Unions and Unity

Is it possible to have true unity in a union? Is it possible for people to truly put aside their own goals, agendas, needs, and desires in order to be truly unified in a union? Speaking from personal experience, I have some serious doubts.

I would like to preface this by stating that I do believe in the power of 'United We Stand, Divided We Fall'. There is tremendous power and potential when people can put aside their differences and stand together behind a united cause. We have seen this time and again, unfortunately, usually during a disaster of some sort. Kind of sad really that it takes devastation for people to stand together regardless of their petty differences and act as one.

However, people, by nature, are, at the very least, a little selfish. And I don't think that this is necessarily a bad trait. It might possibly be a trait left over from our earlier days of hunter/gather survivalists that still works for us and even comes in handy sometimes. However you want to look at it, we are to some extent selfish.

So, are we capable of putting aside all selfishness to have unity in a union (without any previous devastation or country to save)? Are we capable of putting aside our differences for a very simple reason of standing together in a union? There is no country or community to save, just people wanting to get the best contract or deal we can?

One of the first problems I see with this is who gets to decide what the union should focus on? What issue should we stand behind, unified as one? There are a lot of ideas on this; hence we become divisive and petty. This is generally where we start to diverge and break apart.

Of course, it has been suggested that it might be possible to have multiple goals supported by a unified group (with individual ideas). There might even be enough goals to satisfy all the different individual goals. However, the problem I see with this is the paranoid fear that one group is getting more than the other. Such that the goal then evolves, or rather devolves, from standing together and supporting each others different goals, to instead worrying that Group A is getting more than Group B, and let us not even discuss just how much Group C is getting etc... We are back again to being selfish. This is also where we start to diverge and break apart. I just don't think that it is possible to unify for multiple purposes.

I believe that unity is the idea that people can come together, in agreement, putting aside all differences, and operate as one. We have been able to accomplish this. We have been able to come together and realize great things while we were unified and operating for one common purpose. Unfortunately, this is usually in the face of disaster. Although there have been some positive projects that unified groups have accomplished. The Pyramids come to mind, as well as other ancient wonders of the world. Heck, even Unions at one time were able to do great things. They were able to change the world of Big Business because they were able to change the way we regard work place environments and rules. The one common goal was to create a safe place to come to work!

Of course, that goal is a little nobler than 'I want a bigger raise or more benefits'. I think that might be why we are having such a hard time creating unity in unions today. Unions have achieved their goal of creating safe work environments. In addition, we now have numerous agencies all dedicated to preserving, enforcing, and improving those rules.

So what does that leave us with?

It leaves us with all of our petty differences. It leaves the nit-picky things like a bigger raise (because some have an over inflated sense of worth and contribution - a petty difference). A better retirement (because a few did not know that one had to save for that - another petty difference there). Or better benefits like free wi-fi instead of dial-up, leather jackets instead of trench coats etc... Is it any wonder why we can not seem to come to an agreement?

So not only do I think that it is unlikely that we can achieve unity in a union, but what purpose does a union serve in today's environment?

Ever Caught With Your Zipper Down?

My job as a cargo pilot requires me to operate mostly at night and sometimes to sit for long periods of time at night with not much to do to keep me occupied. So, here I sit at 2 am wondering what I can find to amuse myself with until 4 am and I can return to the hotel, finally fall asleep and surrender that insistent tug on my eyelids!

Anyways, at some point this night I found myself requiring the use of the facilities (potty). No need to bore you with the details of my trip the lavatory, needless to say, as I left the facilities, I realized that I have become almost obsessive/compulsive about making sure that my zipper is up (and that there is no toilet paper on my shoe). I check myself not only once but twice and even three times as I leave the lav. It happened to me once before a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (black pants with super white underware on, almost as if I was waving a flag that said look here, look here...) and I was mortally embarrassed! I vowed that it would NEVER happen again and to this day I am happy to report that my zipper has never been caught down! Yet!

Getting back to my point, as I was realizing this OCD of mine, I happened to remember a Captain of mine, whom I had recently met, had failed to close his zipper. Now, I did not ask to notice this minor detail, but notice it, I did. So there I was, too stunned to even blush! The only thing on my mind was: What do I do? Do I say someting witty and humorous to notify him of faux pas? Or just a brief notification? Do I say nothing, as I am already too embarrassed to think of anything witty to say? Not to mention that this is my Captain, my boss, and I had only just met him for the first time. I was simply paralized there trying to think of what to say to my Superior Officer so as to not embarrass the both of us. What do I do?

In the end, I did nothing. I waited too long and the moment was gone. (Someone did eventually tell him or he discovered it on his own) I have thought about this little incident since it happened and was reminded of it again tonight. I felt a little guilty about not telling him, but I found that I did not have the fortitude to tell him. Why?

I would like to think that if it had been one of my friends, I would not hesitate to inform him or her that their barn door was still open. But I hesitated with a person I had just met and was essentially my boss. I think that he would have liked to have been told right away. I was his First Officer and one of our duties is to watch out for the Captain (of course that usually pertains to making sure he does not run into other airplanes etc...). So why did I find it so hard to tell him? Why would it make a difference whether or not I knew him as a friend? Why would I be more comfortable telling a friend some embarrassing personal thing like that?

I believe that I was simply too embarrassed for the both of us that I was rendered a useless tongue-twisted First Officer. An embarrasment, I believe, that stemmed from my own traumatic experience. I also now realize that 'personal' is a key word. I was responsible for telling him something rather personal. I was afraid that I would be admitting to him that I had 'glanced' there. I was embarrassed by the taboos our society holds as law. Deep down I was afraid of what he might think about me looking there. People are not supposed to look There! Well, it was not as if I was deliberately checking out his package. I was in the process of glancing down at my shoe because I thought it was untied... And there it was, clear as day! A blind man could not have missed it. (Well he would have had to utilize other methods to 'see' it, and then I would think he would be worried about what people would think about him 'checking'out the Captain's package) I realize now why it would be easier to tell a friend rather than a stranger. It is easier to loosen the bonds of Societal Law when around friends. They know, that you know, that they know, that you know, you weren't checking out his goods, it was merely and innocent glance. Even if it wasn't, your friends know you and understand you (to some degree) and accept you for who you are. You really don't have to worry about what they think of you!

Anyways, I just shied away, pretending that nothing was wrong. I can now say that I am more embarrassed by the fact that I did nothing. I firmly believe that standing by and doing nothing is very wrong. And yet I did just that, nothing. Why was I so 'wrapped around the axle' by societal taboo's? I should have been strong enough to break through those taboos and just blurt it out! "Hey Buddy, X,Y,Z" (examine your zipper) and simply moved on with my life!

Unfortuately I failed in my mission and so I am here to tell you, be brave and don't let a fellow human being down! Don't be embarrassed, just let them know, 'hey your zipper is down'!

Deserving?

I recently had a discussion with a friend in which this friend stated that they felt that they were deserving of a substantial pay raise among other really nice upgrades to a new contract. The union where we work promotes this idea. They continue to say we are worth it and that we deserve it. My friend felt that because they had sacrificed and suffered many trials throughout their career, with many other companies, in other places and gained all kinds of experience, they were now deserving of the rewards (I am referring to tangible rewards, such as cash) and that this company should be the one to pay up. They had climbed to the top and they now want those tangible rewards. Now, I have to admit that I did not sacrifice or suffer nearly as much and I also work for the same company. So would someone like me deserve the same rewards as my friend, even though I did not sacrifice as much? Or did I just get really lucky to work here with them?

The caveat I see to this 'reward' is that it might price us right out of the market. Like so many union jobs in this country, I believe that some union laborers have essentially priced themselves out of a job. When there are so many other people in this world both in the US and in places like China willing to do your job for less in a newly emerging world economy that is driven mainly by costs, why would a US company continue to employ you. In some cases the end results are that there are job cuts and more people out of a job just so you can have your huge pay raise.

For example, at a particular industrial plant, jobs are being cut at a significant rate. The union labor at this plant is just not cost effective. The wages paid are too high for the inefficient labor they provide. For instance, if you need to turn on a machine - a simple task that should take but a few seconds - can take up to an hour to accomplish. Apparently only the electrical trades are allowed to turn on/off the machinery. Unfortunately trying to find one of these people is like digging for a needle in a hay stack and when you do find them they are on their 'break' and will not be able to assist you any time soon. The end result is that trying to do maintenance on a machine that should have taken only a few hours, takes all day. Some of these people are paid wages far in excess of other people in other jobs, other states or other countries. So when the company says we need to be more productive and cost less, these unions fight for status quo or even pay raises! Is it any surprise that those jobs get shipped off shore? All this so that a few people could claim their rewards! Were they deserving? Were the people who lost their jobs deserving of that fate?

As for the reason for deserving the tangible rewards, so what if you worked really hard. There are no guarantees in life. No one came up to me and said if you sacrifice and work really hard you WILL get these tangible rewards, only that it is possble. I was always told that it is better to try and fail that to not try at all. So does that make me deserving? There are many people out there who work and sacrifice more than I can possibly imagine and they never see the rewards. Then there are people who do nothing other than being born into the right place or are just simply lucky and are in the right place at the right time that see more rewards than you or I can imagine. What did they do to deserve to win the lottery or inherit a large sum of money? I was taught to be happy with the satisfaction of a job well done and that a job is not worth doing unless it is done right. But I was NOT taught that I would definately receive all these tangible rewards if it worked really hard.

What happened to the satisfaction of a job well done? What happened to the simple pride of accomplishment? There is nothing wrong with doing a job to the utmost of your ability and 'rewarding' your self with the knowledge that you did a great job or you accomplished that amazing feat. For example, climbing Mount Everest. The reward you get is that fact that you actually climbed Mount Everest and live to tell about it! What an amazing story! And if you get some tangible reward, then that is like the icing on a cake. I believe that the danger is coming to Expect that delicious icing. Of course the possibility of getting a reward for a job well done is a tantalizing carrot dangling in front of our noses. There is nothing wrong with 'going for the gold', just don't come to expect it. You might get caught in a cycle of desire - always wanting what you don't have. You start to expect that tasty little carrot and start to think that you deserve it!

Of course I am not suggesting that you run out and offer up your services for free (not many of us have the same altruism of Mother Theresa) or that you should just accept substandard pay and let someone take advantage of the services you provide. I think we should be asking ourselves if the pay is a fair one. Does it meet our requirements and what we think we are worth - realistically worth (because I think I am worth a billion bucks!) Is it what your employer is willing to pay? Is there some middle ground you can meet on? Just because a company can afford to pay me the 'billion bucks', should it be required to so? I think this is where greed steps in. My greedy self says "oh yes"!! My realistic self says "I love what I am doing and I can't believe that someone is willing to pay me any money at all to do it." Of course I realize that I am lucky anyways in that I love my job and I am able to get a 'reward' in that satisfaction. For others, sometimes the only satisfaction comes in the form of money. So I can understand the desire of deserving a huge monetary reward.

But I am still having a hard time following the logic that you get what you deserve. If you sacrificed and worked so hard just for that money, won't you be let down if you don't receive it. If you worked so hard and sacrificed for just money, why not channel all that effort in doing a job that makes you happy or at least content? So that the satisfaction of a job well done, a job you at least like doing, can be the reward you are looking for. I can see a lot less disappointment and a lot less desiring what you don't have. That kind of reminds me of a dog running around in circles trying to catch its tail and never quite succeeding and only ending up really dizzy!

In addition, I can not escape the idea that life can be very unfair and uncertain. It would be nice to think that rules like - the harder we work or the more sacrifices we make the more reward you will get - that the lazy people will get nothing that they didn't earn. You reap what you sow. How nice that would be if we lived in a vacuum and that was an absolute. But as any good farmer will tell you, you can sow the best field in the county using the best fertilizers and the best seeds all in the neatest rows, but if a tornado or horde of locust destroys that, you will not be reaping anything more from that crop than the farmer down the street who didn't bother to sow any crops at all.

Life does not exist in a vacuum. There are so many things that affect each other. We are all interconnected and interdependent with each other. We wouldn't have our jobs without the company to employ us and the company would not be a company without the people to make it work. I believe people need to consider the consequences of disrupting that balance before they do. Is the company really taking advantage of your services? Are you being realistic with your needs and demands? Life is not as easy as those nice little absolute rules. So if deserving more could hurt other people, would you want those rewards? I guess what I am wondering is where does deserving end and greed begins?