The Troublemakers Union

[proud2BlibKansan]

I was in the Dallas airport this past Saturday night flying back from a business trip in Reno. During my layover, I gave myself a treat of an ice cream for surviving the headache of air travel. While sitting in the food court enjoying my treat, I was in ear shot of a group of men on break from their jobs at an airline. I was close enough to listen in on their conversation. They were talking politics. Looking at them, I concluded that they were either baggage handlers or they worked on airplanes. Either way, I was listening.

I noticed one of the men was wearing a button that read, “Troublemakers Union”. This was a great opportunity for me to ask about unions and politics. I have never had the opportunity to discuss unions with someone who was actually in a union. I thought it would start with an innocent question about their union participation, and then we would quickly go to a Democrat bonding session where we would suddenly become best buddies. I had the scenario worked out in my head. The airline baggage handlers would start sharing airline insider stories with me and we would laugh and laugh. I would become the darling of the baggage handlers all over the nation and I would never pay for another airline ticket the rest of my life. To ice the cake, my bag would always come out of the carousel first. All of this because of our shared dislike for the current Republican Party.

“Guys, are you in a union?” I began my bonding session.

“Yes” the button wearer answered.

“Can I ask you a question?” I went on without pausing for confirmation. “Which party do you think is more sympathetic to the union cause?” I could feel my luggage move to the front of the line instantly. Let the Democrat bonding begin.

Read more here: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/the-troublemakers-union/#storylink=cpy

[libinnyandia]

1. Whenever I hear union members say Democrats = Republicans I think of what happened to

the members of the union that supported Reagan for president.

[Romulox]

2. Mealy-mouthed and pro-outsourcing. Why was this posted?

I surprisingly found myself siding with the airline’s position when the group told me about outsourcing some of the work because it was cheaper for the company than to continue to employ people and pay benefits. I voiced my opinion on that and felt my bag quickly move to the back of the baggage line possibly dropping off the baggage cart never to be seen again.

Read more here: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/the-troublemakers-union/#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

So, presumably we are supposed to support the AUTHOR's union, when the same damn argument works just as well for her? Namely that scabs are cheaper? SOLIDARITY! otherwise, for sure!

Again, what is the point being made here?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. The author had made several incorrect assumptions

I think that was her point. I don't mean to encourage anyone to support her. I disagree with her on several points. I just thought it was an interesting read.

[Populist_Prole]

4. I thought it was interesting too

The view of those machinists is what keeps the GOP alive amongst the working class, even if they don't enthusiastically support the GOP. The "interviewer" didn't really think too deeply though, as Romulox surmised. She tried too hard to sound credible to the public at large by using "one the one hand this....on the other hand that" type positioning. She was taking a pro-corporate line by basically going along with the "conventional wisdom" of the business press today so that she wouldn't be viewed as a pro-labor hack by evoking all the robber baron crushing the working class imagery in the days of yore.

[Romulox]

5. The major "incorrect assumption" being that outsourcing is ok for thee, not for me.

[Populist_Prole]

6. Yeah that dynamic is alive and well

It especially drives me nuts to hear working class people to attack other working class people, when they should be fighting on the same side. The basic narrative is kind of like: YOU or THEY ( speaking of workers in industries outside the speaker's own ) should work for less money so that MY money will get me more. Dog chasing its tail. It don't work.