Iddude313 Member Username: Iddude313
Post Number: 67 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 11:29 am: | |
Did anyone see this? @ Jeff/Grand. A lot of people protesting the contract work on Belle Isle for the Grand Prix. They also have a giant Rat balloon thingy. |
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors
Post Number: 208 Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 11:31 am: | |
there was something on here a few weeks ago that said they were protesting non union work. |
Titancub Member Username: Titancub
Post Number: 42 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 12:07 pm: | |
Gotta love people upset and protesting a spurring of local economy and investment in a much needed public space such as Belle Isle. |
Dougw Member Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1653 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 12:37 pm: | |
Here's the original thread: https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/98959.html |
Nyct Member Username: Nyct
Post Number: 30 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 12:48 pm: | |
growing up in NYC, the big rat was a common site on the streets of manhattan every time a union was protesting non-union work. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 815 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 12:49 pm: | |
Yes, we need investment in Detroit. But don't forget that though investment may "spur" something called "the economy," it can still degrade and harm the quality of life for the people who live here. And unionbusting drives down the higher wages organized workers can demand. Thus it degrades the quality of life. I mean, where does it end? What do we invite into our communities in the name of "spurring investment." It sounds great on paper, but when they build the prison (or incinerator, freeway, airport, speedway, etc.) near your house, and use non-union labor (or prison labor, chain gangs, sharecroppers, indentured servants, etc.) to do the work, you can be sure you'll feel the degradation of your quality of life. And, when it comes to framing things in terms of "business" and "investment": What businessman would accept any "investment" from anybody posing as a "partner" in their business. That's hilarious. The big joke about businesspeople is that they can't even trust *each other*! Why are the people supposed to not raise a fuss when they see a public deal (from a supposedly publicly accountable entity) they don't like? It all boils down to the same crummy story: The rich get to live where they want, and make all the decisions about what goes on around them. The poor get to slavishly lick the heels of anybody who would "invest" in them, whether it's a fair deal or not. |
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 1527 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 12:53 pm: | |
The big rat is hilarious. |
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa
Post Number: 1439 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 1:01 pm: | |
Anyone shop at the Staples on Jefferson? That was built with non-union work. |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1600 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 1:02 pm: | |
the contractors on the project should bring in a larger inflatable cat. |
Oldredfordette Member Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 1529 Registered: 02-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 1:03 pm: | |
No, I don't. |
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog
Post Number: 955 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 1:51 pm: | |
Gravitymachine, LMAO! |
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1789 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 1:59 pm: | |
Why should Penske be any different than the rest of you who do not pay top scale union wages when you have work done. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 819 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 2:49 pm: | |
_sj_: I notice the issue for you is wages, not union membership. (You talk like management.) |
Iddude313 Member Username: Iddude313
Post Number: 70 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 2:52 pm: | |
an inflatable Mayor? oh wait...we already have that. |
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge
Post Number: 433 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 2:59 pm: | |
It seems to me if workers have a problem with their wages or work conditions, they can join the union or unionize. Apparently these workers don't. Apparently these workers are happy to have a job in a depressed economy. Perhaps the noble thing to do is for them to sit and home and not buy groceries. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 821 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 3:02 pm: | |
Mendacity, false choices, straw men, disingenuousness. Man, do we need a beginner's rhetoric class around here. |
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_
Post Number: 1790 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 3:22 pm: | |
quote:I notice the issue for you is wages, not union membership. (You talk like management.) Wages are always the issue, people want the highest pay possible, but do not want prices to increase or pay for something on the same scale. Every have Ceramic Tile work done by a union mechanic, probably not because you would not pay their price by they hour. But complain when others do the same. |
Boynamedsue Member Username: Boynamedsue
Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 3:43 pm: | |
"And unionbusting drives down the higher wages organized workers can demand. Thus it degrades the quality of life." And it also increases the quality of life for the ones who are working--they have a job. What is 'having a better quality of life'?-- working and earning a decent wage or being out of work, sitting on your ass telling yourself you deserve more money. |
Skipp Member Username: Skipp
Post Number: 128 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 4:34 pm: | |
UNION PRIDE IN A UNION TOWN!!! NO SCABS!!! |
Kimistree Member Username: Kimistree
Post Number: 39 Registered: 01-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 5:45 pm: | |
"And it also increases the quality of life for the ones who are working--they have a job." Having a job doesn't mean you have a good quality of life. Especially if that job is paying low wages. |
Schulzte1 Member Username: Schulzte1
Post Number: 84 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 5:52 pm: | |
I saw the Rat Ballon thingy at MSU yesterday. They were picketing something. I was wondering what the hell it was! |
Quozl Member Username: Quozl
Post Number: 451 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 6:04 pm: | |
Screw Unions! Union officials have abused the trust of their members. They've misspent member dues and harmed the very same people they promise to protect. In 2005 alone, federal racketeering investigations resulted in 196 convictions against union officials and employees and $187 million in fines. Union tactics -- including deception and intimidation during organizing campaigns, strikes that hurt members more than they help, spending mandatory union dues on radical political agendas, and the use of anti-democratic voting practices -- are long overdue for exposure. |
Boynamedsue Member Username: Boynamedsue
Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 11:00 pm: | |
Kimistree-- I didn't say it means you have a good quality life. It means you have a job, which is better than not having one. Look at how many uneducated, unemployed people we have in our city. Their opportunities are pretty limited. A job is a job. If we want to keep up the mentality that those people are too good for low paying jobs then we can continue to stay in this rut. What motivates people to work hard is knowing the fact that if they do, they can move on up (find a better job/position) and in turn, improve their quality of life. Free rides are not just given out... most of the time. |
Dougw Member Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1654 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 11:23 pm: | |
quote:And unionbusting drives down the higher wages organized workers can demand. Thus it degrades the quality of life. You are correct that whether it degrades the quality of life of society as a whole is the important question. But the answer is no, it doesn't degrade quality of life, in my opinion. |
Skipp Member Username: Skipp
Post Number: 129 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 12:12 am: | |
Free rides? What the fuck are you talking about? I'm in a union and was never given a free ride. I've busted my ass building detroit. You anti-union fucks need to get a clue! |
Quozl Member Username: Quozl
Post Number: 453 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 12:26 am: | |
Screw you skippy and your union. I got a clue, labor unions SUCK, their time and usefulness has passed here in the United States. You can thank your "union" for driving a majority of manufacturing here in the USA overseas skippy. Busted your ass "building detroit"? From my viewpoint, it looks like you did a horrible job cuz it still looks like a 138.7 square mile shithole. |
Skipp Member Username: Skipp
Post Number: 130 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 9:27 am: | |
Hey tough guy, so you are saying downtown looks like a shithole? |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1603 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 9:31 am: | |
shouldn't you be working skipp? |
Boynamedsue Member Username: Boynamedsue
Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 11:01 am: | |
Skipp, then go join the protestors... see how far that gets you... And while i'm trying to get a clue, the rest of the unemployed union can continue to try and get a job. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 822 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 11:46 am: | |
Sock puppet? |
56packman Member Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1242 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 1:01 pm: | |
Have they ever parked the big inflatable rat outside a Walmart? Seems as though they could just install one there, keep it out front 24/7 No, instead they are going to attempt to shakedown small and mid-sized contractors into hiring them. All you pro-union boosters: When your furnace at home dies do you seek a union contractor to replace it or do you shop price and reputation? Do you seek union represented companies in your other household improvements/expenditures? No, I didn't think so. It's a big world out there. People like to have options. Your way hasn't been supplying the best product for the price (for about four decades now) and as your numbers shrink there are fewer people who are sympathetic to your cause. |
Skipp Member Username: Skipp
Post Number: 131 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 1:23 pm: | |
Boynamedsue- Yes, you do need to get a clue. Do you actually think the union workers are the only ones unemployed in this state. Give me a break. |
Boynamedsue Member Username: Boynamedsue
Post Number: 17 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 1:24 pm: | |
amen |
Skipp Member Username: Skipp
Post Number: 132 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 3:22 pm: | |
Gravitymachine- shouldn't you be working? Sorry, i'm off to the keys to go fishing. Have a good weekend-rats. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 823 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 3:41 pm: | |
At least it's easier to know which posts to skipp. |
Gumby Member Username: Gumby
Post Number: 1568 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2007 - 3:59 pm: | |
hell I hate unions and I am a member. F@#$ing UAW taking my money and offering me no protection. |