The Union Is The Problem (Or Large Part Of It)

[Vync]

I would have "liked" Pete's post, but that option is missing for some unknown reason.

He hit the bullseye

[JR Reihs]

No bait and switch, JR. Just the cold truth. Unions were good in the beginning. They stopped child labor, sweat shops and helped the common laborer. However, they have now become too powerful and greedy. The only reason a union needs a 300+ page contract with any entity is to exert power over them. The more power they exert, the more advantage labor sees in membership. More membership means more money and more power.

Can you give me one solid reason why the union is hell bent against outsourcing vet healthcare? It could ease the obvious long wait times for care, sometimes critical, that now exist.

Any Union or non union will balk at outsourcing. If you think it will lead to your jobs demise, it's human nature. While I do see that there are some pause to some of all unions contracts, it takes two parties to sign the dotted line, but blaming the VA workers union for the VA problems are way over the top. Working for the govenment is not as easy as it sounds, given the autocratic way they do things, most folks want some protection.

My wife works for the VA, and understaffing is a major problem for qualified staff needed to do the job.

[johnjjr]

JR

As a true southern gentleman, I've come to the conclusion that you and I will just have to agree to disagree. Human nature to me would be to give compassionate, timely care to our disabled vets. Not make them wait 10 months or longer for care just so I could protect my job. If understaffing is such an issue, one would think the union would be pushing for outsourcing, if only for say a year, to alleviate the stress on their rank and file members. That should give the VA time, with the newly allocated funds, to bring staff up to par.

As to the contract, unless there is an ironclad no work stoppage clause, the union always has the upper hand when it comes to negotiations. In my years of dealing with the VA, I've run into a few workers that needed protection. And I don't mean the kind the union provides!

My wife worked for the Govt. for 35 years before she retired so I do know a little about how the Govt. works.

[Vync]

Johnjr,

You need to become an administrator at the VA to implement those policies. Right now, what we have really lacks. I would be happy if I merely got a phone call to tell me my test results were in.

The VA needs to change policies that allow Veterans to apply for positions currently reserved for Federal employees only. Veterans view each other as brothers. In that view, Veterans who need help can understand that they can see help from their brothers and trust them to deliver. The union that prevents that from happening.

[Notorious Kelly]

Pete,

Gotta agree that it's our fault for letting it get this bad and we're the only ones who can drive the fix.

If a civilian health system were found to be lying and had many patients suffering/dying because of its lies and other

shenanigans, it'd be a huge deal.

How many heads have rolled at the VA?

The Union's Reason for Existence is to advance and preserve the interests of: 1. The Union and 2. Union Members, NOT the

business or public organization it is under contract with.

If The union has to make a choice between: 1. What's best for The Union and its Members or 2. Veterans,
The Union will choose #1 every time because that is why they are at the VA or anywhere else.

This is not a condemnation of The Union, it's just reality.

The issue isn't just how many veterans have died as a direct result of Union Members' complicity in dishonest practices, but how many have given up hope and offed themselves or suffer in silence rather than deal with The System - these are numbers that will never be known, although many of us have personal knowledge and stories of The Awfulness.

[Navy04]

Great post Pete. I spent over 4 years stationed in DC, and I saw enough Political crap to last a lifetime. With every little good thing that Congress approved, came a big BOOM in the rear.