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Originally posted by Muddflap:

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after an arbitrator concluded it was not unusual in the industry for employees to be paid “without being expected to work all the hours for which they are being paid.”

I don't remember it working that way in Kansas.

wellz youse guys ain't got no ports in Kansas,

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I don't believe the government has anything to do with this, at least not directly. This is not taxpayer money we're talking about.

Its not tax money, but it is the peoples money, and results in higher costs all around.

As for the politics, well the unions only support the Dems, and the Dems support the unions. The ports are government regulated and often government owned. This corruption can only continue with government support, this is not turning a "blind eye", or benign neglect, government, big and little has to support and be involved for it to happen.
Dirty union money doesn't just flow openly to campaign funds, cash comes in envelopes passed along to the willing.

I worked one summer as a longshoreman (Great Lakes) back in the bags and slings era---it was just as bad then.
I threatened do great bodily harm to a worthless SOB who was supposed to be watching sling loads when I got knocked in the head. I couldn't catch the SOB because he had a long head start. I was warned that he was the Local President's nephew and to be careful. I am not careful so they moved me to a warehouse job.
Just think, if I had stayed on the job, I too could have been rich.

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Originally posted by hile:

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Originally posted by sjtill:
Stage hands at the Metropolitan Opera make similar salaries. As I understand, a pianist cannot open the lid on a piano, but has to call a union stage hand.
Wonder why concerts and operas are so expensive? Don't think it's the musicians.

It gets worse. In some buildings, the union electricians who are pulling cables under the raised floor in "office" rather than 'datacenter' portions of buildings are supposed to call a carpenter to lift the floor tiles.

Years ago my dad worked in a QA lab for a larger production firm (Steelworkers Union), a fan went out on one of the pieces of equipment, my dad called in a repair order. No response for a few days, he fixed it himself, had a grievance filed against him.

Seems the proper order of things was that the electricians union was to disconnect the wiring, the machinists union was to remove the device, the teamsters union was to transport to the repair shop, then reverse the order to get up and running again.

When making that type of scratch, I wonder how much union dues are?