Ask Dave and Luke: What do you hate about the garbage strike?
Aug 1, 2012, 2:41 PM | Updated: Oct 11, 2024, 1:16 pm
Ron in Kirkland writes…
Good Morning Luke and Dave. As the union thugs refer to
all garbage strikers as their “Brothers.” Why don’t they
support there “Brothers” by taking a three dollar per
hour cut and assigning that to the recycling “Brothers”?
Luke: Kind of an interesting point. The reason my
garbage isn’t being picked up is because of a sympathy
strike They’re sympathetic, but not that sympathetic.
Tony in Seattle writes…
The whole idea behind a union is to provide trained,
qualified workers to the employer. Waste Management will
spend tens of thousands of dollars replacing the Union
employees. Something like 1 of 3 workers hired wont work
out. If an employer wants 100 workers tomorrow, the union
can provide them. Guaranteed. Trained and ready to go.
Just
one of many of the reasons employers use unions. Full
disclosure: I’m a union electrician.
Brad in Woodinville writes…
The union’s ‘equal pay’ premise is based on the assumption
that the garbage haulers are not over-paid. I’d say the
Waste Management employee that negotiated the excessive
garbage haulers contract sucked at his job. Waste
Management should not be forced to make the same mistake
with the recycler’s contract.
Angela in University Place writes…
How it works is if the Union and the garbage workers win
with their $60,000 a year job to 490,000 a year job, the
Union will get a raise also. Also guess who pays for
this? We do, garbage bills will go up. $60,000 a year is a
really nice living! Replace them, there are plenty of
people that can’t find jobs and their unemployment is
running out.
Mark in Seattle writes…
Dave, you mention wages are lower in right to work states.
What is the cost of living in those states? You can’t have
an honest conversation without both.
Dave: That’s true.
Bill Poss in Bremerton writes…
My wife has been teaching elementary school for 27 years.
She makes $54,000 per year. Garbage workers want $62000
per year. By the way, she was the teacher who saved her
student who got shot in her classroom this last school
year. What’s the pay for that?
Nick in Bellevue writes…
Got stuck behind one of the Waster Management “replacement
drivers” this morning. I can say from experience they are
slow and unsafe.
Lorie in Seattle writes…
Luke, I am completely crestfallen by your show’s non-
support of the teamsters’ garbage strike, and the fact
that they are picketing to keep strike breakers from
collecting the garbage. Union jobs are the only good jobs
left, and I challenge any able-bodied male to quit their
jobs and spend their days in alleys with stuff that reeks.
You should definitely support the teamsters’ strike
because they’re part of that tiny part of the middle class
left in King County that can still afford family tickets
to the new arena you keep flogging.
Luke: I don’t think they’ll be able to afford tickets,
but you make a decent point, Lorie.
Send
Dave and Luke your Magic Messages. Listen for their
response at 11:45 a.m. or listen back anytime ON
DEMAND.
