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This longshoreman strike will get ugly

So for the last 25 years how do you see corporate profits far outpacing workers wages? Data shows time and time again if you give money to the middle class and poor they spend it all and keep the economy going. This is the first time in US history when 30 year olds have it worse than any other generation before them since the founding of this country.

What's your proposal to fix it?
Are they outpacing the union President’s salary- $700+ a year?
I think he’s older than 30 though.
 
I'm sure candlemakers said the same thing about light bulbs back in the day.
Don't get them started about the sun!

We candlemakers are suffering from the unfair competition of a foreign rival. This foreign manufacturer of light has such an advantage over us that he floods our domestic markets with his product. And he offers it at a fantastically low price. The moment this foreigner appears in our country, all our customers desert us and turn to him. As a result, an entire domestic industry is rendered completely stagnant. And even more, since the lighting industry has countless ramifications with other native industries, they, too, are injured. This foreign manufacturer who competes against us without mercy is none other than the sun itself!

Here is our petition: Please pass a law ordering the closing of all windows, skylights, shutters, curtains, and blinds — that is, all openings, holes, and cracks through which the light of the sun is able to enter houses. This free sunlight is hurting the business of us deserving manufacturers of candles. Since we have always served our country well, gratitude demands that our country ought not to abandon us now to this unequal competition.

We hope that you gentlemen will not regard our petition as mere satire, or refuse it without at least hearing our reasons in support of it.

First, if you make it as difficult as possible for the people to have access to natural light, and thus create an increased demand for artificial light, will not all domestic manufacturers be stimulated thereby?

For example, if more tallow is consumed, naturally there must be more cattle and sheep. As a result, there will also be more meat, wool, and hides. There will even be more manure, which is the basis of agriculture.

Next, if more oil is consumed for lighting, we shall have extensive olive groves and grape fields.

Also, our wastelands will be covered with pines and other resinous trees and plants. As a result of this, there will be numerous swarms of bees to increase the production of honey. In fact, all branches of agriculture will show an increased development.

The same applies to the shipping industry. The increased demand for whale oil will then require thousands of ships for whale fishing. In a short time, this will result in a navy capable of upholding the honor of our country and gratifying the patriotic sentiments of the candlemakers and other persons in related industries.

The manufacturers of lighting fixtures — candlesticks, lamps, candelabra, chandeliers, crystals, bronzes, and so on — will be especially stimulated. The resulting warehouses and display rooms will make our present-day shops look poor indeed.

The resin collectors on the heights along the seacoast, as well as the coal miners in the depths of the earth, will rejoice at their higher wages and increased prosperity. In fact, gentlemen, the condition of every citizen of our country — from the wealthiest owner of coal mines to the poorest seller of matches — will be improved by the success of our petition.
 
The buggy whip manufacturers said the same. The UAW fought that and lost years ago.

I feel for them but the transformation of the work force in all areas is sort of unstoppable.
How many of you still need to dial 0 for an operator to make a long distance call?
You pump your own gas right?
Use self checkouts at the grocery store?

I understand their feelings but they’re not going to stop the changes.
 
So I guess this strike is causing panic-buying like covid did.

I saw a post on my FB earlier about people buying up all the toilet paper again. And my niece (no pics!) has asked if we could help her find/order baby formula because the stores are selling out of it.

People are stupid.

GAMX46.gif
 
So I guess this strike is causing panic-buying like covid did.

I saw a post on my FB earlier about people buying up all the toilet paper again. And my niece (no pics!) has asked if we could help her find/order baby formula because the stores are selling out of it.

People are stupid.

GAMX46.gif

The problem is that the panic buying is like a little snow moving down a steep hill. Once you get word that other people are panic buying you feel obligated to panic buy in order to beat other people from panic buying you out of necessities.

The other issue that's dumb is a lot of panic buying is on stuff that is produced domestically which shouldn't be affected by the longshoreman strike. Like I'm guessing most TP is produced in North America and sourced from raw materials in North America.
 
if i'd only known...when we moved from our house, we gave away a 2'x2'x5' trunk filled to the top with legos...that's almost two cubic yards to you and me.

Not to me,.. 20 cubic feet of legos is not almost 54 cubic feet of legos...
 
So I guess this strike is causing panic-buying like covid did.

I saw a post on my FB earlier about people buying up all the toilet paper again. And my niece (no pics!) has asked if we could help her find/order baby formula because the stores are selling out of it.

People are stupid.

GAMX46.gif
depending on where she is, i would not be surprised if the baby formula was a helene induced effect -- lots of people buying at walmart and sending down with relief efforts. (Either way, not sure why, as 98% of it is produced domestically)
 
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Don't get them started about the sun!

We candlemakers are suffering from the unfair competition of a foreign rival. This foreign manufacturer of light has such an advantage over us that he floods our domestic markets with his product. And he offers it at a fantastically low price. The moment this foreigner appears in our country, all our customers desert us and turn to him. As a result, an entire domestic industry is rendered completely stagnant. And even more, since the lighting industry has countless ramifications with other native industries, they, too, are injured. This foreign manufacturer who competes against us without mercy is none other than the sun itself!

Here is our petition: Please pass a law ordering the closing of all windows, skylights, shutters, curtains, and blinds — that is, all openings, holes, and cracks through which the light of the sun is able to enter houses. This free sunlight is hurting the business of us deserving manufacturers of candles. Since we have always served our country well, gratitude demands that our country ought not to abandon us now to this unequal competition.

We hope that you gentlemen will not regard our petition as mere satire, or refuse it without at least hearing our reasons in support of it.

First, if you make it as difficult as possible for the people to have access to natural light, and thus create an increased demand for artificial light, will not all domestic manufacturers be stimulated thereby?

For example, if more tallow is consumed, naturally there must be more cattle and sheep. As a result, there will also be more meat, wool, and hides. There will even be more manure, which is the basis of agriculture.

Next, if more oil is consumed for lighting, we shall have extensive olive groves and grape fields.

Also, our wastelands will be covered with pines and other resinous trees and plants. As a result of this, there will be numerous swarms of bees to increase the production of honey. In fact, all branches of agriculture will show an increased development.

The same applies to the shipping industry. The increased demand for whale oil will then require thousands of ships for whale fishing. In a short time, this will result in a navy capable of upholding the honor of our country and gratifying the patriotic sentiments of the candlemakers and other persons in related industries.

The manufacturers of lighting fixtures — candlesticks, lamps, candelabra, chandeliers, crystals, bronzes, and so on — will be especially stimulated. The resulting warehouses and display rooms will make our present-day shops look poor indeed.

The resin collectors on the heights along the seacoast, as well as the coal miners in the depths of the earth, will rejoice at their higher wages and increased prosperity. In fact, gentlemen, the condition of every citizen of our country — from the wealthiest owner of coal mines to the poorest seller of matches — will be improved by the success of our petition.

f8dce278-218c-4557-bf19-1cfb5670cb0a_text.gif


bSiwsU.gif
 
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Panic buying has certainly hit Costco here in DFW.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I stopped in before 11AM on a random Thursday to see a full parking lot. Lines were backed up to the freezers..20+ pallets of TP/paper towels being hauled away within an hour of opening.

People are so incredibly stupid.
I'm prepared for the TP shortage.

1b159hyhhnm41.jpg
 
I heard bananas could be hard to come by.

So I'm going to stock up on bananas at Aldi.
"Gimme the whole pallet!"

What could go wrong!? Enough bananas for a year! 😂
 
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I heard bananas could be hard to come by.

So I'm going to stock up on bananas at Aldi.
"Gimme the whole pallet!"

What could go wrong!? Enough bananas for a year! 😂

Even a pallet of bananas will only last a week....
 
Panic buying has certainly hit Costco here in DFW.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I stopped in before 11AM on a random Thursday to see a full parking lot. Lines were backed up to the freezers..20+ pallets of TP/paper towels being hauled away within an hour of opening.

People are so incredibly stupid.
It’s all fun and games until you’re wiping your ass with corn cobs.
 
The buggy whip manufacturers said the same. The UAW fought that and lost years ago.

I feel for them but the transformation of the work force in all areas is sort of unstoppable.
How many of you still need to dial 0 for an operator to make a long distance call?
You pump your own gas right?
Use self checkouts at the grocery store?

I understand their feelings but they’re not going to stop the changes.
Exactly. If we want America to be exceptional in a world where China, Europe, etc are automating as much as possible we simply cannot accept a workforce that tries to hold our country back.

Yes change is hard. Yes people will have to be retrained. Yes some of them, or even many of them, won’t find jobs with the security and pay they used to enjoy.

Instead of fighting against progress their union should figure out how to embrace progress and identify how they can train their workers to have jobs in demand in the 21st century.

I feel for them, but if they hold back progress and create a recession or exacerbate inflation…

. . . F*ck em.
 
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depending on where she is, i would not be surprised if the baby formula was a helene induced effect -- lots of people buying at walmart and sending down with relief efforts. (Either way, not sure why, as 98% of it is produced domestically)
We're in North Central Texas. Note sure if there'd be any hurricane relief-related buying or not. Frustrating though.
 
Did I read right that the union wants a 77% raise over 6 years and complete protection from automation? Both of those things seem very far fetched.

I’m all for workers using their voice but those ideas seem pretty far out there.
They see the future coming, and it's AI in a lot of places replacing them. They were offered 57% raise over that period and declined it. Also thought I read the average longshoreman makes 150K a year, which isn't bad!
 
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