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ubertuber · 12-21-2005, 03:12 PM

J8ear,
I've got a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind. Do you also feel that police and firefighters should be allowed to strike? How do you feel about President Reagan firing 11,000 Air Traffic Controllers who struck illegally? Do you feel that workers should be allowed to bring larger society to its knees because their occupation falls into an area that is necessary? Do you feel that the fact that a public servant's salary is paid by taxes should obligate them to work while negotiating? Do you think that teachers should be able to strike? Workers at the electric utility? Water utility? What about the military?

Here's another tack: A central tenant of our country's legal principals involves the freedom to engage in an act coupled with the responsibility to assume the consequences of those actions. While it is illegal to shout fire in a crowded theater that isn't on fire, you'll be hailed as a hero for getting people out if such a danger actually exists. Given this, do you feel that it is fair to hold the TWU local 100 responsible for the massive economic harm their illegal actions have caused to businesses, individuals, and government? After all, their choice to walk off their jobs has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to the city. This ranges from the Gap selling less sweaters to workers commuting from the outer boroughs paying over $70/day to get to work and back home. This is a real and measurable harm directly caused by an avoidable choice local 100 has made.

The point of a union that can't strike is that it permits workers to engage in collective bargaining, which is actually the whole point of a union (not work stoppages) while making sure that essential public services are not disrupted. While not being able to strike legally does take the fangs out of a union's teeth, it doesn't render it powerless. In fact, obviously, it doesn't even prevent the union from striking. What a law like the taylor amendment does is ensure that employees of agencies that provide essential services do not strike unless it is worth breaking the law and facing stiff fines over. The taylor amendment even even offers provisions for mediation and arbitration if negotiations stall to ensure that workers are not backed into a corner by their lack of striking power. TWU local 100 has chosen not to exercise all of these options.

I mentioned the air traffic controllers before, and I think it is worth mentioning that not all the strikers were fired immediately. There was a grace period of 48 (I think) hours for some workers to reconsider the illegality of their actions. Those 1,500 who did change their minds kept their jobs. In my mind, this is a dangerous kindness. Keeping individuals around that have already shown such a willingness to express their desires in such harmful ways doesn't seem intelligent.

P.S. I didn't walk to work either (and it sure as hell wasn't because I make a lot of money!). I took the elevator (I live and work in the same building). My commute clocked in at a solid 75 seconds.

12-21-2005, 03:12 PM	#55 (permalink)
ubertuber spudly Location: Ellay	J8ear, I've got a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind. Do you also feel that police and firefighters should be allowed to strike? How do you feel about President Reagan firing 11,000 Air Traffic Controllers who struck illegally? Do you feel that workers should be allowed to bring larger society to its knees because their occupation falls into an area that is necessary? Do you feel that the fact that a public servant's salary is paid by taxes should obligate them to work while negotiating? Do you think that teachers should be able to strike? Workers at the electric utility? Water utility? What about the military? Here's another tack: A central tenant of our country's legal principals involves the freedom to engage in an act coupled with the responsibility to assume the consequences of those actions. While it is illegal to shout fire in a crowded theater that isn't on fire, you'll be hailed as a hero for getting people out if such a danger actually exists. Given this, do you feel that it is fair to hold the TWU local 100 responsible for the massive economic harm their illegal actions have caused to businesses, individuals, and government? After all, their choice to walk off their jobs has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to the city. This ranges from the Gap selling less sweaters to workers commuting from the outer boroughs paying over $70/day to get to work and back home. This is a real and measurable harm directly caused by an avoidable choice local 100 has made. The point of a union that can't strike is that it permits workers to engage in collective bargaining, which is actually the whole point of a union (not work stoppages) while making sure that essential public services are not disrupted. While not being able to strike legally does take the fangs out of a union's teeth, it doesn't render it powerless. In fact, obviously, it doesn't even prevent the union from striking. What a law like the taylor amendment does is ensure that employees of agencies that provide essential services do not strike unless it is worth breaking the law and facing stiff fines over. The taylor amendment even even offers provisions for mediation and arbitration if negotiations stall to ensure that workers are not backed into a corner by their lack of striking power. TWU local 100 has chosen not to exercise all of these options. I mentioned the air traffic controllers before, and I think it is worth mentioning that not all the strikers were fired immediately. There was a grace period of 48 (I think) hours for some workers to reconsider the illegality of their actions. Those 1,500 who did change their minds kept their jobs. In my mind, this is a dangerous kindness. Keeping individuals around that have already shown such a willingness to express their desires in such harmful ways doesn't seem intelligent. P.S. I didn't walk to work either (and it sure as hell wasn't because I make a lot of money!). I took the elevator (I live and work in the same building). My commute clocked in at a solid 75 seconds. __________________ Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam Last edited by ubertuber; 12-21-2005 at 07:35 PM..