Politics and religion.

[Bonny]

There are a couple reasons for the difference. Unions are attractive to employees who do not feel any control over their worklife - employees who work for large, impersonal employers where the decisions makers are far away from them. That rather defines most public sector jobs - postal service, firefighters, police, teachers, etc. Hospital are becoming fertile ground for union organizers - large organizations - decision makers far away.

Smaller employers are more able to know what is going on in the organization and put out fires. Smaller organization can simply respond faster to problems.

Wages are rarely the reason most union campaigns get started. And most campaigns begin when employees contact the union rather than the other way around. When I was working in labor relations I was involved in a few campaigns - and every time it was the same thing - favoritism - the boss.

For example, in San Diego County the average number of employee is 12. Most people in the US public sector work for small/medium sized employers where the perceived need for a union is less.

You mention favoritism - the boss. What do you mean by that? Like ignoring someones seniority in the company, breaking company rules, as an example. The boss would be non-union working for the company as the employee would be union working for the company type of thing? Do the bosses get reprimanded by the company like firing or transferred someplace else? I know of a company three faults by the employee even if they are protected by the union & out the door they go.

[Edwina's Secretary]

You mention favoritism - the boss. What do you mean by that? Like ignoring someones seniority in the company, breaking company rules, as an example. The boss would be non-union working for the company as the employee would be union working for the company type of thing? Do the bosses get reprimanded by the company like firing or transferred someplace else? I know of a company three faults by the employee even if they are protected by the union & out the door they go.

The most common complaint leading employees to try and bring a union into the workplace is favoritism by the boss. Not being treated "fairly" by the boss. Some people always getting the dirty jobs - that sort of thing. This is before a union is elected so there is no non-union boss - union employees - yet. Yes, I have seen managers and supervisors who are disciplined - including termination - for not doing their job well. In the campaigns I have been involved in - the first thing is to make sure the supv/mgr understands his/her role. Often having a meeting with the supv/mgr present to ask employees what are the complaints and expecting the the supv/mgr to accept responsibility and talk through the issues.

Interesting to note, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled that you cannot fire the supv/mgr until after the vote. Or at least made it very dangerous to do so.

[wombat2u2004]

Hey ES, I'll be the one manning the soup kitchen soon, along with some coloured people I know.
You'd better stop being so crabby, or I won't give you a bread crust to have with your bowl of cabbage soup....heee heee

[wombat2u2004]

Ahhhhhhhhh....it's so nice to live in the lucky country.

[wombat2u2004]

Ohhhh.....look what I found..........

There seems to be a lot of debate around the water cooler and the dinner table as to which President is most responsible for the increase in the National Debt.
(Note: This debate also includes future paupers like ES)

In this article, I’d like to take a look at the growth in the National Debt by President using an unbiased approach. This analysis uses National Debt figures from the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House Office of Management and Budget.

To be sure, there is plenty of blame to go around for the uncontrolled growth in the National Debt. For this analysis, I’ve begun with Ronald Reagan’s first term and followed it through the first year of Barack Obama’s administration. No effort has been made to cast any particular President in a favorable or unfavorable light.

The numbers below do NOT reflect the actual National Debt. Instead, they reflect the amount of the INCREASE in the National Debt during each presidential term.

> Ronald Reagan’s First Term – $656 billion increase

> Ronald Reagan’s Second Term – $1.036 trillion increase

> George H.W. Bush’s Term – $1.587 trillion increase

> Bill Clinton’s First Term – $1.122 trillion increase

> Bill Clinton’s Second Term – $418 billion increase

> George W. Bush’s First Term – $1.885 trillion increase

> George W. Bush’s Second Term – $3.014 trillion increase

> Barack Obama’s First “Year” – $1.573 trillion increase

To summarize, the National Debt increased by huge amounts under each of these presidents. The largest increase for a complete term occured during George W. Bush’s second term. The largest increse during a single year occurred during Barack Obama’s first year.

Current Obama administration projections indicate that the National Debt will increase by approximately $6.5 trillion during President Obama’s first term. If that happens, then he will obviously overtake President Bush’s record increase in the National Debt.

It is clear that the National Debt has been growing uncontrollably in recent years, regardless of which political party has been in power. To reverse this trend, we need to hold our elected officials accountable and demand that they balance the budget and reduce the National Debt.

Wow ES.....yer really are living beyond your means.....eh ???