Is it just me, or has the time for unions passed? Let me speak from my point of view here, at my work.

It occurs to me that this pending health care legislation could very well be the death knell for unions, at least MY union, here at ‘Unnamed Corporation’ (If I speak publicly about my work, it MUST NOT be negative, or I could suffer ‘Discipline up to and including dismissal’ – so much for the Freedom Of Speech in the United States)

I say this because our union here has become a One-Trick Pony. They’ve given so much away the previous few contracts that about all that’s left to ‘negotiate’ (Union-speak for ‘Give-backs’) is Health Care. They’ve given back cost-of-living raises, ALL holidays save for the Big Five, just about abdicated any semblance of ‘protecting the working stiff’ so they could become singularly focused on electing Democrats. (Full disclosure – I voted for Obama)

So, given that our union has become a spineless jellyfish Democrat-electing useless piece of dues-collecting bullshit, all they have to do anymore is ‘protect our health benefits’. And our benefits are GOOD. Don’t let anybody tell you different. I haven’t paid more than a $20 co-pay in DECADES. And I’ve had surgery and dislocated major joints! I am HAPPY with my health care. My company, on the other gripper, is decidedly NOT. They’ve been grousing for years about how to drop those costs onto us. And that’s the rub…

Obama and the gang in the Idiot Palace are talking about making health care Employer-Provided and MANDATORY. Even if the details change and other yada yada, what the HELL is my union going to argue about now? They’ve, in one fell swoop, eliminated the one remaining reason for it’s own existence. Buh-bye, Union. All they’ve got left to do is continue their single-minded pursuit of electing more Democrats.

Which brings me to another union-inspired topic – Closed Shops. A closed shop is where, as in Oregon and Washington, you have NO choice if your work is a union bargained-for work group. No matter what your CHOICE, you pay the unions dues, like it or not. Oh, they say you can opt out, but if you do, they make you opt out EVERY YEAR. Forget to file the paperwork once, and BANG, you’re back in the union! They so conveniently provide you a one week window every year to do so. ONE WEEK. Nice people. Thank you.

So, here’s my take on what should happen:

1. Eliminate closed shops. You want to be in the union, pay your dues and you are. Simple. Kinda sounds ‘Democratic’, doesn’t it?

2. I agree that health care SHOULD be mandatory, if employer provided. AND the Dumb-ass FEDS should regulate it, not the CEO’s and union fat cats. Left to them, we’d all have $5000 co-pays ($4999 of which would go to the union to elect more Democrats) and no preventive health care benefits. Oh, and dental, too. If you are self-employed the situation isn’t changed – it’s on you. If you’re poor or underemployed, the FED plan would be yours.

3. Sorry, but taxes will go up. You dumb-asses that want all this shit can’t have your cake and eat it, too. You’ll PAY FOR IT.

Did I forget anything? I know I did, but I have a VERY short attention span and I’m already bored by this subject. Let me know how big an idiot I am if you want…

MDF