SodaHead Celebrates Green Week

Question US

Unions: A Forgotten American Necessity or Useless Burden?

Justin February 22, 2008 21:51:06

Theodore Roosevelt believed firmly that unions were an absolute necessity in American politics. Perhaps if unions had the power that they did in the late 19th century, employees could play an active role in keeping big business in check, while the big businesses buy government support with political contributions. Obviously, the government is not regulating big contributors (oil for instance), so should we? By this sense, wouldn’t the workforce therefore have a more important role in politics?

No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

55%

6 votes

Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

45%

5 votes

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  • wolf Sloan July 20, 2009 20:33:31
    wolf Sloan

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    At one time the unions were needed. Once organized crime involved, their whole direction changed. Today being a union member almost guarantees someone's job security no matter how incompetent. Oh wait...are we talking about unions or government?
  • Weed Whacker July 20, 2009 18:26:44
    Weed Whacker

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    I don't think that they are completely unnecessary, but for everyday businesses there are plenty of labor laws that make unions obsolete and a waste of money for the employer and employees.

    Unions are big businesses and are more interested in making money than actually helping people. They use deception and intimidation to try to get companies to unionize. This will be made easier for them if the Employee Free Choice Act passes. I think the current system is working very well for now.
  • Captain America July 19, 2009 12:17:50
    Captain America

    Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

    back when Ford was at its strongest in the 60s they had a solid union and they manufactured everything themselves.

    Now they outsource everything, skipping the unions and they suck.

    Same with Boeing. Boeing had great products until they tried to scrap the unions and outsource everything.
    Its part of the reason Boeing's 787 Dream liner is almost 2 years behind, not because of the Union but because of the outsourcing to skip the unions.

    So no its not the Unions, its the outsourcing.

    Without Unions there is no middle class.
  • lazarous1967 July 19, 2009 01:35:22
    lazarous1967

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    There is no doubt that unions have played a vital role in our countrys` history.
    There can be no doubt that the unions have becaome corrupt and sometimes downright evil.
    There is no doubt that it is a shame that something so brilliantly thought up, could be used so horribly to the detriment of this great country and her citizens.
    I believe all of the unions in existance today need to be shut down, and remade.
  • Gina July 18, 2009 14:47:10
    Gina

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    Unions were vital in the 40's thru 60's. but now with all the regulations of the labor board and OSHA the majority of union workers are overpaid and under achievers, I have worked for several years with union workers and I have found they are elitist and lazy, not all of the workers but the majority are.
  • Emma peel July 18, 2009 12:36:09
    Emma peel

    Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

    moderated...
  • Keith May 12, 2009 23:35:28
    Keith

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    I was part of a labor union for 9 years (UFCW local 1262). If I could do it all over again, I would have demanded to be excluded from that organization during my term of employment so I could have kept my union dues in my pocket. That union did nothing but protect the jobs of the most lazy, worthless, pathetic people I have ever had the misfortune of sharing the same workspace with. American's are spoiled, but American's that are union members are spoiled, and from my point of view, absolutely lazy too. Unions cry and whine that they fight to keep jobs in America, but their complaining does nothing to offset the growing number of industries outsourcing overseas. It would be nice if the unions stopped blaming the failure of American business on overpaid CEO's and started focusing their anger at the HMO's that are over-billing for poor medical treatment. GM is in the toilet right now because they owe 20 billion to the UAW pension fund. All those stupid retired UAW members that had no brains to save their money, but instead counted on the expenses of their old age to be paid for through their pension and union medical plan. Good job people, you are the ones responsible for GM's demise. The government should have let GM totally fall, this way all of you UAW worms would be forced t...
    I was part of a labor union for 9 years (UFCW local 1262). If I could do it all over again, I would have demanded to be excluded from that organization during my term of employment so I could have kept my union dues in my pocket. That union did nothing but protect the jobs of the most lazy, worthless, pathetic people I have ever had the misfortune of sharing the same workspace with. American's are spoiled, but American's that are union members are spoiled, and from my point of view, absolutely lazy too. Unions cry and whine that they fight to keep jobs in America, but their complaining does nothing to offset the growing number of industries outsourcing overseas. It would be nice if the unions stopped blaming the failure of American business on overpaid CEO's and started focusing their anger at the HMO's that are over-billing for poor medical treatment. GM is in the toilet right now because they owe 20 billion to the UAW pension fund. All those stupid retired UAW members that had no brains to save their money, but instead counted on the expenses of their old age to be paid for through their pension and union medical plan. Good job people, you are the ones responsible for GM's demise. The government should have let GM totally fall, this way all of you UAW worms would be forced to re-join the non-union work force and then understand that wages and benefits have to have a balance in order to function correctly. You have been over paid and over compensated for far too long. Image, a riviter making $28.00-34.00 an hour to stamp rivits into sheet metal. They can't even manage their own finances, but they make a high enough wage to pay the mortgages on two homes. I hope walmart buys GM and tell the UAW to lick the back of their ball-bearings. And for that idiot that says that products made in China will fail after a year and union workers produce better quality. My 04 Chevy was back in the dealer repair shop for 6 defects the first 8 months I owned it. Now that's quality union craftsmanship!
    (more)
  • Roxie March 30, 2008 08:26:39
    Roxie

    Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

    If it were not for unions we would have no safety standards on the job and no benifits of any kind!
  • Carol Nobama March 04, 2008 23:13:49
    Carol Nobama

    Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

    (User did not leave a comment)
  • driven girl lnf February 22, 2008 23:08:41
    driven girl lnf

    Unions are vital and should be given more power. (please comment)

    moderated...
  • Trinity February 22, 2008 22:12:47
    Trinity

    No unions are neccessary anymore. (please comment)

    moderated...
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