Re: Re: Strike One, Strike Two...

From: mayhem <meurtre_at_earthlink.net_at_hypermail.org>
Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 12:20:42 -0700

> The strike has had its effect on me.
>
> The commute to work is significantly worse. I guess people are not
> taking the bus and taking more cars instead. Is the reason?

Yes.

> All I know is that since the strike started there are more traffic
> jams on the freeway.
>
> Regarding shopping, there is no problem since I have a small market
> one block away from my apartment.
>
> I am sympathetic with the strikers though I think they are fighting an
> uphill battle. It's a changing workplace. And a lot of supermarkets
> are getting replacement workers since the unemployment is so high
> right now. Who knows, maybe they will just be replaced by scabs.

The point isn't whether they can get replacement workers. The point is how
many customers they are losing because people don't want to cross picket
lines just to shop. A lot of people are staying away from the Big Three
chains not out of sympathy for the strikers, but for reasons of convenience
(and probably personal safety).

I heard that the truckers won't cross picket lines, so the supply trucks
aren't being parked on loading docks: they are parked on the street,
and managers are having to come out to help get supplies from the
trucks.

My understanding is that the Big Three decided they could stand the pain
of a 30-day strike in order to meet their long-term goals. I hope it's
hurting them more than they realized it would.

Particularly since I have no idea where I'm going to get 13-gallon trash
bags. Maybe Smart & Final.

> I give credit to the management for at least warning the workers that
> medical benefits were getting reduced. SyVox cut its medical coverage
> and simply didn't tell anyone; and they got away with it!

Yes, John. But Syvox wasn't even remotely a normal working environment.
Using them as a basis of comparison is like holding up Danny Salisbury
as an example of a regular guy. You're talking about something waaaaay
beyond societal norms.

Syvox didn't "get away with it." It went under, as it was destined to.
(If it hadn't gone when it did, employee lawsuits from all the underhanded
tactics it used would have killed it off by now.)

--J







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Received on 2003-10-21 12:20:51