Unions: Good or Bad?

[atlrvr]

Part of the reason that projects have such high cost in Boston (and other northeastern cities) are the high rate of union labor. While unions guarantee good wages and work for their members, the costs are passed on to the end result.

Are unions valuable because they protect their workers, or is their need obsolete, and really just a legalized form of bullying?

[Lowerdeck]

I say no. Because, unless you're using illegal immigrant labor, companies are taking good care of their workers enough in order to not have to deal with the legal bullying (as you call it).

As for me, I would never want to work for a union. I would rather represent myself, think for myself. I wouldn't want some mafioso society taking a bit away from my hard earned paycheck because "they represent me". Even if I make more money than without being in said union, the difference would most likely be taken out by union dues.

[tombarnes]

My experience with unions has been limited to hotels. Given what I have seen, I would not generally support unions as they have supported themselves over their workers time and time again. I am also troubled by the prospect of such privileged "workers" as airline pilots being able to run for union cover to enhance their already handsome salaries. I suppose there must be many industries in which unions still have a purpose, but I have not been directly exposed to them. A guarded no from me.

[PabloG]

There are workers that need unions, because otherwise their jobs would be crap. And this includes workers whose union wages make development a bit more expensive. there are many non-union contraction outfits that operate in the Boston area, and these are particularly exploitative-- they pay povertry wages, bring in migrant workers and put them up ten to a room.

When we talk about development, we can't just be thinking of buildings going up. We need to concentrate on developing a strong economy that makes those tall buildings possible. And you can't build a strong economy when people work full time and still live in poverty.

So yes, unions are good, and important.

[The Voice of Reason]

in 1890 Unions were great and necessary.

in 2008 they are a means of supporting the otherwise useless.

I have a friend who quit a job working in IT for a major DC area charity. Hist first day on thye job as a union plumber trainee he made much more $ and had "beer brakes"

He has a degree in computer stuff. Good for him now that he is better off with better benefits and a better work life balance. Hell he has a family and that is important. but its a joke because I know he makes over $35 an hour and he is not a hard worker.

I also have a friend who is a dentist for a MAJOR Boston area Union. So it is great the people working within a trade that might not otherwise have much going for it has its own in house dentist etc..

but damn Union workers are useless. I have run construction companies and they are useless! give me a non union professional subcontractor any day!!

one union to unload the truck, another union to transport the delivery from the truck to the elevator. another union to bring the delivery up the freight elevator and another to put the materials to work (dry wall for example)

yes that happened in NYC to a guy I worked with.

[RivermasterNC]

There are workers that need unions, because otherwise their jobs would be crap.