The Resident Advisors (RA's) at UMass Amherst are now part of the local UAW. They are unionized. It's bad enough the colleges are a bastion for the Liberal Agenda, now the so called "Leaders" of the resident life buildings are using an outdated vehicle to advance their agenda. I applaud their drive, but abhore their decision. Their individual identities will be lost to a union agenda, and their visions of accomplishent will be replaced by the illusion of entitlements. This is a sad day indeed.

UAW - United Auto Workers I especially liked the part " using an out dated vehicle " but it's true a hundred voices are louder than one but sometimes the one voice that is true, can't be heard.

Yes, a hundred voices are louder, but decibel level does not equate to being right or wrong. The unions were once upon a time a necessary element in this great country. But they have become the very symbol for what is wrong in todays' America: Zero Responsiblity. They promote lazyness in the workplace. They handcuff industries from paying the proper wages. They create a feeling of entitlement and disuade individuals from thinking "outside the box". Hell, I've been to manufacturing plants where I wasn't allowed to turn on an overhead light at the machinery I was working on. We had to wait for an Electrician! On another occassion, at a trade show I was literally threatened when I tried to hang a sign at my company's booth. The slimy Guido union leader got in my face and threatened to shut down the whole show if I continued. These are only a couple of examples, and the list is long. Unions Suck. They serve NO constructive purpose in this day and age. And now the commy pinko RA's are part of the biggest offenders. For the record, I was an RA at my University. The job ain't that tough, they're crying for nothing.

well spoken tailgater, unions are past thier time in this country. All they do is make the union bosses richer and our pockets emptier. Ask the UPS drivers if they like working loner to get 2/3 of the benifits. They wont admit it, but they were screwed by thier union.

I have thought about this alot since I worked a job in the early 80's as a "part timer". I paid union dues if I worked a 40 hour week. This was most of the time. Yet I received no benefits. Were my hard earned bucks paying for the union leaders swimming pool?. Probably. But what if the unions disbanded? Why then should employers offer any benefits? Why not slash wages? Profit sharing? Why share? You get the drift. No doubt there would be some great employers and lots of real as***les. The unions are bloated and corrupt in many cases,yes. But get rid of them and we would be back to the bad old days in short order.

Wrong. It's called supply and demand and many books have been written about it. People (good people) will go where they can make a living. If the wages or benefits are subpar, they will find another job. Unions allow the weak to prosper at the expense of the strong. Why work hard if you'll only get paid as much as the schmuck next to you who doesnt' do anything all day, yet can't get fired due to tenure? Unions Suck. I can't say it enough.

Unions suck! They serve one purpose today, and that is steal money and to make the top dogs in the Union rich! Charlie

Unions suck! They serve one purpose today, and that is steal money and to make the top dogs in the Union rich! Charlie

Whoops gotta clean the mouse! Unions still suck! Charlie

Hey Tailgater, do you own a company or something? I understand supply and demand. If there is a greater demand for jobs than is in supply, then employers can pay less and give fewer benefits. Because there will be no shortage of poor saps who need a job, any job. The best people will do ok in any case, that's true. Which is why unions are so democratic. They offer everyone an even deal. I agree with you on this point though. Unions in their present form are obsolete. They need to change, not go away. Your philosophy is the same one factory owners used in the early 20th century. It's called Social Darwinism. The rich get richer and the poor mind their place.

shakin the bushes boss shakin the bushes!

While I agree that unions are in the majority corrupt. Yet I am a member of the I.B.E.W. local #733. I also know that I would not have had the oppurtunity to have my job if it wasn't for the union. I am in the Electrical Apprenticship program at Ingalls Shipbuilding, now owned by Northrop Grumman. Without a good union (not saying that mine is one of the good ones) wages would suck, benefits would be non-existant, and we could be fired for not working overtime. There was a non-union shipyard here also and to see how the employees were treated there was terrible. They had to work 7 12's or they would be layed off. Granted their pay was higher, but they had zero insurance, a company that totally disregarded safety, and no protection from constant layoffs. In my local right now we are trying to oust a very corrupt good ol' boys leadership and replace it with new uncorrupted leadership. So I have to say that while the unions do have major faults for me they are a necessary evil. Todd

"What we have here, is a failure to communicate"! Charlie

Tailgater HAS, in fact, shown us the money. Hammered this nail directly point blank on the head. Curious to hear Rick's stand.

Ummmm...Whadda they want, bring in a little union muscle if ya plays yer music too loud? Unionized dorm cops...whatta joke

For the record, Yes I am part owner of my company. We are still too small to worry about unions, but my feelings about these outdated achievement thwarters have been the same since the day I was introduced to them.
I don't doubt that some businesses would try to pay lower wages when unemployment is high. But to use the unions as a method to prevent that is ridiculous. Unions have outlived their intent, and overstepped their authority. There is not a better example of how and why foreign nations can outproduce the US on a per dollar basis. Unions embody all that is wrong with the American workforce.

I agree with alot of what you say Tailgater, we are not on opposite sides. However, the reason foreign countrys produce alot of wares for cheap is because their manufacturers pay slave wages and work their people like dogs. Similar to the US before collective bargaining created the middle class in the 30's. Are their underachievers in the workforce? You bet! There are some foot draggers in management too. Enron is a perfect example of management gone wrong. Laborers need some kind of organization to address grievances and keep management honest. If you can do that at your company without a union I say beautiful! You are what's right with America.

Tailgater's argument against belongs in the Truth or Fiction post in the picture forum. His arguments or lack thereof are pure fiction! The facts: 1.Workers who join Unions earn an average 34 percent more than workers who don't! 2. Joining a union raise earnings by 40 percent for working women, 44 percent for African American workers and 53 percent for Latino workers. 3. 85 percent of union members receive health benefits on the job, compared with only 74 percent of non-union workers. 4. 79 percent of union members are covered by guranteed(defined-benefit) pensions, compared with 44 percent of non union workers. 5. Union workers have more secure jobs. Six in ten union members have been with the same employer for ten or more years compare to three in ten for non union workers. 6. Studies show that giving workers a voice in decisions at work, unions increase productivity by 19 to 24 percent in manufactoring, 17 to 38 percent in construction, and up to 16 percent in hospitals. 6. Unions give workers a voice in Congress and State legislatures. Through our Unions, we increase the minimum wage, enforce equal pay and job safety laws and fight for better education, health care and other vital programs. Contrary to popular opinion, not all Unions are led by the corrupt Jimmy Hoffa-Organized Crime-muscle types. I do agree that there are some corrupt unions but there is corruption present in all facades of society. Do I hear Enron? Yes...I am a proud Union member who lives a better quality of life as a result!!!!! John

Aren't the New England Patriots members of a union? Just wondering!

Topdog Where do you think all that money comes from to pay those better wages and beniefits??? We are paying for it in higher costs at the checkstand!!!! This is one reason that one of the last strongholds of the unions is in government jobs. It seems that they cant put them out of business because of increasing costs. The government just raises our taxes to cover the costs. Charlies is right. UNIONS SUCK LIKE A HOOVER!!!!!!!