Longshoremen strike: fuck them

[elSicomoro]

Apparently, the union was pissed last week that management brought bodyguards with them to negotiations. I don't blame them...if I had to attend a meeting here with Johnny Doc, I'd bring bodyguards too.

UT and the other Philadelphians here already know what a Union-thug town this city is. It's why the Convention Center is about two steps from going to hell and why we have a shitty mayor. Not to mention, that Council Rock strike seemed farcical.

When unions were created, I think they were a noble idea...to take care of the workers who were busting their balls building this country. However, nowadays, I doubt their relevance. When I see what these workers are making, what their work conditions generally are, and what type of benefits they receive, it boggles my mind. There is nothing wrong with necessarily wanting more...but at what cost to others?

This current strike is going to wind up hurting us in the long run, IMO. Although it will apparently make some American goods cheaper (since there are a glut of them), it will raise the price of imported goods that arrive via sea. And let's face it, we import a ton of shit from overseas.

I don't like seeing people lose their jobs, but that is the price of technology. These longshoremen will be replaced by robots...it's going to come sooner or later. With the money that their union is making, those workers losing jobs could be retrained to do something new.

I'm willing to pay a little more for stuff or be out of it for a little while if the port operators can either bring the union to its knees or break it.