Oh my gosh, I'm so tired! This Election Day no-school nonsense is more than I can take. And coupled with the recent time change, this was the longest day of my life. This morning I thought it was probably almost lunchtime, but when I checked the clock it was 9:40.
This isn't a good day to be anti-union in Ohio, but today I sure am. Jason was forced to join the union in order to accept this job. Today we found out that the time he requested off in December was viewed as a signal that he wasn't needed in his department, so instead he gets to shoot news. He doesn't get time off; instead he gets to slog around in the snow hunting down the parents of recent shooting victims in some of Cleveland's most pleasant neighborhoods to get an interview. Shooting news is awful. He did it 10 years ago and then worked hard to get a different job, so he wouldn't have to do it anymore.
Basically this is like if you request a day off and arrange for your work to be done ahead of time, etc., then someone says, "Oh, you don't need to do your job that day? Okay. Well, I've got a cashier at Wendy's who has been in that job a really long time. You go do her job and she'll take the holiday."
So we are bummed.
Mommy Break
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When it comes to children and pets, I can be extremely patient, and I
confess to being rather proud of this trait. A lot of people tire of my
daughter M’s ...
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That you think this has anything to do with his union is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteUnions are BAD news...certainly for public employees. They hold sanity hostage....but are efficient money laundering machines for the Dem. Party.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds more like an incompetent boss than a union issue to me.
ReplyDeleteWhy does this have to do with unions?
ReplyDeleteunion-schmunion. they are fine when they are neccessary . seems like a crap work environment, union or not.. request for time off denied? uh?
ReplyDeleteanyhow. i'm sorry you are bummed. hang in.
why is this related to unions?
ReplyDeleteIt has everything to do with the union. Otherwise if his department boss (different from his union boss) approved his request for time off from *his* job, he wouldn't be required to work. But someone who shoots news (for example) has been in this union longer than J has, so that person is given the day off and other union employees are shuffled around to cover that person's shift, whether they work in news or not.
ReplyDeleteUnions were once necessary. Maybe in some industries they still are. But from my observations, they fail to reward skill and hard work, and/or make people lazy because they aren't allowed to do anything aside from one specific task.
Right on Jen!!
ReplyDeleteLook at Ohio yesterday. Quazillions spent so folks can continue to get FAR MORE than the non-union worker for doing far less. Scare tactics about the police, firemen, and TEACHERS... I love them all, but sheesh...
If we could just bring back common sense, that would be fabulous. I agree with you, the union once existed to protect workers and it was necessary, but it has now morphed into a political entity that protects the slackers.
ReplyDeleteThank God the people of Ohio did the right thing and voted down Issue 2! The vote was watched internationally, and I got messages from friends in Europe and Asia who were happy to see that we haven't collectively lost our minds.
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of hearing about how union workers make too much, etc. My father, a school custodian, did NOT make too much -- trust me! For scraping shit off the bathroom walls on a regular basis, he should have made a lot more. He had a modest salary and is now on a tight retirement budget. Without a union it would be a truly hard situation, more like what my (single) mother, a house and office cleaner, is facing. Didn't have health insurance for years. Can't afford to retire at 67 despite working six days a week and having work-related chronic pain.
Could you find someone to do my dad's old job for less money? Sure you can! You can always find people desperate enough to do almost any job (except for legal US residents to pick our produce). But why do you want to take a family like mine that had a modest house in lower middle class suburb, health insurance, and access to decent schools, and push us into poverty? So few jobs left that pay people a livable wage. I am making $7.40/hour with no benefits - only 20 hours a week. I was so hungry at work that I had to go on food stamps just to get through my shift without feeling woozy. I don't even get a 15 minute break -- not allowed. It's a skilled job, too.
I've proudly worked for two major unions in the past (am looking for something fulltime again). You wouldn't believe the health and safety violations workers face. Some of our members died on the job! That includes teachers, telephone line workers and flight attendants. Wish more people understood how unions bring up the level of pay and benefits in any industry where they are present, even in nonunion workplaces, and how important they are to safety protections at the federal and state level.
Also, without a union, your husband probably wouldn't have much time off at all. He might not have benefits either. Sorry, but I'm not feeling your pain on this one. You're damn lucky, but can't seem to see it.
Forgot to add -- my mom had no health insurance for TWENTY SIX years!
ReplyDeleteAnd if unions are so godawful for the economy, take a look at Canada. They've done MUCH better in this recession, have lower rates of poverty, a much higher rate of unionization, and a national healthcare system that every Canadian I know is fiercely proud of. They're doing better economically.
And instead of complaining that some workers are making too much, how about insisting that we reverse the ever growing wealth gap from over the last 30 years, and insist that workers be treated well? I can't believe how Americans have turned on each other, trying to pull each other down economically instead of trying to collectively build each other up. And if you think poverty can't come your way, think again. I'm a college educated woman with a 20 year resume that amazes people. Lot of accomplishments that I've worked my ass off for. But a period of chronic illness followed by the recession has destroyed my career and my credit. I never thought I'd be on food stamps or qualifying for low income medical assistance (still can't afford the copays!) -- but it happens even to the most hardworking among us. That's why we need an economy that works for everyone, not just the 1% who are robbing us blind.