Dexter's "First Contract" - Bill 102

[fenwick16]

I am truly concerned that the Nova Scotia NDP's Bill 102 will have a serious negative effect on the Nova Scotia economy. In spite of statements from Sobeys and Michelin (and many other business employers) that their companies will invest less money in NS for plant expansions and job creation if Bill 102 is implemented, Darrel Dexter is shrugging off their concerns and plans to implement Manitoba-style first contract legislation that will encourage union growth in Nova Scotia. Here is a story from today's Chronicle Herald - http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...ll-labour-bill .

Here is another story (below) explaining the destruction of the Michigan economy. I think that people should consider this article and the effect that union-loving politicians have had on the Michigan economy.

Story Link - http://james-a-watkins.hubpages.com/...illed-Michigan

Unions killed Michigan

THE ONCE GREAT STATE OF MICHIGAN

When I was a boy growing up in Benton Harbor, Michigan, there was gainful employment for anybody who wanted to work. Whirlpool Corporation, founded in 1900 in Benton Harbor, was the largest employer in the area, employing thousands of people, manufacturing kitchen and laundry appliances. Today, the world headquarters of Whirlpool remains (in fact my daughter works there), but nothing is manufactured there. An area that I remember teeming with factories of all sorts, and the thriving commercial hub of Southwest Michigan, is now largely boarded up, run down, with little work for anyone. This is the story of how this tragedy came to be.
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[resetcbu1]

Time for Dexter to go the way of Ol'Yeller before the ecconomy does......

Unions have their benefits in some degree but this bill is not the proper way to do unions and we already see a backlash, what is he thinking?????

[Keith P.]

So we now know what an illegal $50,000 election campaign donation to the NDP by the union cabal purchased. Shameful.

[Phalanx]

Spare me. Please. First of all, Fenwick, consider your source - a personal blog. Not exactly a paragon of unbiased reporting. Check the other 'articles' on his blog. He has a serious axe to grind against anything he views as left-wing or 'progressive'. Not exactly a reasonable basis for an argument. Unions didn't kill manufacturing in Michigan, failure to adapt to the changing automobile market and methods killed the auto industry, and increasing reliance on cheap, overseas labour killed the rest. And to forestall the cries of 'They went overseas because of the eeeeeevil unions, again, I ask you how many Canadians and Americans you know would be willing to work for, and/or under the conditions that your average Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Cambodian or Mexican worker faces? C'mon, who?

And again, this legislation is already in place in more than half of Canada. Has it lead to the doom and gloom you're predicting? Please point me to some concrete examples, and not a loony blog. Lets go with fact over opinion here on both answers.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Spare me. Please. First of all, Fenwick, consider your source - a personal blog. Not exactly a paragon of unbiased reporting. Check the other 'articles' on his blog. He has a serious axe to grind against anything he views as left-wing or 'progressive'. Not exactly a reasonable basis for an argument. Unions didn't kill manufacturing in Michigan, failure to adapt to the changing automobile market and methods killed the auto industry, and increasing reliance on cheap, overseas labour killed the rest. And to forestall the cries of 'They went overseas because of the eeeeeevil unions, again, I ask you how many Canadians and Americans you know would be willing to work for, and/or under the conditions that your average Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese, Cambodian or Mexican worker faces? C'mon, who?

And again, this legislation is already in place in more than half of Canada. Has it lead to the doom and gloom you're predicting? Please point me to some concrete examples, and not a loony blog. Lets go with fact over opinion here on both answers.

We'll we are Nova Scotia and not other parts of Canada. What may work in other parts may not work here. This is a job killing bill in a time of economic uncertainty and I just don't understand what this NDP government is trying to pull here. All I can say is that if this goes through the only good thing about it is that we may not have an NDP government after the next election.

[Phalanx]

Once again, please back your prognostication up with a bit of fact... Just an ounce. That's all I ask.

[Keith P.]

Here is a good example of the abuses that can occur with public sector unions, who are the most loathsome of all:

http://contrarian.ca/2011/12/02/how-...t-legislation/

[ZET]

binding arbitration is a fair and reasonable resolution to labour disputes where the two parties cannot come to a resolution on their own. Organized labour has a long and proud history in Nova Scotia. There is noting to be afraid of here.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Once again, please back your prognostication up with a bit of fact... Just an ounce. That's all I ask.

Here's a fact for you. Michelin, who employes over 3500 in economic depressed rural NS doesn't like Bill 102 one bit. Michelin pays far above other employers in Bridgewater, Waterville and Granton.

If you think unions can offer more to employees than Michelin consider the economic landscape if Michelin pulled out.

The first ones running for cover would be the money grabbing, anti business unions.

BILL 102 IS BAD FOR NOVA SCOTIA JUST AS THE NDP IS BAD FOR NOVA SCOTIA...........

[JET]

Unions have tried to organize at Michelin, and repeatedly (thanks to the Michelin Bill) the workers overall have voted it down. Binding arbitration would only be an issue if the workers voted to organize, and they have always said NO to unionizing. I'd be surprised if they ever decided to unionize.
Now if the government ever decided to reverse the Michlelin Bill, well that could be a different story, but maybe not.
What Sobeys is saying is even more difficult to understand; what would they do, pull out of Nova Scotia?

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by JET

Unions have tried to organize at Michelin, and repeatedly (thanks to the Michelin Bill) the workers overall have voted it down. Binding arbitration would only be an issue if the workers voted to organize, and they have always said NO to unionizing. I'd be surprised if they ever decided to unionize.
Now if the government ever decided to reverse the Michlelin Bill, well that could be a different story, but maybe not.
What Sobeys is saying is even more difficult to understand; what would they do, pull out of Nova Scotia?

Yup they could very well move their opertions else where. I would not put it past them...business is business.

[Keith P.]

Sobeys is at a significant disadvantage by being based in Stellarton. As a national company, try to convince some high-flying retail execs to live there. Plus imagine the problems with air connections, etc to the rest of the world.

The real surprise is why they have stayed in Stellarton for as long as they have.

[reddog794]

Unions do have their place, so long as they don't forget their place. A good Union is flexible, and should understand the need for change. Take the New Page Union for example, when the plant was owned by a Finnish group, they were more willing to cut the legs out from under the workers than take the power company and government to terms for better rates. They took the governments money yes but also wanted to lessen the influence of those who got the job done.

Moe ahead to last year, new ownership, same mill same rates, no government rebates of the same level as the "Rodney Years". The union agreed to take a reduction in wages, while keeping benefits at the same level. They now have a small number of mill-wrights on the floor, just to keep the magazine paper flowing.

That mill is one of the most efficiently run mills in the world and it's production directly influences the price of magazine paper in the world. So why are they struggling to get comparable power rates?

Henry Ford used to say, "make the highest quality goods possible, selling for the lowest price possible, while paying the highest wages possible."

[JET]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Sobeys is at a significant disadvantage by being based in Stellarton. As a national company, try to convince some high-flying retail execs to live there. Plus imagine the problems with air connections, etc to the rest of the world.

The real surprise is why they have stayed in Stellarton for as long as they have.

Not much of a surprise, it's a family business and they have strong ties to the area. Michelin has been there since I was a kid, which wasn't yesterday. It's been a number of years since anyone tried a union drive there. The workers have good well paying jobs; I'd be surprised to see another union drive, particularly with the current economy. This Bill should be a non issue; no need for the fear-mongering.

[Wishblade]

I think its only a matter of time before Sobeys HQ relocates. Probably to Halifax. I too have always wondered why their still in Stellarton, ties or no ties I think the business should come first.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

I think its only a matter of time before Sobeys HQ relocates. Probably to Halifax. I too have always wondered why their still in Stellarton, ties or no ties I think the business should come first.

Maybe the business is coming first. Ultimately we don't know their arrangements in that town (taxes, land costs, etc...)

Another possibility is that some people put family before business. In the context of a corporation though, I doubt this.

[David1gray]

Well, considering Sobeys just finished building their new HQ building on King Street in Stellarton, I assume they are going to be here for awhile. As for Sobeys employees pushing for a union, we(including myself and my father) really have no reason to do that.

[JET]

Originally Posted by David1gray

Well, considering Sobeys just finished building their new HQ building on King Street in Stellarton, I assume they are going to be here for awhile. As for Sobeys employees pushing for a union, we(including myself and my father) really have no reason to do that.

That's my point, I can't see a majority of people at ALL the 3 Michelin plants, or ALL the multiple Sobeys stores wanting to unionize. Not unless things change drastically.