A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
So what
Posted: Feb 16, 2014
you think about this article? Just curious to the different views.
;
What's your opinion, poster? - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Are Germany's unions as corrupt as the ones in the USA?
I do - not
[ In Reply To ..]know but they are doing something right since they are keeping their jobs there. They also have universal healthcare and everybody can go to school. Your taxes are higher, but that stuff is paid for and people are working.
I agree with you; they are doing something right - and we need to look at it
[ In Reply To ..]It's the endemic and irrational fear of words like "socialism" and "nationalized" that makes American politics so futile and the American economy such a mess. On top of that, we have the American capitalist "culture" that makes so many people resentful and suspicious that someone else is getting something we don't have.
I'm wondering if they have a problem with outsourcing or is... - SM
[ In Reply To ..]...that just a North America problem? It's interesting about the Volkswagen workers in TN voting to not be in the union. The UAW has always been corrupt. It has been good in so many ways, but the big boys lining their pockets with exorbitant union dues and not truly representing the workers makes unions unattractive in my opinion.
The - article
[ In Reply To ..]states they do not offshore all their jobs. As far as the union, this is what the article says: Unions in the US are considered socialists even though they represent the working class. In Germany, it’s required for worker representation to be half of board members of companies. In Germany, the industrial and financial sectors are highly regulated keeping jobs from being outsourced and ensuring main street benefits rather than just wall street. According to conservative ideology, this kind of socialist practices and union power should destroy the economy and destroy innovation and yet the complete opposite is the result.
People in this country have been convinced that socialism is bad. In Germany, there are still private companies, but they value their employees and the government keeps them in line to where the whole country benefits, not like here where only the rich are looked out for. In other words, the whole country is benefiting by taking care of everybody.
Corruption? - Benjamin David Steele
[ In Reply To ..]I'm the person whose post is linked here. Let me respond.
"Are Germany's unions as corrupt as the ones in the USA?"
You could equally ask:
Are Germany's corporations as corrupt as the ones in the USA?
An interesting perspective is that maybe the corruption is caused or contributed to by the antagonistic relationship between corporations and unions. Working together would bring out socially healthier behavior for all involved. How can anything positive come from when management and workers see each other as enemies?
http://prospect.org/article/just-how-much-do-republicans-hate-unions
"What most people probably don't realize is that this inherently hostile relationship between management and unions isn't something that's inherent in capitalism. In fact, in many places where there are capitalists making lots of money, corporations work—now hold on here while I blow your mind—cooperatively with unions. One of those places is Germany, and one of the biggest German companies, Volkswagen, is right now embroiled in a union election in Tennessee that has turned into a bizarre spectacle that is showing the true colors of American conservatism. If you thought conservative were just laissez faire capitalists, seeking freedom for businesses to create prosperity, you're dead wrong. What they actually want is something much uglier."
Quick question... - SM
[ In Reply To ..]I appreciate your post and the link; however, it is too much for me to read at this moment. I have a quick question. In your opinion, do you think a union would have helped or hindered the plight of the American medical transcriptionist? I'm not sure if you are familiar with this profession, but very briefly, we are highly skilled individuals whose jobs are being outsourced to third-world countries. TYIA.
The power of a union - bluebird
[ In Reply To ..]The power of a union could have worked to inform the the public as to the benefits of having their medical records remaining in the US. They could have lobbied the health care systems and politicians to keep medical records in the US. There could be more information going out to the general public about the value of well paid US workers to the overall enconomy. The power of the dollar and advertising is mighty.
The subtle erosion and chipping away of union rights and corporate intimidation needs to stop. It is quite obvious the the corporations want to get the pay and benefits as low as possible and will do whatever they can to achieve those goals.
Back in the 70s, there was a movement that "happy workers are more productive workers." We started to see things like child care at the workplace, paid exercise time, paid health insurance, vacation and sick leave, etc. All that started to erode during the Reagan years and the workers have been unable, too poor, and too afraid to raise up again. I guess we will have to hit the bottom again like the Great Depression.
Quick response... - Benjamin David Steele
[ In Reply To ..]I'm not the best person to ask. I am a union member, though my experience is limited.
My job has been threatened, not by outsourcing but by machines. The machines haven't really worked out all that well and my job is secure. Others are not so lucky.
We are entering a phase in history where the available work will decrease as unemployment increases. Jobs are disappearing because of computers and mechanization, and the jobs that remain are being outsourced to developing countries that lack free markets and workers protections.
No one has yet offered a solution. All that unions can do is to give workers an equal voice and help push for alternative possibilities. It is hard to know what those alternatives may be and we can't know as long as workers are silenced.
Unions aren't just about jobs. They are about democracy. It is about the freedom to associate, no different than a church or a neighborhood organization or a chamber of commerce.
I'm not familiar with your profession. The specifics are irrelevant. If you are for democracy, then you should be for unions. If you are against democracy, then unions are your enemy. So, you can answer your own question by asking yourself about your opinion of democracy.
Chambers of commerce give businesses a way to democratically organize and guarantee their free speech (not just guarantee they have free speech but also guarantee that they are heard and taken seriously). Why shouldn't workers have equal rights to business owners and CEOs?
If you don't think democratic organizing and free speech can help you, then the loss of your job is the last of your worries. As for me, I hope good ol' fashioned democracy is still possible in this country. Americans have been fighting for it at least since the Anti-Federalists criticized the anti-democratic centralization of power. It would be nice if we could get over fighting about democracy and actually work together to solve real problems.
Thank you to you and to Bluebird. I agree with both of you. - SM
[ In Reply To ..]At this stage in the world of medical transcription, however, I'm afraid things are too far gone for us to ever recover what we've lost. What could have worked in the past (i.e., an MT union) is a pipe dream now because so many people are leaving this profession by either retirement or changing careers if they are too young to retire. I personally fall in the middle, too young to retire and too old to start something new. I'm not sure which way to go or what kind of job to look for. I've always loved medical transcription, but I can no longer support myself.
Thank - you
[ In Reply To ..]for posting. I am the original poster of the link to the article and I found it very enlightening and was hoping it would make people think about how Germany runs successfully and we are a mess. I started doing some research after talking to someone who lives in Germany and explained how things are so much better. I stumbled on your article and found it a great read and wanted to share it. Sometimes we need to look out of our little box here in the US and see how other places do things and not be so set on our ways that we are unwilling to change for the better. I wish many of our politicians would read this article and open their eyes.