Union fights for Pa. bus driver who hit pedestrian

[thundley4]

ERIE, Pa.—A union is fighting the firing of municipal bus driver in northwestern Pennsylvania who struck and killed a surgeon three years ago and then hit another pedestrian in September. That was the third time the driver hit a civilian since 2000.
The union's grievance against the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority says last month's firing of 49-year-old David Justka was unfair. That stemmed from Justka's most recent accident Sept. 30 in which he injured a 16-year-old girl.

Justka was previously fired for hitting the bicycling surgeon in August 2005, though the union helped him get his job back. The widow's lawsuit against the transit authority settled for $500,000 last month.

Among the grievance issues is whether Justka's past driving record is relevant to his current firing.

This is BS, and we only have more of this to look forward to if the Card Check bill is passed.

[Chris_]

This is BS, and we only have more of this to look forward to if the Card Check bill is passed.

Waddya mean "if"?

[Zeus]

Previous killings do not justify firing for the current killing !  Only a union could argue that preposterous position, Betcha the union isn't reimbursing the city for lawsuits stemming from the accidents.

[thundley4]

Waddya mean "if"?

You're right, I should have said "when", it is passed.

[Chris_]

The US Postal Service, which used to have a monopoly on letters and packages is now 2.9 BILLION dollars in the red. Why? There is a union for everything. There are at least five separate unions for those intellectual giants the letter carriers.

[Wineslob]

This is a perfect example of why Unions need to go down the road.

[Peter3_1]

Unions need to get back to doinw what they should have been doing all along, seeing that a FAIR wage is paid for the wiork done in a REASONABLY safe work enviornment and providing  a single negotiator for the workmen.

NOT a bloated, political bueauracy extorting excessive compensation for unskilled labor forcing the employer out of business over time.

[Chris_]

Unions need to get back to doinw what they should have been doing all along, seeing that a FAIR wage is paid for the wiork done in a REASONABLY safe work enviornment and providing  a single negotiator for the workmen.

NOT a bloated, political bueauracy extorting excessive compensation for unskilled labor forcing the employer out of business over time.

Right...that's the government's job.

[Wineslob]

Unions need to get back to doinw what they should have been doing all along, seeing that a FAIR wage is paid for the wiork done in a REASONABLY safe work enviornment and providing  a single negotiator for the workmen.

NOT a bloated, political bueauracy extorting excessive compensation for unskilled labor forcing the employer out of business over time.

The need for this is long gone. I hear this arguement from Union workers and it makes me think, WHEN was the last time you saw a sweat shop in the USA? Why does a guy who stands in one place and does a mindless job deserve $25-$30 an hr?? This isn't the turn of the 19th century.

[Peter3_1]

EXACTLY, I wrote a reasonable wage. $20-$30 is not reasonable for an unskilled labor job. THAN'S UP TO $1200 a week. , or over $60,000 per annum for UNSKILLED  labor. That's nuts. Do you think the Carolina's unshilled laborers get that? NO, they don't.

The ABILITY to form a union , by SECRET ballot only, is usually enough these days to keep employers from gettint too previous. But, not always, and there are "sweat shop" employers out there, given the chance.

[EastFacingNorth]

Previous killings do not justify firing for the current killing !  Only a union could argue that preposterous position, Betcha the union isn't reimbursing the city for lawsuits stemming from the accidents.

In fairness, I think the article says that the latest accident resulted in injury but not death.  Your point still stands, of course.

[Crazy Horse]

EXACTLY, I wrote a reasonable wage. $20-$30 is not reasonable for an unskilled labor job. THAN'S UP TO $1200 a week. , or over $60,000 per annum for UNSKILLED  labor. That's nuts. Do you think the Carolina's unshilled laborers get that? NO, they don't.

The ABILITY to form a union , by SECRET ballot only, is usually enough these days to keep employers from gettint too previous. But, not always, and there are "sweat shop" employers out there, given the chance.

Every day..................they are proud members of the IAMAW

Why they are is a problem with me.

Right now I'm qualified to work in three different shops, yet the branch head won't let me due to Union backlash. The moment a GS worker walks in and does the job of a WG.........8shit hits the fan. Yet where I have asked gto work is 3 months behind.....................yet the Union wins out

[Peter3_1]

What state are you in? Is it a right to work state? Man, that situation stinks on ice. And  why we cannot compete overseas in any labor intensive products.

[rich_t]

Unions need to get back to doinw what they should have been doing all along, seeing that a FAIR wage is paid for the wiork done in a REASONABLY safe work enviornment and providing  a single negotiator for the workmen.

NOT a bloated, political bueauracy extorting excessive compensation for unskilled labor forcing the employer out of business over time.

How much of Detriot's automaker issues are due to the unions?

[rich_t]

I admit that I haven't been following this issue too closely.  What is so bad about the Card Check bill?  What exactly will it do that is so bad.

[AllosaursRus]

How much of Detriot's automaker issues are due to the unions?

Just the pension plan for GM adds $2300 to the price of every new car. They have 780,000 on their pension plan that pays most to the tune of 60,000 a year! Google it!

[AllosaursRus]

I admit that I haven't been following this issue too closely.  What is so bad about the Card Check bill?  What exactly will it do that is so bad.

It stops the secret ballot. In other words, the union thugs will know how you voted!

Doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out they can threaten you for your participation. It's what they been doin' since the union's inception.

Lot easier to get the workers to vote for you if you can break a few legs of the folks that disagree with you!

[rich_t]

It stops the secret ballot. In other words, the union thugs will know how you voted!

Doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out they can threaten you for your participation. It's what they been doin' since the union's inception.

Lot easier to get the workers to vote for you if you can break a few legs of the folks that disagree with you!

That doesn't worry me.  If one lacks the balls, to state in public, what they stand for then they are pussies.

IMO.

[NHSparky]

That doesn't worry me.  If one lacks the balls, to state in public, what they stand for then they are pussies.

IMO.

Don't deal with unions much, do ya?  To call them Mafia thugs would be an understatement.

[Peter3_1]

It enables the Union to send thugs to your house, say, at night, and ask ever so nicely if you will sign a card saying you want the union. No secret ballot, just you and the union thugs, there, in the dark.

[Chris_]

I admit that I haven't been following this issue too closely.  What is so bad about the Card Check bill?  What exactly will it do that is so bad.

No more secret ballots.  Your vote will be public.  Think that might influence folks....just a bit.  Nah, there wouldn't be any voter intimidation on union issues.   

[rich_t]

Don't deal with unions much, do ya?  To call them Mafia thugs would be an understatement.

That is correct.  I don't deal with unions, thus am possibly a bit niave about it.

[rich_t]

It enables the Union to send thugs to your house, say, at night, and ask ever so nicely if you will sign a card saying you want the union. No secret ballot, just you and the union thugs, there, in the dark.

I suspect I have them out gunned.   I don't answer the door at night without a firearm at hand.

 

But I take your point.  I can see where such activities by the unions could be intimidating to folks.

[Wineslob]

What Unions won't talk about is how many business's have "folded up" just to break the Union, and then reopened offering the same jobs at the same rate without the Union skimming workers wages.
They are an impediment to jobs in this country.

[jtyangel]

The US Postal Service, which used to have a monopoly on letters and packages is now 2.9 BILLION dollars in the red. Why? There is a union for everything. There are at least five separate unions for those intellectual giants the letter carriers.

That's not entirely true. The USPS really started hurting when they faced competition like Fed Ex and UPS and when the airline industry deregulated and allowed those companies to compete with them directly. Not to mention with the dawn of the online banking and such, a lot of services are quickly becoming obsolete. One of their more successful competators(UPS) has a union too. Normally, I'm not a union defender, but the USPS had a lot going on in the last 25 years that helped get it to where it is. It was not only attributable to the union, although no doubt the strength of governmental unions AND regulation hindered the USPS greatly from expanding and competing in the manner it needed to in order the challenge both Fed Ex and UPS.