On Thu, 17 May 2007 00:13:19 GMT, "Maxprop"
wrote:


"Scotty" wrote in message
...
unions are a major contributor to the down fall of this
country.

They certainly contributed significantly to the outsourcing of manufactured
goods to foreign countries.

Max

Since I may be the only one here who has actually run a large union
organization, negotiated contracts, and sadly, negotiated both the
decision and the effects of a closing contract, I would have to
challenge that statement. The Union in my organization had absolutely
nothing to do with the outsourcing of manufactured goods to foreign
countries, unless you call earning an average of 13.50/hour for
highly productive work, with basic benefits like health care provided
on a cost sharing basis a contributing driver.

Corporate greed was a driver. The Union and most Unions have no
protection what so ever from outsourcing and they are like a "deer in
the headlights" where it is concerned. And that outsourcing takes
place wether there is a union or not.

Health care costs was a driver. In my many years of struggle against
cost increase, I could always offset cost of living labor increases
with productivity, impact material costs postively, lower total unit
overhead by consolidation and growth. The only costs I could never
control were health care costs. Double digit percentage increases
every year. No matter what kind of effort I put into changing TPA's,
(we were self insured) negotiating new provider networks and
prescription drug contracts, etc. When I embarked on a way to
"target" potential health risk employees (meaning potential high
dollar heart or cancer cases), not to eliminate them, but to incentify
them into a wellness program, the government stepped in and passed the
latest version of HIPPA, effectivly killing the program.

Certainly there are bad unions and possibly many of the UAW locals
qualify. My experience with the USWA could not be classified as such.
And most locals around the country are more typical of what I
experienced.

Frank