🚀 go-pugleaf

Derek Nalecki <naleckid@cadvision.com> wrote:
>In article <4ee0lq$m5p@grid.direct.ca>, cskelton@direct.ca (craig skelton) says:
>>bargaining agent. Unions are there to work for their members, and their
>
>Unlesss they have been coerced to it by the union bully-boys with the
>'law-enforcement' looking the other way. Unions are mainly there to 
>collect dues and give perks of power and privilege to a handfull of thugs
>who have grabbed the reigns of power.

They are???? gee, I wish I'd known that when I was president of our TA local
union.  All I got was burnout. Can I get my perks and privilege 
retroactively?  Can you send along a few bully-boys while you're at it?  
They'd be handy at my dissertation defense.

>Nobody 'deserves' job security. You *earn* job security by being good at
>what you do. This is the very problem with leftist/collectivist approach
>to life. Everything must be delivered on the silver platter. *preferably*
>unearned.

Ah, but a collective agreement lays out the conditions under which you 
get job security if you are good at what you do.  Do you have to be good 
at what you do to "earn" basic rights like protection from sexual or 
racial harassment, overwork, or other abuse from your employer?  

You don't have to be a leftist to support union activity.  All you need 
is a desire to protect the terms and conditions of your employment.  In a 
situation where power relations in the workplace affect your ability to 
do this on your own--like in a university where TAs are not only cheap 
labour but are also trying to pursue degrees and are reticent to complain 
for fear of academic reprisals--it helps if employees bring their voices 
together and negotiate collectively.  Certainly in the case of academic 
unions, there are no "union bully-boys" that are somehow removed from the 
members.  Members volunteer their time, sacrifice their academic work, 
and put up with a lot of crap because they believe in the importance of 
using our voices together.  Had you ever worked for or with an academic 
union, you'd know this.  There are no thugs, no perks, and definitely no 
privilege.

>>Also, before most of you continue on this topic, I suggest you contact the 
>>BCLRB (labour relations board) and learn about the rules of the game before
>>you make youself seem silly. (some of you already did.)
>
>By disagreeing with your estimed self? Hardly.
>

Oh, it's not disagreement that makes you seem silly.  It's your 
incredible ignorance of labour legislation and unions in general.  

Vicky
-- 

____________
Victoria Smallman, Department of English, McMaster University
e-mail: g9126311@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca