I like this wikiHow on joining the Longshoreman’s Union.
Every third paragraph emphasizes that there are other Maritime careers that are much easier to get into.
intercst
2 Likes
Well, that sounds like a racket. I don’t think ostensible labour unions controlling whether or not a person works is more desirable than “job creators” with their degrees and “job requirements”, defining people out of work.
1 Like
Before Germany swallowed (dirty comment…lies…what did you think?) supply-side economics VW wanted unions. Unions make management negotiations and practices better.
Japanese auto workers are in towns with housing, pensions, healthcare, etc…
I guess if you can figure out why not paying workers is better you might have a case.
Is it because mom-and-pop shops can not afford labor?
When we onshore factories Mom and Pop startups do better.
I know someone whose husband and eventually son were longshoremen. That article misses the most important step to become a longshoreman which is to have relatives who are longshoremen.
9 Likes
I’ve known a couple guys who were longshoremen and that’s pretty much what they said. If you are connected it is great. If not, not so much.
4 Likes
Back in the late 70s, early 80s, I remember trying to get on as an apprentice with the Electrical Union. Did well on tests, was young and strong, and never got a response from them. It was all about nepotism. It was the same with the auto companies ( for a young white male, anyways ), but I knew I didn’t want to spend my life in a foundry or on an assembly line, so that was actually a blessing in disguise. Had a # of friends who got in via their fathers inside pull, but they had to do a lot of cross country moving to stay employed in the auto industry. And they all hated their jobs. But times were tough back then, so they tried to hang on. Many had alcohol issues, they’d get lit up 4 or 5 times a week to take their mind off of how much they hated their job.
But nowadays, the trade unions are seeking out young people. I guess the longshoreman union doesn’t really need people, if nepotism still prevails. Seems like everybody else is courting potential tradesmen and women.
4 Likes
I agree with everything you said but it’s a mystery to me why it was posted as a response to my post…? Totally disconnected. And you can skip over your next post. The one where you try to explain how it is not disconnected. It won’t work.
It is the larger picture.
It was not meant to address your post. It was the end of the thread at that time.
Honestly I did not understand what you were saying here. The sentence is too complex. You begin on one side of things and end up on the other side of things with obscuring language. What did you mean to say?
I skipped responding to you because it is obscured.
ostensible labour unions…labor unions
degrees? Management? Probably not on the longshore docks.
“defining people out of work”. I guess that is the crux of it.
But it is not the crux of it. We have no clue what part can be automated yet. It won’t be all of the jobs. Management needs to know what is going to happen before the layoffs begin.
Laying off people needs to be defined by the union. The union must negotiate it. The workers need to know the terms. It makes the process better.
I was going to give one of those part-by-part responses to clarify but the weather is too nice here with all that implies
I will just say that your response about being confused and obscured is confusing and obscuring to me. Nothing I said was obscure. I sense that many, well a famous few, here always seem to have their minds in something of a rut. The answer is heard before the question is finished. Maybe that comes from preaching to the choir …? But I still think you’re one of the smartest peeps here.
Nothing I said was obscure. yes, I’d like to write more like Hemingway but, hey, he’s Hemingway
It was obscure because I could not scan it quickly.
Parsing it out now I got it. We agree. Except that the union has to help parcel out the layoffs. It is better for management as well.
My pretty head is swollen by the compliment. LOL We are often in agreement. Says a lot about how intelligent you are.
The same is true with railroad workers.
2 Likes
You might suspect that declining birth rate and smaller family size is a factor. There may be fewer family members available or willing to work.
In that situation you are not surprised if a longshoreman will recommend you for a payment.
Openings probably come from people retiring. You wonder how many retire in a typical year in the local of interest.
Find out the age distribution of the union members. If many boomers, then there will be a lot of retirees in the 5-8 yrs. How many people are “in line” for those slots is likely higher than the number of retirements, so don’t get any hopes up for an opening.
1 Like