http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn5302/is_20081205/ai_n31113258

Obama has started paying back the unions. PLA's effectively bar non union contractors (the vast majority of GC's and Subcontractors) from goverment work.
Good thing the unions donated 300 million to his campaign. So much for no special interests.

As a IBEW electrician, I'm all to familiar with how politics work.

If you can't beat em...join em.

Besides I'd be disappointed in Barack if he didn't scratch the Unions back now, after receiving millions in PAC funds.

Mf

Good.

I hope the unions shove it those the silk-suited douchebags that spent the last decade destroying our country.

WTF Irie,

I work for non union General contractor that is effectively banned from working any sizeable GOVT work. We pay living wages and provide benefits to our employers and better pricing (which helps the taxpayer).

wmro, your screwed bud....

Mf

Better prepare for what's coming. Card check and the stimulus bill will expand unions dramatically and as my buddies that are in stated....."If you want to work, join". Sorry to all the small hardworking guys out there trying ot make it on their merit but pay your dues and vote accordingly or join the unemployment line. Sad day in America.

Irie needs to stop drunk typing.

Will not join the union for that very reason.Nor would I ever work for somebody that tells me how I have to vote.I will think for my self thank you.And I am one of those small time construction workers.I will suffer for it,But at least I will not have to hide around the corner because of my beliefs and I will know at the end of the day that I have a job because of my talents and hard work,not because of a bunch of corrupt politicians and my ever growing union dues.This is sad for America.

I used to work for UPS and had to be a part of the union as a result. They had day where all the union reps and pres. showed up down there. It was funny watching people clamor over the guy and I never really quite understood it. The union was planning on going on strike about three weeks later and I had told them that I would gladly cross the lines since I was only 21 and just had my daughter. I had people calling me a scab before they even started the strike. That was when I left and joined the service.

litlcleo, You can thank the Unions for much of what you take for granted being in the non Union.

Job safety, wages, benefits, 40 hour work weeks & paid OT, representation...

Most of the Laws on the books pertaining to Labor practices are from our Union's fore father’s….

People now a day's just don't understand (or just take for granted) what up hill battles were fought so long ago.

Mf

Unions definitely have their place. I personally have never been a big fan of them. My old man was always part of a union being a sprinklerfitter. It was great until we needed them. There was always a issue with something. When it came time to pay him for the pension he earned with over 20 years of work they didn't want to give him that either. It took 5 years of fighting and litigation before he finally got what he was due. So pardon me if I have a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to the unions that are supposed to be taking care of the little guy. Like I said. They have their place. When it comes to wages and pay increases, they definitely get the job done.

Having been a union contractor for 13years (57 yo business) and then going to work for a non-union general contractor...no compariosn! The non-union guy works his tail off because he's "not protected" by "big brother".

Yes..unions have a great history in our our American heritage, but to significantly reduce the chance for a non-union contractor to bid public works projects is just un-American IMO. I take my hat off to the labor laws. They've been establised for a reasom, and rightfully so. But.....

I've been on a project for 2.5 years where the ratio is 80/20 union to non-union craft. It's just SICK seeing the non-productivity of the union based workers as a whole. Our company/employees has been called every name in the book, and only because the "brotherhood" is jealous that we make the "brotherhood" look bad on a daily productivity basis. I do productivty/schedule updates and submit them to the owner on a weekly basis, and I've heard many times how the GC/owner wish that the "brotherhood" could perform at least half as productive as the non-union craft.

I think it's just unfair that there's discrimination abounding reagrding PUBLIC contrats. If a person wants an organization to mange their job hunting and retirement, that's fine. But don't judge another person that may do the same trade as less of a person if they want to manage their OWN money and benefits. Very small minded. Just sad for Americans in general.

Magicfly,I am a home builder.for some reason they do not want anything to do with us down here in the residential market.Probably because the market could not handle the cost.40 hour work week?Time is money in our world.Most of the bidding is done by the square foot.The faster I get it done the more I make.We build to get it done.Paid OT? Benifits???What the fudk is representation?Oh is that the guy that says "ha ha ha you cant fire me!"

You want to get into safety?I worked briefly on a Lowes with union workers last summer.Had to use a separate gate as I was not good enough to enter the same side as the union.Then I get to sit in class for a couple of days to get up to speed with the almighty union worker.Do you have to carry a card yet to work on a ladder???Stupid fucksd are so busy getting hurt and suing everybody you have to watch a video on opening the shiaater door.The crap you guys have created to keep from getting the job done is fudking amazing.How hard can it be to work on scaffolding?I know I was totally confused when they were done with me.I do appreciate that the scope of the jobs are much bigger than home building and deem more stringant safety concerns but come on!!!!

I personaly believe that the unions job is done.The one benifit I see is that a contractor hiring a union worker knows what his worker is supposed to know.The way I see it is that the union can not survive with out living off the tax payers anymore.They are not competitive.For the white house to give the stimulas package to the unions is a crime in my world and a ploy by the dems to extort me into voting for them.fudkk the unions.

Please do not take this as an attack on you personally it is not meant to be at all....peace.