"What I'm Thinkin"
First, Happy New Year! May you all be blessed.
The battle between unions and management has a long and disgusting history.
The old phrase "owe your soul to the company store" is true. Oppression of the worker is a long history. It came to a peak in the coal and copper mines during the early 1900's. Employees were able to go to the company store to buy things on credit; like food and cloths. The mine would pay them just enough to pay their bill. Sometimes the employees ended the week owing the company store more than they were paid for working that week.
Safety was hardly considered. Mine cave ins killed many miners, safety standards did not exist. The cost of safety was retorted to be to much of a financial burden for management to bear.
Let me put this another way. Greed ruled. Pay as small of wage as possible, safety costs; so don't worry about safety, and over charge them at every opportunity (at the company store) to maximize profit. Oh, and your health Mr. Employee... that's your problem. Managements attitude was terrible. A revolt happened.
Along came the unions. Many wrongs were made right. A decent wage, health coverage, safe working conditions. Great!
All of that being said the pendulum has now swung in the other direction. Now it is the unions who have become greedy. Unions have grown powerful. Their unbridled hunger for more of everything has been out of control years.
Have you ever noticed how close politicians and unions are related? Here is what I mean:
We elect politicians to politic for us. Politicians must do something - like make some more laws or regulations - or they are accused of not doing anything. Right? This is a true story. The problem now; we have so many laws and regulations it is nearly impossible to keep up. Businesses and managers are overwhelmed OSHA, EEO, FLSA, FMLA, Minimum Wage, Tax Laws..... oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Unions do same. The worker expects the union to fight for more "stuff" when their contract is due. The problem now; unions have taken so much "stuff" businesses can barely survive; only certain workers can do a certain job, time and a half or double time, protecting poor performing employees, accusing management of poor management......oh Lord, the list goes on and on.
Kind of the same, don't you think? More is better. I don't think so.
Anyways.
The fact is unions share no responsibility for the health of a company. And, there are plenty of cases were the unions have taken so much "stuff" they put the company out of business.
Today a union employee can accuse management of anything they want to, and management is guilty until they prove themselves innocent. Management must pay the employee time to make the complaint. Management must pay the union steward time to accept, process, and file the complaint. Management must pay for mediators to hear the complaint.
Unions and employees can file a grievance for absolutely anything they want, union stewards answer to no one; and management must pay for it all.
This story really happened. A manager asked an employee why it "took so long to do a job". It took an employee 9 1/2 hours to do an 8 hour job and this cost 1 1/2 hours of overtime pay. The employee refused to answer, accused management of harassment, filed a harassment charge against the manager, and also filed an EEO for discrimination. The union backed these charges all the way and even encouraged them. Management will pay the union steward to press the charges. Management will end up paying thousands of dollars in wages and mediation fees before the EEO charge is even looked at.
The union has a pretty heavy hand with no accountability. Even if the manager is found to be innocent of the charges, the company pays the costs, not the union. There is no accountability by the union or employee for any false accusations. EVER!
So this is a very effective union tactic to stop management from asking an employee anything that has to do with poor work performance. It becomes very costly for management to try to control overtime. If management tolerates the poor performance and just pays the overtime this encourages more abuse. It is a lose lose for management. Management pays a very high price for trying to find out something as simple as "why did it take you so long to do the job". Not to mention the anguish the manager will go through for personally being falsely accused of wrong doing.
The company pays for the employee's pursuit to be "made whole" (get money for their pain and suffering) because they were violated, and management's defense against the accusations. The unions and employees have nothing to lose and everything to gain. There is no rule, policy, law, or regulation that prohibits false accusations or any punishment to the accuser or union if the allegations are found to be false.
It comes back to greed. Get as much as you can! Especially employees who want to do as little as possible for as much money as they can get. The union protects them; the union says, "don't let management push you around, your a great worker". There is never a cost or penalty for employees or unions taking this position, even if they are wrong. And they can do it over and over again.
Whether the accusations are true or false, management loses. Firing an employee can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Then the ex-employee will probably sue the company for wrongful dismissal. So, who wants to fire someone?
As you can see employees and unions lose nothing when creating trouble for management. In fact they both will be rewarded with more rights and money if they win.
All of this has set the table we are now sitting at; as we continue to eat a poison called, greed.
"What I'm Thinkin"
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sad but Funny LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
This has been recently reported, in case you missed it.
Patti Blagoevich, the wife of the current idiot Governor of Illinois, had her own real estate business. She gave it up earlier this year after the feds questioned her association with Antoin Rezko. Antoin has be convicted of money laundering and fraud.
So guess what Patti is doing these days......
She is working as an Investment Banker! Now there is a match made in heaven. I would guess with her potential skills in fraud, money laundering, and real estate this is a perfect fit considering the current banking/mortgage crisis.
Is this nuts? Okay, I would not be doing business there. LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
This has been recently reported, in case you missed it.
Patti Blagoevich, the wife of the current idiot Governor of Illinois, had her own real estate business. She gave it up earlier this year after the feds questioned her association with Antoin Rezko. Antoin has be convicted of money laundering and fraud.
So guess what Patti is doing these days......
She is working as an Investment Banker! Now there is a match made in heaven. I would guess with her potential skills in fraud, money laundering, and real estate this is a perfect fit considering the current banking/mortgage crisis.
Is this nuts? Okay, I would not be doing business there. LOL
What I'm Thinkin'
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Veterans Affairs Time Delay
What I'm Thinkin';
Veterans have a tough time being serve by the VA.
As you may or may not know I am a Disabled Veteran. My injury was such that I was Honorably Discharged. At the time the doctors told me go go as long as I could with my injury and when the day comes and it is not tolerable I should go to the VA and get it fixed. It is my right knee. I tore it up pretty good and I have been tolerating it for over 30 years now.
Well, last summer it started giving me more problems than ever before. For example when I sleep it slips out of the joint and locks. Then it starts aching and wakes me up. It is quite a chore to get the thing back in place.
So I think, okay time to get something done. I go to the VA and find out I need to apply for medical treatment even though I already have a 10 percent disability from the VA.
Not a problem. I took the application home and filled it out. I sent it in.
I need to mention that when I went to the VA it looked like a "cattle call".
The room was way over crowded and there was every color, sex, and disability standing, sitting, and in wheelchairs. Some without an arm.... you get the picture.
I felt small in comparison to what I saw.
So... I send the application to the VA. That was back about the 1st or 2nd week of September. It is now the 11th of December and I have not heard a word.
I started investigating the VA to find out what happened, why is it taking so long? I have discovered that the VA has, the day before Veterans Day this year, had 2 lawsuits filed against it for taking so long to process applications for claims. Initial claims take 182 days and appeals take 4 1/2 years!
"The 90-day and 180-day standards sought by the lawsuit are the groups’ estimates of what is reasonable. Federal law does not include any specific requirement about how long claims processing can take".
Holy Moly!! We need a Federal Law to realize this is unacceptable!
Maybe this is why we have so many laws..... that would be another blog. Common sense is just not so common anymore.
What I'm Thinkin'.
Sincerely,
Timohty James Maki
Veterans have a tough time being serve by the VA.
As you may or may not know I am a Disabled Veteran. My injury was such that I was Honorably Discharged. At the time the doctors told me go go as long as I could with my injury and when the day comes and it is not tolerable I should go to the VA and get it fixed. It is my right knee. I tore it up pretty good and I have been tolerating it for over 30 years now.
Well, last summer it started giving me more problems than ever before. For example when I sleep it slips out of the joint and locks. Then it starts aching and wakes me up. It is quite a chore to get the thing back in place.
So I think, okay time to get something done. I go to the VA and find out I need to apply for medical treatment even though I already have a 10 percent disability from the VA.
Not a problem. I took the application home and filled it out. I sent it in.
I need to mention that when I went to the VA it looked like a "cattle call".
The room was way over crowded and there was every color, sex, and disability standing, sitting, and in wheelchairs. Some without an arm.... you get the picture.
I felt small in comparison to what I saw.
So... I send the application to the VA. That was back about the 1st or 2nd week of September. It is now the 11th of December and I have not heard a word.
I started investigating the VA to find out what happened, why is it taking so long? I have discovered that the VA has, the day before Veterans Day this year, had 2 lawsuits filed against it for taking so long to process applications for claims. Initial claims take 182 days and appeals take 4 1/2 years!
"The 90-day and 180-day standards sought by the lawsuit are the groups’ estimates of what is reasonable. Federal law does not include any specific requirement about how long claims processing can take".
Holy Moly!! We need a Federal Law to realize this is unacceptable!
Maybe this is why we have so many laws..... that would be another blog. Common sense is just not so common anymore.
What I'm Thinkin'.
Sincerely,
Timohty James Maki
Monday, October 20, 2008
Support the Troops
What I'm Thinkin';
Support the troops. Absolutely.
I was reminiscing about the Vietnam War this past Veterans Day. When those troops came home the were called murderers and baby killers. Can you imagine that? Horror in war, horror at home.
How does one find themselves in a war? Some people volunteered, some were drafted, some were doing their duty because the loved their country, and others had no prospects or were going to jail if they did not join. Quite a mix. One thing for sure; most had unexpected experiences, things they never imagined when the bullets started flying and the bombs were bursting all around them. War is far more than a 2 hr t.v. show or movie.
One thing I know for sure is not one of us reading this blog, can know what it was like to participate in something like the Hill 937 (Hamburger Hill), unless you were there. Hamburger Hill was only 10 days in the Vietnam war, which lasted years.
There could be veterans reading this who have experienced war. Only those who have been in battle are in a position to talk about it, the rest of us should only show compassion for those who have been there.
Not all soldiers like war. Probably the vast majority hate it once they are under fire. They wish they were far from where they find themselves. Yet, they fight hard for their brother next to them. Those who are wounded cry out for their mother. Those who survive cry for those who did not. War is ugly.
My cousin has a son who served in Iraq. He drove the brass around. One day the media was coming to their area and the brass told my cousin's son not to talk to the media. Why? Because after what he experienced he had other opinions about what was going on in Iraq and his statements would not line up with what "they" want the American people to hear.
I do support the troops. I do not support their mission. I do not blame them for what they are ordered to do. They are soldiers they will carry out their orders as those in my generation did in Vietnam.
There are those who think that if you do not support the war you do not support the troops. That is just not true. I'm Thinkin' there is a huge difference between the two.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Support the troops. Absolutely.
I was reminiscing about the Vietnam War this past Veterans Day. When those troops came home the were called murderers and baby killers. Can you imagine that? Horror in war, horror at home.
How does one find themselves in a war? Some people volunteered, some were drafted, some were doing their duty because the loved their country, and others had no prospects or were going to jail if they did not join. Quite a mix. One thing for sure; most had unexpected experiences, things they never imagined when the bullets started flying and the bombs were bursting all around them. War is far more than a 2 hr t.v. show or movie.
One thing I know for sure is not one of us reading this blog, can know what it was like to participate in something like the Hill 937 (Hamburger Hill), unless you were there. Hamburger Hill was only 10 days in the Vietnam war, which lasted years.
There could be veterans reading this who have experienced war. Only those who have been in battle are in a position to talk about it, the rest of us should only show compassion for those who have been there.
Not all soldiers like war. Probably the vast majority hate it once they are under fire. They wish they were far from where they find themselves. Yet, they fight hard for their brother next to them. Those who are wounded cry out for their mother. Those who survive cry for those who did not. War is ugly.
My cousin has a son who served in Iraq. He drove the brass around. One day the media was coming to their area and the brass told my cousin's son not to talk to the media. Why? Because after what he experienced he had other opinions about what was going on in Iraq and his statements would not line up with what "they" want the American people to hear.
I do support the troops. I do not support their mission. I do not blame them for what they are ordered to do. They are soldiers they will carry out their orders as those in my generation did in Vietnam.
There are those who think that if you do not support the war you do not support the troops. That is just not true. I'm Thinkin' there is a huge difference between the two.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
McCain vs Obama: Pro Life, Pro Choice, and War
What I'm Thinkin';
I do not understand how those who are against abortion can support a war.
John McCain intends to continue the "Bush" war in Iraq. In December 2005 Mr. Bush announced that approximately 30,000 Iraq civilians had been killed in the war. Currently the civilian death toll has been estimated at 655,000. Mr. Bush and his Administration have stated this number is to high, but they do not know nor do they want to know the real number of civilians killed.
Pro-life fights for what is believed to be the life of an unborn child, very noble. But then to have little to nothing to say about an estimated 655,000 people, who were definitely living human beings, being killed by our bombs and bullets in Iraq?
Pro-life condemns abortions. Yet, I never hear pro-lifes concern about civilians killed in war. What is even more bewildering to me? I meet pro-life advocates who support war!
Since the Vietnam war the US has only counted its own casulties in war. We do not number the enemy killed or civilians. Why? Because this helps to create the illusion of our own righteousness. Without hearing the "bad stuff", we imagine that only the bad guys are being killed. You know, like the "smart bomb", it is shown to us like it only kills the enemy. This is not true. War is not clean. War is very dirty. We even kill our own troops in "friendly fire". How much more the civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or we just hit the wrong target? We will hear little to nothing about it.
Abortion may be killing; some say it is, others say it is not. I think we all could agree war kills people, including civilians.
There is a difference between Obama and McCain when it comes to life. McCain supports war and Obama supports "choice" for abortion. Choice does not mean a women "must" have an abortion. It means they have a choice. In war civilians do not have "choice", they just die.
I have to say, if Christians spent as much time evangelizing as they do fighting over abortion there would be more women choosing "life", because of their faith. I would suggest instead of calling people murderers that they tell people God loves them and Jesus died for their sins. I would not even mention abortion, the Holy Spirit will take care of that.
Civilians are the greatest casualty of war. Babies, kids, women, elderly.... it does not matter. Remember Japan? The Bomb? Or how about London in WWII? In the country where the war is happening civilians die.
I hear most Americans oppose the war in Iraq. Does this stop the war? No. In this respect we are the same as other countries; when political leaders want war there will be a war, even if the citizens of that country do not want the war.
I am sad over 4,000 Americans have lost their lives in Iraq.
We are the most advanced war machine in the world: if we lost 4,000 soldiers I wonder how many innocent Iraq civilians have really died? You know, the ones we went to liberate.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
I do not understand how those who are against abortion can support a war.
John McCain intends to continue the "Bush" war in Iraq. In December 2005 Mr. Bush announced that approximately 30,000 Iraq civilians had been killed in the war. Currently the civilian death toll has been estimated at 655,000. Mr. Bush and his Administration have stated this number is to high, but they do not know nor do they want to know the real number of civilians killed.
Pro-life fights for what is believed to be the life of an unborn child, very noble. But then to have little to nothing to say about an estimated 655,000 people, who were definitely living human beings, being killed by our bombs and bullets in Iraq?
Pro-life condemns abortions. Yet, I never hear pro-lifes concern about civilians killed in war. What is even more bewildering to me? I meet pro-life advocates who support war!
Since the Vietnam war the US has only counted its own casulties in war. We do not number the enemy killed or civilians. Why? Because this helps to create the illusion of our own righteousness. Without hearing the "bad stuff", we imagine that only the bad guys are being killed. You know, like the "smart bomb", it is shown to us like it only kills the enemy. This is not true. War is not clean. War is very dirty. We even kill our own troops in "friendly fire". How much more the civilian who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or we just hit the wrong target? We will hear little to nothing about it.
Abortion may be killing; some say it is, others say it is not. I think we all could agree war kills people, including civilians.
There is a difference between Obama and McCain when it comes to life. McCain supports war and Obama supports "choice" for abortion. Choice does not mean a women "must" have an abortion. It means they have a choice. In war civilians do not have "choice", they just die.
I have to say, if Christians spent as much time evangelizing as they do fighting over abortion there would be more women choosing "life", because of their faith. I would suggest instead of calling people murderers that they tell people God loves them and Jesus died for their sins. I would not even mention abortion, the Holy Spirit will take care of that.
Civilians are the greatest casualty of war. Babies, kids, women, elderly.... it does not matter. Remember Japan? The Bomb? Or how about London in WWII? In the country where the war is happening civilians die.
I hear most Americans oppose the war in Iraq. Does this stop the war? No. In this respect we are the same as other countries; when political leaders want war there will be a war, even if the citizens of that country do not want the war.
I am sad over 4,000 Americans have lost their lives in Iraq.
We are the most advanced war machine in the world: if we lost 4,000 soldiers I wonder how many innocent Iraq civilians have really died? You know, the ones we went to liberate.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Monday, October 6, 2008
Amnesia of the Masses
What I'm Thinkin';
It was not very long ago when there was a huge push to invest Social Security funds in the stock market. Remember? It was early in 1999, not even 10 years ago.
I am compelled to write about this with the current state of the Stock Market. Imagine for a moment if Social Security funds were invested in this mess.
The real tragedy is that "we the people" forget so quickly. Amnesia.
That was a narrow escape. A wake up call. When are we going to learn; wherever there is money, thieves want to steal it. They missed getting the Social Security funds so they just came another way.
700 Billion dollars. Now I hear that 700 Billion is not going to fix whatever is broken. I knew that, a gut feeling. Many people did. Those who "really" knew (the economists) could not stop it. Why? Because they could not be heard above the screams and cries, "we must act now or all will be lost!"
"Fear economics"; will happen again.
I wonder if we will have amnesia when the thieves come back for more? I hope not.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
It was not very long ago when there was a huge push to invest Social Security funds in the stock market. Remember? It was early in 1999, not even 10 years ago.
I am compelled to write about this with the current state of the Stock Market. Imagine for a moment if Social Security funds were invested in this mess.
The real tragedy is that "we the people" forget so quickly. Amnesia.
That was a narrow escape. A wake up call. When are we going to learn; wherever there is money, thieves want to steal it. They missed getting the Social Security funds so they just came another way.
700 Billion dollars. Now I hear that 700 Billion is not going to fix whatever is broken. I knew that, a gut feeling. Many people did. Those who "really" knew (the economists) could not stop it. Why? Because they could not be heard above the screams and cries, "we must act now or all will be lost!"
"Fear economics"; will happen again.
I wonder if we will have amnesia when the thieves come back for more? I hope not.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Politicians; Representatives or Servers
What I'm Thinkin';
I hear politicians say they want to "serve" the people.
I need a representative.
These are not the same.
We have been "served" a bailout.
Had we the people been "represented" we would not have a bailout.
We continue to be "served" the war in Iraq. Yet the vast majority of people do not support the war in Iraq. Where is our "representation"?
Fear driven politics are very popular in these modern times, not to mention the hurry hurry hurry tactics. Swindlers and con men use these same techniques to trick people out of there life savings.
I would like a "representative" who actually did what the majority of the average people want. I say this even if I am not in the majority.
We often hear we, the United States of America, are a democracy. We are NOT. We are a Republic.
In a Democracy everyone votes on every issue. In a Republic a "Representative" is selected to represent the people.
In my opinion we are a Republic without representation.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
I hear politicians say they want to "serve" the people.
I need a representative.
These are not the same.
We have been "served" a bailout.
Had we the people been "represented" we would not have a bailout.
We continue to be "served" the war in Iraq. Yet the vast majority of people do not support the war in Iraq. Where is our "representation"?
Fear driven politics are very popular in these modern times, not to mention the hurry hurry hurry tactics. Swindlers and con men use these same techniques to trick people out of there life savings.
I would like a "representative" who actually did what the majority of the average people want. I say this even if I am not in the majority.
We often hear we, the United States of America, are a democracy. We are NOT. We are a Republic.
In a Democracy everyone votes on every issue. In a Republic a "Representative" is selected to represent the people.
In my opinion we are a Republic without representation.
Sincerely,
Timothy James Maki
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