JERRY AGAR

Union membership should be a choice

Posted By: Jerry Agar · 10/9/2012 6:30:00 AM

I’d like to give the teachers of Ontario more power.

 

Click here to find out how and why.

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  1. Sonny posted on 10/09/2012 09:38 AM
    Why? McGuinty has taken away their right to strike and imposed a contract despite the notion of collective bargaining...
  2. SteveB_10 posted on 10/09/2012 04:29 PM
    Jerry there you go again. You are advocated freeloading. Let others stand up and you will reap the benefits.
    1. proton posted on 10/10/2012 10:02 AM
      @SteveB_10 FREELOADING!! Thanks SteveB. You've aptly described the typical public service contract that exists. Lots of FREELOADING for these workers, particularly when we compare it to private sector contracts.

      FREELOADING also included our politicians pensions.

      FREELOADING = public sector workers, politicians, getting more than their private sector counterparts
  3. Jack posted on 10/09/2012 05:38 PM
    Teaching, like any other unionized industry, is just going to continue to suffer in quality until we get rid of the union stranglehold. In the real world, and in any honest workplace, there are consequences to your actions. Positive consequences when you do good, and negative consequences when you screw up. We teach our children this from a young age, and it's the backbone of civilization.

    Unfortunately, what unions have become is a warped shield between workers who don't care to do the job right and the negative consequences of that mindset, and as such the lazy workers never have any incentive to improve. Even worse, other workers see this happen and lose their own incentive to do their own job right at all. It's sick and it needs to stop.

    Unions are a cancer, and we need to cut them out of our lives.
  4. Jerry Agar posted on 10/09/2012 06:07 PM
    SteveB, As I did not advocated "free loading" and took the time to explain how it could work, perhaps you are just not ready for an adult conversation on anything. Stop embarrassing yourself.
    1. StuG posted on 10/10/2012 11:43 AM
      @Jerry Agar Jerry many of us in the city feel you embarrass yourself on a daily basis for 3 hrs. But you're not alone! every workplace has at least one of your kind the rest have to tolerate and put up with. But we will always be compassionate to those people and extend our hand in trying to have an adult conversation with
  5. FrederickH posted on 10/09/2012 11:38 PM
    Jerry. When was the last new union formed? The union was there before any of these people were hired. If any of them do not like being part of a union they could take a lower paying job in a private school. No one is forced to apply for a union job.
  6. StuG posted on 10/10/2012 10:16 AM
    Jerry the choice should be as follows..

    job A this is a unionized workplace
    job B this is a non union workplace

    take your pick!!
  7. proton posted on 10/10/2012 12:22 PM
    Jerry, as an adjunct to your article people should read the Financial Post article Oct. 2 comparing teachers' salaries to other professions. Way too many teachers are overpaid whilst the really good ones are generally underpaid
  8. Manu Kinder posted on 10/10/2012 08:33 PM
    You bark up this 'union choice' tree a lot.

    It's obvious that you're essentially advocating union recertification, like Scott Walker brought in in Wisconsin. Which is effectively aimed at breaking unions through attrition.

    I agree with your premise, every citizen of Ontario should get a choice on whether they want to be in a union or not. But without that global choice...you're partisan union busting.

    We already tried a labour market where businesses negotiate only with the free market (instead of organized labour), and I'm not a fan of how labour was treated before the labour movement.

    Corporations beholden only to profits don't treat workers well out of the goodness of their hearts.

    You wouldn't be suggesting that only the government can protect the rights of it's citizens, would you? I'd love to hear you go down that rabbit hole.
    1. proton posted on 10/11/2012 09:58 AM
      @Manu Kinder labour was treated terribly before unions, that was in the '30s. Today's laws protect workers so your suggestion that without unions things would be the way they were before a union movement is ridiculous.

      good corporations beholden to profits usually know that in order to be the best you treat your employees and customers the best. remember the word COMPETITION. Employees and customers can go elsewhere.
  9. levon posted on 10/11/2012 03:29 PM
    Agar hates unions...public or private. He wants pretty well everything privatized and union free. So there is no use arguing with this teabagger.

    The other day he said we should not have a minimum wage. Let competition and capitalism rule. He now tries to talk to us about a "living wage" once he kills all the union jobs. He talks about privatizing Toronto fire department. He tells us we should fire 60,000 middle management government workers to pay for a transit plan. We should cancel all day kindergarden. Privatize healthcare, Well it goes on and on and on...
    I've often wondered what place in the world does he see his dream world? Look around. Seems to me the countries usually looked at as being the best to work and raise a family do not line up with his extreme vision.
    Pls dump this guy when his contract is up. He does not represent Canadian values.
  10. BrynW posted on 10/12/2012 08:00 AM
    The private sector unions i.e. Construction, electrical, mechanical, etc. ensure the quality of work performed and add value to the system, (without being militant). They are sensitive to the economic realties, because they depend on it.

    The big problem, is with the public sector. The teachers for example have become way to militant. It is no longer about the kids, and has not been for the last 20 years. When I went to school, it used to be about the children and the quality of education. Not any more. The Sid Ryan's of this world are a blight on this country and serve only themselves. They will bring a country to it's knees, like they did to the UK in the 80's. The UK has never really recovered. What has happened in Greece, can happen here, with the likes of Ryan.
  11. solo88 posted on 10/12/2012 09:42 PM
    I have been teaching 36 years in the Ontario school system and still enjoy the dynamic of the work. Public education needs to be declared an essential service as is policing and the TTC for example. The union is absolutely necessary as a balance against unscrupulous school boards and the government who cannot be trusted to live up to their contract signed with the teachers. The grievance records will prove that. BTW I have never volunteered to do extra at school as that is my work place and I believe those who are expected to do extra work there should be given compensation. I volunteer in the community and at my church.
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