Hey ! ...Something is wrong....I find myself agreeing completely with FW..!
Seriously; FW has articulated the point very well...
So the management is sometimes ridiculously greedy...and will sell out long term interests for short term gain. Those individuals are trying to " get theirs and get out"..before the whole thing falls apart.
That is perhaps the top 2 or 3 in management involved...if they choose to sacrifice thousands of jobs for their greedy lucre.
Although the union members demand what they know to be exorbitant renumeration...they are thousands...and with their collective bargaining wedge, can drive a corporation to make stupid " get mine and get out before the whole thing comes down " decisions...
Do two wrongs make a right
The county I spoke of is Erie county in NY, with Buffalo as it's major city.
A few years ago, teacher's contract came up...with the City already in difficult financial straits.
BR's mom making 38K is about where new teachers were starting at in Buffalo....but the union demanded a huge increase, across the package.
They had the " elected leaders" over a barrel...
How so ?
Well, as I said...this benighted state is basically a "one party" state...so the unions have most of the politicians in their back pocket..
no funds...no re-election.
The politicians were getting pressure from the voters to open the schools...no votes, no re-election...
So, a "political decision" was made. The pols of the time decided to "get ours and get out"....both the politicians and the union "sold out" the taxpayers they claim to be "serving".
A few years ago the TRICO company was located in Buffalo...that is where they were invented and where they continued to make windshield wiper products....
One day the union bosses decided to ask for big increases...their pay was already at a pretty decent scale..
Negotiations ensued..couldn't agree..
Remember all negotiations were for MORE bennies for the union, not less...so any movement was all positive for the union members..
The company several times offered what it could..union says "NO"!
Finally TRICO says; " Can't give any more..it would break our company, so here's our final offer...".
After some time for consideration, the union said in effect.." we think you're bluffing (lying)".
Do any of you guys know where TRICO wiper blades are being made ?
They're not being made in Buffalo...
BR...I am sure your Mom is a fine lady and her situation may be very different than many around here..
Here, teachers get a decent wage, yet some still complain about it..
When they complain, they may mention teacher's wages...and exhibit only the starting wages...not the wages of those with some extra bennies and seniority..
As a non-teacher I would have liked to have my old wages..perhaps equivalent to a starting teacher wage....along with the teacher's other "extras"...such as:
A) Work 180 days per year.
B) Of that 180 days, have for the most part perhaps 30 or more paid "sick days"
C) Any "sick days" I don't use I can accumulate...and take home a nice nest egg when I retire.
( I was one of those guys that would usually go several years between sick days).
D) Be able to attain "tenure", whereby if I felt so inclined, I could lapse into complete incompetency, confident that my job was safe..
E) Retire with accumulated bennies that totaled up, would surprise many people..depending on tax area...free complete medical , dental and health insurance paid etc., etc.
I have a brother and sister-in-law that recently retired with about $106 K per year between them , not counting their investments, SS or other sources...just pension...and in this state where the unions own the politicians they pay NO state tax on their pensions..as the rest of us do..
Now , they were very competent and never complained about their wages as some do incessantly....but the incompetents get the same package ...
The city of Buffalo was once called " The Queen city of the Great Lakes", but now is turning into a backwater has-been...but it is still a strong "union town"..(what has the union done for them ?)
That city has perhaps 1/2 the population that it had in 1950. Unfortunately, as in many such towns...it is the workers and go-getters that leave....those on the public dole that stay...so prospects are not great.
There is much to offer industry...abundant electric, abundant water, transportation etc...but the labor/political/tax climate is not condusive for industry to locate here.
The situation could be saved, but don't hold your breath...
The politicians could make NY a "right-to-work" state...allowing fair competition on job bids and open competition for labor and markets.
But alas...the unions OWN most of the politicos....so the politicians will get theirs, get their fat pension and move out of state (in spite of their special tax break) and let the area die...
...And it all started with the "people", not being smart enough to change their political leaders often enough...like a baby's diaper...and for the same reasons...
....Food for thought..................Ironglow