Larry Hubich, the president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, said the decision was “a significant and disturbing development.”
h/t Neil from Regina
Larry Hubich, the president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, said the decision was “a significant and disturbing development.”
h/t Neil from Regina
Good. Unions are no longer about the workers; they are about the Union Executive.
Unions are now corporations. But instead of producing goods and services to market, their income is parasitic. It comes from the wages of the workers.
The union executives live off these wages – and live very well. Then, they take these wages and invest it in corporate systems. This brings in enormous interest funds, which are also used for those executive salaries, benefits and perks.
The union greed for more money, via the workers, compels them to insist on higher worker wages (and thus higher union dues) and higher ‘benefits’ for the workers. Where does this money come from?
The cost of the goods and services goes up and up and up. And finally – bankruptcy. The best example is the auto industry, where the Auto Worker Unions bankrupted the industry – and yet, have the temerity to insist that taxpayers bail them out.
Unions are parasites and like all parasitic diseases, must be removed.
Unions are dangerous, Mini-Me governments.
This isn’t 18th century England. We have labor laws and courts. Unions are useless relics from another time.
Death to unions!
I am not about to call unions parasites but I am distrurbed that WalMarts actions to assert their legal rights are characteized as “a significant and disturbing development” and that their legal challenge to the erroneous decision by a bureaucratic board was also cast as an abuse of the system. Courts have been established to provide adjudication that is based on the law not some made up process determined by people with a political agenda. This is a very important decision that affirms that the legal process in this country works.
Now if only wal-mart would stop stocking their shelves with cheaply made garbage from the commies in china…
But how can the thugs & goons now identify the “dissenters” at voting time ? How will they know who to harass, who’s car and house to vandalize, who to isolate in the workplace and penalize at the union meetings.
It is just not fair to union thugs and goons . . . I am sure their feelings have been hurt. Maybe they can file a claim with the CHRC ?
What is disturbing…..
Hold a secret ballot and if the union was on the up and up, the vote will certify the union.
Now if the vote doesn’t certify the union, that would be disturbing….. for the union.
Jason,
Unions have made it impossible for Americans or Canadians or Europeans or anyone from producing the ‘junk’ that poor people must buy because the union-made junk is not affordable.
Much of what they buy is cheap clothing for their growing kids which don’t have time to fall apart or wear out before they are out-grown … also they buy food stuff there now and lamps and shoes and fishing tackle and cosmetic supplies etc all the same as they would buy elsewhere for much more.
People need to understand that if they want a WalMart in their village, they can choose between having a union or having a WalMart. If you want to be a union drone, don’t apply to work at WalMart. It’s pretty simple.
Fred,
Right on!
If only Canadians had property rights, the unions would sink into oblivion! This is the goal we need to work towards: property rights first, everything else will come with them.
I am not about to call unions parasites but I am distrurbed that WalMarts actions to assert their legal rights are characteized as “a significant and disturbing development” and that their legal challenge to the erroneous decision by a bureaucratic board was also cast as an abuse of the system. Courts have been established to provide adjudication that is based on the law not some made up process determined by people with a political agenda. This is a very important decision that affirms that the legal process in this country works.
When secret balloting is used, an individual may vote exactly the way he/she wishes without fear of future threats/repercussions from unions, or from anti-union groups, or from management or even the government. Here’s what puzzles me, though: what, exactly, are the arguments of those who oppose secret balloting?
Gee, is it perhaps that a secret ballot eliminates the possibility of intimidating those who would vote differently than them?
That wouldn’t be their argument, of course, so what is their argument? Does anyone know?
No one should be afraid of a secret ballot.
This quote says it all, “Workers now employed at the store cheered when they were told of the latest court ruling…”
Actually, credit Hubich with honesty; I prefer that to the sort of leftists who pretend they’re all about “human rights” and “democracy” and “freedom” when of course exactly the opposite is true.
Hubich at least comes right out with it: It’s “disturbing” that unions won’t have the ability to target those who vote the wrong way.
Momar
As someone with an eco/bus background, I realize that the third world has a comparative advantage producing low-skill products at a cheap price.
What I don’t like is that of all the third world nations out there, why is everything made in china? There used to be dozens of countries making cheap crap. Now all of them are being squeezed out by china. Who’s making these decisions and why?
That is an especially meaningful question when you think that their quality and safety is poor and their product have actually killed people.
One would think that further court challenges would be more expensive for the union than simply taking another [secret] ballot.
It is simple. Secret ballot means the worker has the power. Card signing means the union has the power. Is it at all surprising to anyone that a union honcho wants the union to have the power?
Well Jason, I happen to have a bus/eco background too, and I am a committed WalMart shopper and supporter. It annoys me when people say they don’t like WalMart because, a) they are non union (ergo slave wages) untrue as the case in Quebec court demonsrated higher wages and benfits than their competitors, & b) they have cheap china goods. Labelling laws in Canada reqire country of origin, you can buy U.S. or Can. products there as I do. I can also take you to most competitors stores and show you Chineses goods. Check where the parts for tour computor, T.,V. microwave etc. came from.
EBD – the unions have no valid argument in favour of ‘the simple card check procedures’ also known as the -heh- free choice action.
Their rhetoric is that with the secret ballot, this gives the employer TIME to persuade the worker NOT to form a union. Can you imagine this – giving the worker TIME to think and debate about whether or not to form a union? Terrible.
The card check process gives the worker NO time. A unionist comes up to you, shows you a card and says (insists?) that you sign it. No debate, no questions ,no time to think and talk it over with others. None. Just an in-your-face union organizer essentially making you sign.
The unionists, on the other hand, say that the Evil Employer will have the TIME..and during this TIME, the Evil Employer will monitor your work computer, listen in on your phone calls, spy on their employees. I’m not sure what happens next.
But what the union organizers are missing in this Evil Employer Diversionary Strategy (similar to Ahmandinejad’s Blame the USA)..is that the workers are DISCUSSING whether or not to form a union.
The unionists want to remove this right of debate, questions, discussion…and, by sheer force of someone standing in your face with a pen and a card – psychologically intimidating you to join a union.
That’s the Union Way. Parasites always try to weaken and destroy the ability to fight back.
Mike,
I hate unions. At no time did I say anything but.
Yes, chinese products are available everywhere but no organization is as responsible for the shift than wal-mart. This is the only thing bad I have to say about the place. Other than that, all the power to them. Sam Walton did good work.
“Now if only wal-mart would stop stocking their shelves with cheaply made garbage from the commies in china…”
The problem is that the average American/Canadian consumer will only pay 39 cents for that made in China novelty dog poop. If that coiled plastic turd were manufactured domestically (union labour, no doubt) it would seriously cut into the monies already allocated for Cheetos and Coca-Cola.
Poor Larry Hubich. After years of having things his way and having the provincial government firmly by the testicles, Mr. Hubich must now play by a new and infinitely more equitable set of rules. Workers finally have a say in the decision to unionize or not without the threat of intimidation hanging over them.
Time to get a real job Larry. In the meantime, you can work extra hard to get the NDP back in power after the next Sask. election. Good luck with that one! Saskatchewanians have tasted prosperity, hope and all the other good things that inevitably take place after ousting socialists. You gotta love it.
Eskimo
I didn’t say it had to be manufactured domestically. There are untold dozens of 3rd world dung heaps to make your crap in. Why is it all moving to china?
What’s wrong with the others?
Eskimo – what a typical Liberal ‘beer and popcorn’ comment.
It might surprise you, but many people who shop at Walmart are not doing so because they can then afford ‘Cheetos and Coca Cola’. They shop there because they can then afford to pay the rent or the mortgage. Or the bus fares. Or the basics of meat and vegetables and milk.
Don’t be such a snob.
If we now get rid of Cost-Plus Government Contracts, the Unions will be history
I was being sarcastic, ET. Jesus Christ get over yourself.
Unions are chasing Walmart because its the only sector of the economy that they haven’t destroyed. Walmart will pull out of Weyburn if the union is certified. Ask Quebec about unions and Walmart.
My experience with Wal-Mart goods has been pretty good. Their quality is as good as any other large department store, for most stuff anyway.
Really, Eskimo? You were being sarcastic? And what evidence was there in your words to suggest such a thing?
in the u.s. the big o plans on making all union votes open no secret ballot. they will have chicago style kneecap problems for those that don’t support the union. if you want a union go for it without beating on those who don’t want one.
guys. if our dollar was worth a dollar, since 1970 it is now about 10 cents or less of that value. no wonder people want to buy cheaper stuff. realestate is not more expensive because it has more value it is because wages and prices have been inflated by currency production in extreme. there is not one argument that anyone can put forward to refute this. it is and will continue to be as long as the government is your source of sustinence.
Funny how democracy works, letting people vote in private.
Unions have served their purpose in the past but I believe that unions should never ever have become permanant. A permanant union is one that has to justify its own existance by creating unrest whether there is a reason for unrest or not. They are an enemy to business and have managed to bring the auto sector to its knees. Unions should only be formed by employees when they collectively have grievances that aren’t being addressed by their employer. After the grievance is addressed, the union should be dissolved.
If unions were voluntary, there would not be any real need for a secret ballot.
But since unions are coercive, as they rely on an anti-concept called a “bargaining unit”, a secret ballot should at least be part of the process.
” why is everything made in china? …. Who’s making these decisions and why?” (from a comment by ‘someone with an eco/bus background’)
Breathtaking
Syncing myself with the tenor of the times, I came up with these possible answers: 1) George Bush, Carl Rove, Rethuglicans and all that is evil, 2) International Zionist Conspiracy, 3) ‘Whitey’, 5) The Illuminati, Oh, yes….6) “Wall Street”
But not to worry – Obama is rapidly making more and more of these decisions, so everything’s going to be OK soon.
Eskimo: I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from Using the name of Jesus unless you are speaking to him or about him.
Unions need to be abolished and made to never be able to return in the name of freedom. There is no freedom with a union, just what they want to impose on you, like a mini-dictatorship.
I think about the following a lot: When are we as the remnants of the free world going to say we’ve had enough and actually get off our couches and do something about the atrocties our government and system get away with? If someone could let me know where to report I’d appreciate it, because I for one, am tired of inaction.
Well, I’ve seen better prevailing stereotypes at Bang and Olufsen..
Ooops! I meant to post that in the previous thread, where they were discussing prevailing stereotypes and all.