Minnesota Right To Work

[Winchester]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' timestamp='1331415553' post='2398773']
When the steel mills were big here in the Pittsburgh area, workers had free health care,
[/quote]
No, they didn't.

[Winchester]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1331433568' post='2398920']
I haven't made my mind up about right to work laws. I'm suspicious of them but have no set opinions. I guess I would ask why someone couldn't simply argue that mandatory union membership is a factor to be weighed before applying for a job just like shiitake mushroom health benefits or inconsiderate hours are when the negative aspects of employment come from management. If you don't want to have to pay union dues then don't apply for jobs that are unioned.
[/quote]
I don't care if the business decides freely. When government begins intruding, I get the vapors.

Right to work laws are asinine and superfluous. The business owns the job, so they should be able to hire and fire at will.

[ironmonk]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' timestamp='1331434211' post='2398925']
In many places however if you are a blue-collar worker and want a good paying job, you have no choice but to join the union and let them garnish your wages for dues.
[/quote]

There is also the option of improving oneself, learning something new, and finding a job that pays more

[Winchester]

[quote name='ironmonk' timestamp='1331504567' post='2399173']
There is also the option of improving oneself, learning something new, and finding a job that pays more
[/quote]
That's a ridiculous idea.

[let_go_let_God]

Note: I am speaking only about Minnesota.

On the Iron Range, unions are the primary reason that the mines have a safe working environment. I'm not saying the unions are a 100% good thing, but I do know that without the unions my dad would have been blackballed out of a job and never allowed to work again. I have also seen the corruption that a union can possess but in Minnesota, this would be highly detrimental to the Tacconite industry which is already on shaky ground due to international steel mining.

I have worked for a non unionized mine and although a great learning experience, I've learned why unions are effective advocates for safety and workers rights. On the other hand, some unions charge fees that are charged can be enough to drive many under the poverty line, (generally mining, because of it's hazardous nature, is paid quite well to balance with the daily hazards and fees do not do this to employees).

God bless-
LGLG

[Anomaly]

I've worked construction, labor and management, union and non-union in Florida over the last 30 years. Florida is a Right To Work State.
Unions 'can' be good by providing training and developing a skilled workforce while advocating for safe work environment and practices. However, Unions have become 'labor pools' for temporary workers, making money off the workers for Union Management and providing little or nothing in real benefits to the workers.
There are tons of Federal and State labor and safety laws in existence, and it doesn't take much for a worker to call in OSHA or the State Labor Board (or a Sue U. Lawyer). Here in Florida, it's hard to find skilled laborers with an actual work ethic, wether Union or non-Union. Union workers really get shafted as most of their empolyment is temporary and there is no benefit for producing time efficient quality work. When the job's over, they go back on the bottom of the Hall's list.