Don't know if we can really blame the unions either. I think that the lack of influence and corruption through the years have given them a bad reputation. Though I'm not a union worker I was raised in a very pro union home...both parents. They were both hard working middle class folks. Made a decent living, had good insurance and had a pension to look forward to. Sadly those jobs are disappearing alarmingly fast. In the words of Springsteen "Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to your hometown". A society that is all about ME and what I get which in turn fuels corporate greed is what we have now....oh and a President that's a Millionaire that's going to fix it all...sure. Corporate America runs this country and has for a long time. As long as the sheep keep spending and keep their noses in a cell phone..the establishment (govt) is happy. As for walmart.. look at how much they spend annually to fight unionization of the workforce. Heaven for bid the workers have affordable decent health insurance. The world's largest retailer can't cut into the record profits!! Rant over...
Of course we can blame the Unions. Unions grew from collecting dues to capitalize on EMPLOYEE greed. Much is said about corporate greed. It's been discussed, nonstop, for more than a century. And, sure, it exists. Of course it does. One would have to be a blind liar to claim otherwise. But, employees are greedy, too. For some reason, employee greed is completely ignored, while employer greed is fully demonized.
Why do you think that Union jobs are disappearing? It's partly because Union members have been told that they deserve more, thus they've demanded more, and it has reached a point that it's more cost effective for these companies to do business elsewhere, or simply close their doors and liquidate their assets. (Of course, other federal and state meddling has also contributed; EPA, OSHA, and the like)
Look, higher wages are certainly nice. So are healthcare, retirement funds, and other perks. But, there is no right to these things. Those are things that you earn. If you are not making enough to earn these things, it is your responsibility to seek employment elsewhere. If you lack the skills to earn these things, it is your responsibility to increase your skill set. The more skills that you have, the higher your value. You also spread your value to a larger group.
Personally, I detest working in fast food. Actually, I detest the food service industry, in general. Thus, I continue to increase my skill set, even when not seeking new employment. My skill set is vast. I range from making balloon animals (more profitable than you'd think) to truck driving, to plumbing and electrical. And more. Also, I make it a point to be able to communicate fluently in the English language, and I have educated myself in the art of dressing appropriately for a given situation. This keeps me from having to accept work that I would rather not do, at wages that I prefer not to accept.
The other side of that, is that, despite my efforts, I have made mistakes elsewhere that led to me being homeless and unemployed. To be clear, those mistakes were mine, and mine alone. No one forced cocaine up my nose, no one forced enough alcohol to kill an elephant into my system, and no one made me drive around town that effed up. Those were my terribly stupid decisions, and they caused me a decade of suffering (after I cleaned up my act!) Other people make similar errors. Some blow their money on lottery or other forms of gambling. Some people simply fall into credit traps, without bothering to understand how it all works. Whatever it is, each individual has a right to make decisions. And you reap the rewards or suffer the consequences.
There was a time that I would have worked a 12 hour day, outside, in the freezing cold, for nothing more than a sandwich and the privilege of sleeping in somebody's shed. Hell, probably just the sandwich. If I could have legally accepted a $2/hr job (which still paid $2/hr after 40 hours, or on holidays ) I would have gladly done. $2 is better than zero, which is what you get when unemployed. Anybody that is hungry, homeless, and unemployed, that won't accept work because it "doesn't pay enough" is a fool who deserves starve to death.
Food, shelter, clothing, insurance, and transportation. These are all things that you earn. If you want these things, and are unable to attain them, it is because of your poor life skills, and it is solely your responsibility to improve upon your situation. That might involve moving. That might involve hoofing it up to the library to read some books to further educate yourself. That could involve any number of inconvenient things. Regardless, your life and your health are your responsibility. So are your children, and their lives and health.
At this point, you may think that I am a cold hearted bastard. When it comes to the purview of governments, I am utterly emotionless. Emotion has no place in politics.
Personally, I give away money to practically anyone who asks. I'm a sucker for the poor and downtrodden. But, here's the thing: that's my choice. It's my money, I earned it, and if I choose to give that bum $5 (that, regardless of his sob story, is most likely just going to buy him a bottle of booze) that's my business.
I buy services that I don't need, just because the guy offering the service is actually willing to earn the cash. I buy products that I don't need for the same reason. Hey, that's the free market. I dig the free market. And the free market is only free without government intervention. Back to Unions; the only reason that those abominable organizations have the teeth that they do (which have only served in self destruction), is because judges (government intervention) have let them. Otherwise, businesses would have just fired everybody and started over, long ago.
