Well...
I'll agree with you on lawyers....in that
judges are lawyers.
Unions are a necessary evil. I learned this
in the airline business wherein the financial priorities of the owners
don't
always jell with the Federal Air Regulations which Federal Cerfificate
Holders (Pilots, Mechanics, Controllers, etc.) are bound by in the
performance
of their professional responsibilities, in
terms of safety.
Fr'instance, my father was in the newspaper business (owner-distributor)
for years. When other businesses such
as his unionized, his did not. Why? His
people discovered when they talked to
union people that they were already
getting the benefits which the union could
provide...and better money to boot than
other like firms. I, along with my two
brothers worked for my Dad in the family
biz since the age of 11, right through high
school.
Thus, I was brought up as a non-union
person. Through and after college, I worked both part time and full time
for many firms in a variety of positions.
These firms did not abuse their workers,
paid reasonably and provided reasonable benefits in terms of the "going
rate" and thus, did not require a union.
Then I got into the flying biz and found
you had to cut corners to make the boss
happy OR, there was someone waiting
for your job just outside the door who
would, if you wouldn't. The biz was regulated at the time. Jobs were few
and far between and there were plenty
of pilots...we like to fly you know!! :)
I've done things to keep flying jobs in
order to build time/experience so as to
"advance" in my profession that you
don't wanna hear about and that I am
not proud of. I also left my first (non-
union) regional airline pilot position when
I got tired of doing these things and
decided to "go straight", even if it meant
leaving the profession. De-regulation
and subsequent tough FAA "self-policing"
rules saved me!!
Unions are a function of management or
management technique. Unions don't
make employees happy...unions make
life with certain types of employers
bearable and in the case of Airline
Federal Certificate Holders, allow them
to do the job by Federal Air Regs. that
allow them to hold onto their certificates
and thus, continue to fill their "rice bowls"!
American Airlines requires
a union 'cause management lacks
"discipline" and thus often makes arbitrary
decisions in favor of saving money, many
times to the detriment of the welfare of
their employees.
In terms of employee relations,
the corporate culture is "adversarial".
Rule is by "fear" of punishment. Most
airlines are run this way. It's childish
because it denys the mature adult
"win/win" relationship. So the employees
have to fight for reasonable pay and
working conditions. A real PITA,
"childish" working relationship, but
shit rolls downhill and management sets the tone in this respect.
There are others airlines run by
educated mangement who respect the
win/win adult relationship...Virgin, Jet Blue and Southwest come
immediately
to mind. These managers realize their
people as a "resource", not a disposable
"tool". And the respect and appreciate the
fact the primary boss of any Federal
Certificate Holder is the Government
who issues and allows the holder to
continue to practice his profession in
accordance with pertinent government
rules that govern the use of said
certificate, despite contrary orders which
may be given by his current employer.
As for unions and their existence,
go deeper into this and you get into
some of the reasons for illegal immigration and the maintenance of
open borders despite the threat of global terrorism. Go deeper and
you'll find out
(part) of who really runs your government
to the extent of certain Presidential
decisions to one extent or another!! :):)
Bad management/bosses, not bad employees/workers, are responsible
for unions. And unions have their "up"
and "downside" (absolutely) for sure.
End of rant!! :)
Cap'n. Bob
'60 :{)
|