From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Fri Aug 31 2001 - 12:23:52 MDT
>From: Mike Lorrey <mlorrey@datamann.com>
>I have a personal ax to grind with unions though. When I left the
>US Air Force, Boeing had dropped their job offer to me, and the
>IBEW refused to recognise ANY of my military training as an
>aircraft electrician. They demanded that I go through their two
>year apprenticeship school and three years more after that working
>for $7 an hour (in Seattle) with no advancement whatsoever from my
>military experience. I told them to stuff it. I figured that if
>that was how unions 'protected' workers, they were frauds. All
>they are is seniority protectionist rackets.
Must have been that branch Mike, The IBEW took my experience into
account, I made journeyman in two years. Of course that was as a
"C" or communications electrician. I used to supplement my income
as a bouncer/manager at a 4:00am stop and sock (Bar).
> My job isn't going to Mexico Jerry, and never will.
>That's because you are a skilled laborer, Brian. However, don't be
>too surprised to be replaced some time in the future with mexican
>temporary workers.
As long as they pull permits Mike.
Actually much of my value comes not only from training, but from
long and unusual experience. My first routers had double digit
serial numbers. I don't sit still and keep up with pretty much
everything going on in the industry, plus the number of Union
people really interested in economics or the business end is small.
I like to think talent has something to do with it. ;)
I've been here at the data center 12 years now and everyone is
aware that I'm pretty much the only one who knows how it all works.
The idea that you can replace one person with another person (an
industrial age paradigm) doesn't hold true in the information age.
I always was a big fan of James Doohan.
Plus I don't plan on being here forever, time to move up...
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
Disclosure notice: currently "plonked"
"Joe Dees" <joedees@addall.com>
"Party of Citizens"<citizens@vcn.bc.ca>
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