Socialism - Was: Leave your religious message in towns!

[weary]

...Well, unions did a lot of good until the 60's when things began to change. It is now the unions that are running things and chasing jobs overseas.
.....

Time for a fact check. Unions at the end of World War II represented 40 percent or so of the American working force. That percentage began to change in the 50s with the passage of the Taft Hartley Act, which removed unions negotiating power.

Unions now represent only about 14 % of the work force. As union membership has declined, companies have moved overseas. That's a fact. We can debate forever whether one is a cause of the other.

Though some union workers make $30 an hour, most make far less. The members of one of the fastest growing unions in recent years typically make $11 and hour, if an article a week or so ago in the New York Times magazine is to be believed.

The last 25 years of my working life (ending in 1991) I worked at a union newspaper with one of the better pay scales among the middle-sized newspapers in the industry. I think my top pay was something like $17 an hour, according to the union contract.

Since I was more concerned about getting important things into the newspaper than my hourly rate, I earned less than that because to the consternation of my fellow union members, I put in a lot of "volunteer" hours.

My rule was: "as long as the company leaves me alone, I'll leave them alone."

Weary

[Skeemer]

...it is Honda's 25th anniverary in Ohio.

And I was a little rough with Weary.

Having worked with the UAW and watch it close a Ford plant next door it's an emotional thing with me...I'll try to shut up.