I live in a state where businesses have with the help of their political lackeys just about destroyed unions. I wish I could find a union shop. Almost none exists here. We have low wages, poor benefits, and no protection from abuse from employers. Of course, Louisiana is a chronically corrupt state.

I am retired from public service, but this state needs strong public service unions. We don't have them and that is one reason working for government here is a struggle. Meanwhile, we workers suffer from a unremittingly inadequate minimum wage and an ever-increasing unprogressive tax system. The only way to challenge that is a strong unoin movement. Alone we are all crushed.

By the way, Albertson stores here are grim. I knew that company over 30 year ago in Oregon and the stores in Portland were also dirty and had too few sales associates. I detest that chain. I don't use them. They charge high prices and give nothing in return. They combine the worst of Germany and Idaho, the most backward state in America.

Blaise (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:25 pm I live in a state where businesses have with the help of their political lackeys just about destroyed unions. I wish I could find a union shop. Almost none exists here. We have low wages, poor benefits, and no protection from abuse from employers. Of course, Louisiana is a chronically corrupt state.

I am retired from public service, but this state needs strong public service unions. We don't have them and that is one reason working for government here is a struggle. Meanwhile, we workers suffer from a unremittingly inadequate minimum wage and an ever-increasing unprogressive tax system. The only way to challenge that is a strong unoin movement. Alone we are all crushed.

I understand your pain. I too worked for a Gov't entity, but had to leave because of union activity. My experience is back-wards from yours, I guess. I declined the Union and was rode-out by the powers that be. I could not afford the fees they wanted every pay-check -vs- the offered 'benefits'. It looked too much like a back-end money-making opportunity for the Union. My corrupt superiors assumed I would blow whistles, and found every opportunity to discredit my employment. As bad as it sounds, I wouldn't have. I needed that job and had a fair retirement plan going that I didn't want to give up.

My area is sort-of corrupt, still run by "Good-Ol'-boys" interests, where wine-and-dine, and nice-thick-envelopes still pave the way for big $ interests in the area. I was forced to leave and ended up here, in 'Red-neck-ville' (no flames please...Oh, who cares....), simply due to what I was left with...after it was all over...thus causing the original Posting to this thread to begin with.

I was a member of a good union, back when I first entered Gov't work. It was started because of the Good-Ol'-boy system, and was needed. I guess unions are not immune to greed either.

Blaise (imported) wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:25 pm I live in a state where businesses have with the help of their political lackeys just about destroyed unions. I wish I could find a union shop. Almost none exists here. We have low wages, poor benefits, and no protection from abuse from employers. Of course, Louisiana is a chronically corrupt state.

I am retired from public service, but this state needs strong public service unions. We don't have them and that is one reason working for government here is a struggle. Meanwhile, we workers suffer from a unremittingly inadequate minimum wage and an ever-increasing unprogressive tax system. The only way to challenge that is a strong unoin movement. Alone we are all crushed.

By the way, Albertson stores here are grim. I knew that company over 30 year ago in Oregon and the stores in Portland were also dirty and had too few sales associates. I detest that chain. I don't use them. They charge high prices and give nothing in return. They combine the worst of Germany and Idaho, the most backward state in America.

I don't tell anyone that he or she needs to join a union or shop at union shops. I do shop a non-unoin shops and always have. I prefer working in a union shop because my experience has been they I fare better working in union shops.

I understand why people use Walmart. That is their choice. Where I live, almost no store is union.