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Escapist Calls For Industry Unionization

Posted by Zonk on from the fight-for-the-right- dept.

amitlu writes "In the Friday edition of the Escapist, Joe Blancato challenges the industry to compare itself to skilled labor of the past, and says it's time to organize. From the article: 'If we continue at the rate we're going, we're either going to be worrying about a bunch of college-aged kids with computer science degrees working at McDonald's, too disillusioned to continue in their chosen field or worse, the position they previously held was moved overseas to a more bottom line-friendly locale. For the sake of trying to save money on production costs, why not ship off art production to Romania? Or customer service to India? But to paraphrase the old cliché: First they came for the artists, and I said nothing...'"

9 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. too bad it won't work... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's going to be cheaper to outsource to india then to hire union labor...

  2. Yea by ClownsScareMe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    To curb outsourcing?

    Right, because union workers are much more attractive hires.

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    1. Re:Yea by Directrix1 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh come on, its obviously worked wonders for GM and Ford.

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    2. Re:Yea by TykeClone · · Score: 2, Insightful
      For the employer, non-union labor is almost always more attractive, but they can't use them. Check out construction workers and Taxi drivers in New York. Or perhaps you should take a look at Bell South.

      That's the difference between right to work states and non-right to work states. Places like New York and Illinois can force you to join a union if you want to work in a union shop.

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  3. What about the political donations by heinousjay · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Joining a union is pretty much pledging a portion of your salary to the DNC. I don't need that mess.

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    1. Re:What about the political donations by dbrutus · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Can I have a pony with that scenario?

      The truth is that pathologically dysfunctional governments have created a huge labor market imbalance. Every time some country starts getting decent governance, that labor market imbalance is going to get unwound with lower 1st world wages (or lower increases than otherwise if we work our tails off increasing productivity) and better 3rd world wages until the imbalance is normalized for the skills/experience gap.

      A union doesn't help your skills or your experience. It just cranks up that gap so that the balance point is going to be more jobs over there instead of here. The balance is going to happen one way or another. I'd rather not artificially rase the unemployment rate here by promoting unionization.

    2. Re:What about the political donations by Halfbaked+Plan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What if your wages were higher than they are now even after you had to pay union dues?

      No matter HOW much more I then make, I object to a slice of my earnings going to a particular 'wing' of politics that I might not agree with.

      It's a moot point though. The AFL/CIO now knows what the outcome was of fucking around with electoral politics instead of sticking to workers' issues. Hopefully the split-off unions will now focus more on what matters to their dues paying membership.

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  4. Unions by Usquebaugh · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There is no way I'll ever join a union.

    I was forced into a closed shop when I was a teenager, never will I be a part of that again.

    I'm all for a more equitable share of money but you don't get that with a union. All union does if give my money to somebody else who in return tells me I have to stop work!

    I think the world needs a radical shake up in the labour market but it will not happen because people unionise. I doubt it will happen in the next fifty years. It will only happen when people grasp the idea of us all being one.

  5. Great Idea! by stevew · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think this is a marvelous idea, especially since it has worked so well in the past.

    Look at how successful the Steal Workers (Unionized) were at saving their jobs!

    Whoops - that didn't work did it?

    They priced themselves right out of a globally competitive market. The same thing is happening in engineering, IT, and programming now-adays. There are well trained individuals willing to take less money that can do the job.

    Uhm - it's called supply and demand. Capital goes to where the lowest cost of production is - simple economics....

    Unionization is merely a method for one to stick one's head in the sand and say Hmmm..Hmmm...Hmmm...I can't hear you...

    Sheesh!

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