Strike a Pose
By taface412
@taface412 (3175)
United States
August 12, 2008 4:39pm CST
For about a week now there has been a local steel company that I pass everyday to work and the workers have been on strike. Sometimes where I work people get to talking about having a union come in and going on strike. Well I am all about standing up for what is right in this world and what is fair for employee vs. employer relations but it leaves me with a few concerns for the people who go on strike.
1. If you decide to strike how do you expect to live? That is if you are like most Americans who live paycheck to paycheck and cannot solely survive on a one-income household.
2. How do you expect to keep the electricity on, the mortgage paid, the car loan company off your back, etc? Because they may understand you are standing up for what is right, but will they let you slip on payments during this fight.
3. Is it really worth it to risk falling behind on payments and damaging your credit? Especially when you have worked so hard to either keep it clean or to pull yourself out of debt.
4. Is it really worthe the pay increase (if that is what you are striking for) when you have actually earned less during the strike time.
SO all you union members out there weigh in on this and all you workers who have ever participated in a strike voice your experiences or thoughts. Because I think about this everyday I see them standing there waving at passerbyers.
I still can't help but to want to cheer them on no matter their issues.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@writersedge (22577)
• United States
4 Sep 08
Good points, most jobs I've been on, can't strike, against the law. My state, teachers can't strike. Most states, Police and Correction Officers can't strike. My Father hated strikes. He was a construction worker and they can only work so many days a year as it is. So he had a side business and when the strike hit, he hoped he had a lot of work backed up. He didn't march in the lines, he lined up work that he normally had for his days off for during the strike.
Some Unions have a deal where if you strike, they will provide something for you. Food, some money, something. You sound like a very smart person who thinks ahead. If the union job does pay well, you can put money ahead. If my Dad heard there might be a strike in a month or so, my Mom started cutting back and putting money away in a savings account and put more on hand. So if we were lucky, we had a little money ahead and my Dad worked at something else. My parents had 4 children to feed. A house to heat in the winter time. To them, this strike business was ridiculous. But my Dad didn't want to be a "scab" (non-unionized labor) either. As kids, we were glad our parents were so smart when there were strikes.
@sanzi1201 (644)
• China
13 Aug 08
I don't like these human who stiked.I think if you think the conditions are bad ,you could change a new work,if you have the enough energy.Or,you should accept the down working conditions.Striking couldn't solve any question,I think.So,strong yourself diathesis is the best important.
@gitfiddleplayer (10384)
• United States
12 Aug 08
Now you know why Wal-Mart never unionized. I can't champion them, sorry. I've never worked blue collar but if they think they are being treated unfairly then they have that option as a union.
