My friend, Kris Dunn, has a post about Swiss unions — or something like that. I didn’t really read the post. Sorry, Kris, but I am pretty much over any discussion that doesn’t offer smart solutions and address the reasons why unions continue to rage against the machine — such as health care, education, and safety.
I did, however, watch The Beastie Boys video at the end of his post.
Kris and I are huge fans of The Beastie Boys. Music unites us. As members of the recording industry and union members themselves, I think The Beasite Boys have a vested interest in seeing unions succeed in a smart and thoughtful way. I want to direct Human Resources professionals who are interested in thoughtful union reform, smart health care reform, and The Beastie Boys to some interesting links.
- Andy Stern and Jeff Kindler: Why Health Care Reform Can’t Wait
- Analyzing the ‘Next Social Contract’ — Human Resources Executive Online
- The Tyranny of Dead Ideas: Letting Go Of The Old Ways Of Thinking To Unleash A New Prosperity by Matt Miller
This is America, and I would like to stop sabotaging our future and move the discussion beyond the old debates of sinister unions and paternalistic corporations. I don’t know about you, but I am done fighting over the entitlement of lazy, stupid, unmotivated workers. Let’s act like adults, fire employees who don’t perform, and have a new discussion:
- How do we compensate 21st century American workers?
- How do we create fair & innovative total rewards packages when we compete against workers in Canada, China, Burma, and the Northern Mariana Islands?
If we can include The Beastie Boys in that discussion, even better.
Laurie Ruettimann: Team Building is for Suckers and Punk Rock HR is licensed under a
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I’ll be upfront about my inability to comment on American Trade Unionism due to my being a Brit and fond supporter of all things from the small island. I’ve got many a view on UK Unions though and their impractical and outdated approach.
But try this, Beastie Boys 1986 started appearing with VW signs around their necks. http://www.cpaglobal.com/ip-review-online/widgets/notes_quotes/more/1731/vw_badges_and_the_beasties
Twenty years later, VW Bosses are found to be bribing the Unions to agree to changes in working conditions http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-458819/Volkswagen-threw-orgies-MPs-union-officials.html
Coincidence? I think not……
“I don’t know about you, but I am done fighting over the entitlement of lazy, stupid, unmotivated workers. Let’s act like adults, fire employees who don’t perform, and have a new discussion…”
Wow, nice tirade!
Good point re: firing. It’s been my experience at my big corporate employer that no one ever gets fired for poor performance. Is this common at all big corporations? Is it because they don’t want to deal with lawsuits? Is it just my employer?
The most important lesson the Beastie Boys taught me was “you’ve got to fight! Fight for your right to par-ty!”.
Honesty is so refreshing. And that is why I read this blog.
Laurie Ruettimann: Cutting the Crap, She’s DOIN IT RIGHT.
Refreshing and common sense view on unions. Until unions and companies realize that we are all in this together, I wouldn’t expect to see too much change from the status quo.
BTW, Check Your Head is possibly the most underrated album of the 90s.
@BenG I would agree with you on both points — especially Check Your Head.
@Jenn/HR Wench Aw shucks, now.
@HRPuf I also learned that brass monkey is a funky monkey.
@Jesse Let’s post that question, tomorrow, and get the HR take!
@Stoutcat Whoa, thanks. I’m just trying to be honest. No tirade — just straight-talk.
@HRD I totally love the Beastie Boys/Unions/VW conspiracy. That’s all kinds of awesome.
Yeah, you should see the situation in New York State. The state-workers union is faced with a plan to lay off almost 9,000 people or re-open its contract and give up a 3% raise (in simplest terms). On the one hand, the governor does not appear to be listening to the union’s negotiation suggestions. On the other hand, the union’s suggestions don’t involve any sacrifice on the part of the union (in simple terms, their suggestions are to cut out the waste (duh) and fire the consultants, but without any salary/benefit concessions from their members; so much for everyone being in this economic crisis together).
I’m just talking, but I’d give up a 3% raise for a $0 salary (read: laid off), especially when I have other friends who have been laid off from private sector and non-profit organization jobs or on unpaid furloughs. Call me a cynic, but it seems to this observer that the older workers with dozens of years of service and few years remaining before retirement are backing the union’s stance and are more-or-less willing to sacrifice the hungry but less-experienced workers (and future of the workforce) to get their 3% raise, in the name of solidarity and all that.
I think of myself as a pretty progressive and generally pro-labor guy, but this sort of tone-deafness (or, at the very least, obstinance) in a time of economic crisis doesn’t help the labor movement. On the other hand, the Gov has zero negotiating capital. He is so unpopular right now that he could declare the sky blue and his poll numbers would sink.
Oh, and “Sabotage” is hands-down my all-time favorite music video, even more than Golden Earring’s “Twilight Zone,” which MTV played something like 5 times an hour circa 1982.
@Icepick I heard the Gov on stage making fun of union commercials… that whole state of NY is jacked, and the unions are just as culpable in the mess. That being said, I love “Twilight Zone” for it’s unbelievable weirdness.