Union rep's friends say NO to Obama ("Winning the White Working Class")

In These Times ^ | 5/14/08 | David Moberg

[Crim]

“The Steelworkers were supporting Edwards, after he dropped out they didn’t choose between Hillary and Obama, they “allowed” there members to decide. Now that Edwards is in Obama’s camp, maybe the Steelworkers will go toward Obama?”

Sure the leadership will ...hell they would support Hitler if he ran as a democrat...

The rank and file is another keetle of fish though...

Many Union Members voted For Bush...twice..

I’d have to dig out the stats...but IIRC...it was around 40%...

Many of us in the Building trades are Organized for the basic reason that it provides a better standard of living for our Families...

And most of us do Side work even though it’s forbidden by the leadership...

I worked non unions for 18 years....I know both sides of the fence...

I go broke for no man...

[wtc911]

The disturbing fact is that there are two White middle-class men on my block with Obama bumper stickers.

One guy is retired in a $700k house that he just updated to the tune of $150k. He says Bush and the Republicans have turned the US into a "third world economy".

The other guy is about 35 with a seven year old son (the kid is always at my house with our seven year old grandson - you should hear their political arguments). He wants "change". He thinks Obama is great and disputes that Michelle is the prototypical 'angry Black woman'. I asked him who Reala Odinga is and told him that if he doesn't know then he has no idea who Obama is in truth.

I just ignore the older guy (actually closer to my age). I send the young guy regular research links on the Obama connections to marxists in Africa and communists here. He says he might have to sit out a McCain/Obama contest.

[Unicorn]

I’m with you Joe.

[SMARTY]

All my comfortable and retired union member cousins and their very comfortable parents who have ALWAYS been democrats will NOT EVER vote for Obama. They have come out directly and said so to me.

My old Aunts who have ALWAYS been democrats, have said they WILL NOT vote for Obama

They will either NOT VOTE or vote for McCain.

I think they are typical of all Democrats.

By the way, my retired cousins were lifelong members of a union that destroyed the Hoover company ... and now blame Bush for the company failure...lots of that kind running around here.

[Clemenza]

1. That "40% of union members vote GOP" is from the 1984 Reagan landslide. I've seen it reported often. The figure from 2000 and 2004 is about 30%.

2. I hope its not true where you are, but the building trades unions in PA, NJ, and NY are extortionists who do everything possible to prevent competitive bidding. It is not as bad as it was 15-20 years ago, but the dictatorship of the proletariat is still alive and well in the city of Philadelphia. No wonder they've been "working" on the airport for over 20 years now.

[Crim]

“The figure from 2000 and 2004 is about 30%.”

Ah...ok...thanks...When I look around...I’m surprised sometimes it’s not just 1%...me and 99 idiots..

“. I hope its not true where you are, but the building trades unions in PA, NJ, and NY are extortionists who do everything possible to prevent competitive bidding. It is not as bad as it was 15-20 years ago, but the dictatorship of the proletariat is still alive and well in the city of Philadelphia. No wonder they’ve been “working” on the airport for over 20 years now.’

Well...honestly...there is a lot of non-union competition here in NW ohio...so contractors cant get fat and lazy...

The IBEW has been tryng to partner with NECA to provide better productivity and better quality..

We’re higher priced....so there has to be some added value...such as projects being done on time...and without corrections....

I would point out that after years of doing away with prevailing wage in KY on school projects....the bean counters figured out that it was more expensive...cost overuns, projects not done on time..and costly corrections were sucking more dollars out of state coffers than hiring Union contractors...

and quite frankly...we dont employ illegals like many of the traveling contractors do...we buy american...and spend our money locally...

YES there are some huge assclowns...but many of us realise we cant maintian our industry if we dont maintain quality and value...

I currently hold 5 licenses...take over 40 hours of code updates and 36 hours of safety training year...

Maintaining my licenses alone costs me hundreds of dollars a year...

I can troubleshoot and repair anything from homes to industrial machinery to nuke plants...

I know Union is a dirty word around here most times...

But I would remind folks...all unions are not created equal...

I take my occupation and my ability to provide a better standard of living for my family quite seriously.

I dont care how much money other people make....so IMHO...other people shouldnt care how much I make...

but I can tell you this...in my best year I never made as much as a moonbat professor at a liberal college...

and I WORK for a living...most I ever made was around 55k

[Clemenza]

You should join the local in Philly. You can make $85K before overtime, and more after that.

I have NO problem with those folks such as yourself who contribute to and, dare I say, improve our society through work. I do have a problem with locals extorting contractors (literally) and prohibiting/limiting open bids. This is the case in many areas around here (although it is improving, with no noticeable decline in the standard of living of tradesmen in the areas where competative bidding/open shop have been introduced).

[Crim]

“You should join the local in Philly. You can make $85K before overtime, and more after that.”

Nah...IBEW also means...I been everywhere...

I left Town and worked out of town for almost a decade...

My 4 bed 2 bath, finished basement house with a huge yard and two car detached garage would cost a fortune there...

Money just goes farther here...I’ve been able to buy both rental property and a vacation spot in NE indiana...

I can be anywhere in town in twenty minutes...I can be standing in corn fields in 30 in any direction...and at the lake in indiana an hour an 10..

I have access to Michigan snow slopes...and lake Erie sun spots...

There are intrinsic benefits to not living in a metropolus..

“I have NO problem with those folks such as yourself who contribute to and, dare I say, improve our society through work.”

Thanks...

“I do have a problem with locals extorting contractors (literally) and prohibiting/limiting open bids. This is the case in many areas around here (although it is improving, with no noticeable decline in the standard of living of tradesmen in the areas where competative bidding/open shop have been introduced).”

That sucks...but glad to hear it’s getting better...