, even after a screw up. So presumably, that's because their union was better than mine. I can't dispute that - never intended to.
Indeed, not all unions are created equal - then again, neither are all employers, or workers for that matter. My intended point was that most of us are worse off than the complainers on several counts, even when we are in a union. My problem was why all the @#$%&, when they could have been stuck with a crappy union such as mine, with no meaningful protections at all - or indeed, no union at all with no meaningful protections.
For better or worse, unionism is dying; because too many people can't actually tell if they are better off with a union, or without. To make a comeback, most unions are going to have to perform on their member's behalf much better than before. But If railroad unions already are doing that better job; well then good. Be glad of it.
I should point out that railroad workers and their unions may have a bit of an advantage over others; in that they mostly represent those with skills or special physical prowess that must be acquired on the job. Much of the job simply cannot be learned from a book. And even those things that can be, cannot be applied in the railroad atmosphere, without lots of "On the Job Training" and experience.
Given that reality, no one can just walk in fresh off the turnip truck on Monday morning, and expect be fully proficient by Tuesday, nor even by next January. That tips the balance to a degree. The harder it is to train you, or replace you, the better your union's bargain position will be.
