Thank you, labor unions ......

[Hauldren Collider]

Thank you labor unions! High pay and low performance. Yet they have the gall to strike for more.

Well we already know that teacher unions are evil. I can only conclude that the unions in DC just hate black kids.

[MrFun]

So? Given the performance of the district, they should be thankful to be employed.

Like I've said before in this thread, I am all for holding unions accountable for their workers' performance and reliability.

[Lorizael]

Well we already know that teacher unions are evil.

You have an interesting definition of evil.

[Hauldren Collider]

Keeping poor kids from having good teachers seems to fit the bill nicely.

[dannubis]

So little cricket. When is greed justified and when not?

[Lorizael]

Keeping poor kids from having good teachers seems to fit the bill nicely.

Really? Most people would gravitate more toward killing all the Jews, enslaving entire continents, etc.

[Jaguar]

So little cricket. When is greed justified and when not?

It's not justified when you manipulate the law to benefit yourself to the great expense of others.

[dannubis]

So, are you talking about bankers or unions here?

[Jaguar]

Rent-seeking happens in both sectors.

[Hauldren Collider]

However, the difference is that literally everything unions do is rent-seeking.

[kentonio]

HC, you should read this article. Really.

http://www.salon.com/2012/09/10/why_i_left_the_gop/

[snoopy369]

Like I've said before in this thread, I am all for holding unions accountable for their workers' performance and reliability.

Perhaps you can get a hold of the Chicago teacher's union then and convince them to your side here? That's basically why they're striking, because they don't want to be held accountable for their performance. There are other issues, as well - and I know several teachers, so I know the issues pretty well - but those aren't issues that wouldn't be fairly easy to resolve. Not being able to hold teachers accountable is the sticking point, and it's a big one.

I spent two years tutoring elementary school kids in Chicago's south side, one in a terrible school and one in a well run school. Both were in the same neighborhood, the former actually closer to the University and thus with slightly 'better off' students - I put that in quotes because i'm comparing students in families with $13,000 GHI with $12,000 GHI - but nonetheless. The first school was run by a principal who really didn't care, and you could tell; not only did the teachers not really care either, but the students didn't care about either the principal or the teachers. Thus they didn't learn much, except the ones that got extra help, like my students; most of them really were interested in learning, they just couldn't in that environment. Even the one who repeatedly threatened to have his uncle shoot me. Their teacher was very happy to see me every week, because that meant she could get rid of some of her problem kids for a couple of hours; and from what I saw of 'teaching' in her classroom, nobody was learning much.

In the second school, the teachers cared, the principal cared, and the students flourished. I saw two of the teachers (the two I worked with) in class, and the class paid attention, obviously learning and really involved. Again, this is the same basic group of families, but one school was a success because of its staff, and one was not. The students at the second school had a much better start, and probably went on to much more productive lives.

So, the teacher's union can go **** itself if it wants to try and retain all of the teachers, including the idiots who don't make any effort to teach their students. I have absolutely no sympathy for those teachers who don't care and don't want to be there, and am really afraid for the students who have to 'learn' from them.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Snoopy, have you seen and (if you have), what were your thoughts regarding "Waiting for Superman"?

[Felch]

Really? Most people would gravitate more toward killing all the Jews, enslaving entire continents, etc.

Not all evil is that ambitious.

[Ben Kenobi]

Therefore status quo is supported around here, you can ban labour unions and work harder until you are doing at least 85 hours a week with no overtime to make it in Mc Donalds, but no banning of corporations who steal the food from the mouths of hungry babies, when you invested you are invested - no questions asked.

McDonalds letting you work 85 hours in a week? Pure awesome. Do you know how many people out there want more hours and can't get them? How long would somebody have to do that before they earned enough money to get ahead? Not long at all.