(no subject)

[vicarz]

Writer's block: Have you ever given a friend or partner a second chance? What were the consequences? Any regrets?
No, I killed him. No regrets as while I may have been wrong after all, I took that action with the best of intentions at the time I did. It's not my fault that the facts turned out another way and I'd do it again if I had another friend.

Here is today's reason why I hate Unions, or our Union: They fight to fight.
Our Agency agreed ages ago to require plants to have running water sinks next to certain types of inspectors so they could dip their knives and gloves into the water without much of an interruption to their work. Well, now that we are more aware of water waste, states and the private businesses within those states are reducing water consumption. As a result, some plants have changed the water stations so that you have to activate the water to run it rather than just leave it on all day - as required both by law and by common sense (which was not present in the US prior to 2008).

The Union is grieving the removal of constant-running water as a change of working conditions. Understand - no Agency personnel made the change, and it may be required by several state laws. However, the Union has a legal claim that they were subject to the working conditions change without notice and an opportunity to bargain.

What the hell could they want? Why do they want the Agency to tell a private plant what to do? What gives them the right to ignore state and federal laws regarding water? How fucking hard is it to press a lever to turn on water? Do Union employees leave their sinks running at home so that when they want to brush their teeth they don't need to take the extra step of turning on and off the water?

Maybe next week they'll protest not being allowed to smoke indoors?

Comments

[grymnir.livejournal.com]

engineering issues. money to modify or replace old installations (sinks) with new ones is not available. Safety issues -- the running water allowed you to place hands covered in a substance, or slippery with blood and guts (thinking meatpackers, here) so this is not a nonissue for some of the unions.

Sure, if they have a lever you can push with an elbow, fine, but if it is a standard rotating operator, and your hands are covered with oil or another slick surface, etc.

Think of it this way: all science labs in American high schools and colleges were mandated at one time to have an eye-wash station that would be activated by a pull-chain; a convention that was meant to deal with a multitude of issues from speed of operation to countering the effects of soaps and others bases, or certain materials that might be in use at the time.

Your reference to home sinks is useless, but if you instead ask the difference between the inspector sinks and the sinks in the bathroom and kitchen/break room (if there is one) you have something to work with. Then again, you like the pathos of a good Red Herring, Straw Man, or Reductio ad absurdam, don't you?

[vicar.livejournal.com]

This is a private plant - they want to do it due to state/fed law but we or the union doesn't pay a dime. Most are adapting them by making a lever for your foot so there are no hands used. I can't find it reasonable or rational.

[n8-zilla.livejournal.com]

i tend to think that unions wouldn't be so quick to fight were they not under such constant attack. i can imagine that, to them, any change outside of previous agreements needs to be challenged, simply so that *none* of their previous agreements can be tossed out the window with impunity...

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I could see that in some ways but...it's so obvious where the source is, their stance is so anti...everyone and wasteful, and it has no possible benefit to their members. I just chalk this up to pathetic.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

Perhaps they realize that if they let something inconsequential go, it will set a precedent that will allow the companies to impose other changes without notice. Considering how some companies will treat their workers if they think they can get away with it, it's not a bad assumption.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

That sounds plausible from an academic step - but working with these fellows I'm convinced that is not the case.

[curvemudgeon.livejournal.com]

Post sinks!

*clicketyclick*

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=foot+operated++sink

About 89,800 results

[vicar.livejournal.com]

They object to those...

[curvemudgeon.livejournal.com]

And I object to Prop. 8, VA code 20-45.3, and that I have to annually turn my car over to a "safety inspector" who historically has demonstrated less knowledge about the vehicle than I have. Does that mean I can get a stay of enforcement on someone else's dime, perhaps putting scores or hundreds of people in a position of severely reduced income or none at all until my objections are satisfied?

I don't mean to come off as knee-jerk anti-union but for FFS people get a goddamn sense of perspective.

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

From my experience, it seems plausible that either there is a physical issue that's been oversimplified out of this description, or your union has been having a lot of trouble with the mandate that a change in terms & conditions of labor must be bargained, so they've been forced into a Disney-like corner where if they don't complain every time a daycare center paints a Mickey Mouse on the wall, they will lose their right to complain about serious violations.