Apple continuing full-court press against retail unionization efforts

verne arase

Huh.

Gotta say, I've never been in a union and have never been terribly pro-union.

My dad worked as a pharmacist for Walgreens and when they were unionizing they threatened to break his legs if he didn't join.

My dad resisted and Walgreens actually made him part of the management team to isolate him from the threats. Not sure if they gave him management duties or elevated his pay, but I think the objective was just to remove him from that sphere of vulnerability.

A lot of things that happen to your family color your perception - for instance I was a staunch republican because my parents moved to the midwest to avoid being put in a prison camp (they called them internment camps) in California. Even J. Edgar at first refused to have the FBI round up the Japanese, but was told by Roosevelt he'd simply find someone else who would do it.

Of course, once Trump was elected (I sat out that election) it cured me of that staunch republicanism - especially now that the GOP's gone flat out batshit crazy.

JP234

Have unions gone too far? In some cases, definitely. But ask yourself, "self, why are there unions in the first place?" There's only one answer: Corporations exploiting their own workers, denying them basic human rights, and refusing to pay sustainable wages. You want to prevent your workers from unionizing? All you have to do is listen to them, and let them know they're heard. Then just do the right thing.

I've been a union worker (IBEW Chicago local 134). And I've been a non-union worker (countless lousy, dead end jobs). I also owned a non-union printing business. My employees never saw the need to organize, because I treated them with respect, dignity and generous compensation. In return, they busted their asses for me.

Let me just say this about unions: If it weren't for them, everyone who is reading this article would be working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. You'd be living in a company town, being paid in company scrip instead of cash. That scrip would only be usable at the company store, where you would pay for all the equipment you need for your job, your food, your household goods, your uniforms, your family's clothes, and your rent. At the end of the week, you'd owe the company store more than you earned. But they'd be willing to carry you for a "reasonable" interest charge, as long as you continue to work for them.

In effect you'd be what they call a "wage slave." If you haven't read the great Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" it's time you cracked a book. If you don't like reading, watch the great John Sayles movie, "Matewan," the true story of `the miserable lives of coal miners in West Virginia and the violence they were subjected to at the hands of the Pinkerton Security Agency when trying to organize, paid for by the mine owners in collusion with the state government. You've probably seen "Norma Rae" with Sally Field.

hypoluxa

JP234 said:

Have unions gone too far? In some cases, definitely. But ask yourself, "self, why are there unions in the first place?" There's only one answer: Corporations exploiting their own workers, denying them basic human rights, and refusing to pay sustainable wages. You want to prevent your workers from unionizing? All you have to do is listen to them, and let them know they're heard. Then just do the right thing.

I've been a union worker (IBEW Chicago local 134). And I've been a non-union worker (countless lousy, dead end jobs). I also owned a non-union printing business. My employees never saw the need to organize, because I treated them with respect, dignity and generous compensation. In return, they busted their asses for me.

Let me just say this about unions: If it weren't for them, everyone who is reading this article would be working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. You'd be living in a company town, being paid in company scrip instead of cash. That scrip would only be usable at the company store, where you would pay for all the equipment you need for your job, your food, your household goods, your uniforms, your family's clothes, and your rent. At the end of the week, you'd owe the company store more than you earned. But they'd be willing to carry you for a "reasonable" interest charge, as long as you continue to work for them.

In effect you'd be what they call a "wage slave." If you haven't read the great Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" it's time you cracked a book. If you don't like reading, watch the great John Sayles movie, "Matewan," the true story of `the miserable lives of coal miners in West Virginia and the violence they were subjected to at the hands of the Pinkerton Security Agency when trying to organize, paid for by the mine owners in collusion with the state government. You've probably seen "Norma Rae" with Sally Field.

I'd second that sentiment. Have some unions over-stepped their lines, sure. But like you said, nobody wants to be exploited by their employer. If companies would stop paying their top 1% of staff ginormous amounts of $ for admin work and pay the actual on-the-floor-and in-the-weeds-workers better in some cases, maybe unions wouldn't be needed. I can see the argument for a maximum wage in these cases.