Strike Against Cement Plant Continues - Regional News - Lehigh Vall...

if u keep it up u will be out of a job over all

The company should close it's doors for one day, fire all the union workers, reopen the second day under a different name, and hire only non union employees that want to work for a living instead of pulling the same thing that was pulled on Mack Trucks, GM and Chrysler. The survival of the business is more important that the survival of the Union Bosses with their extortion tactics.

This country was built on taking a stand. We don't know the working conditions these men and women have to deal with every day. Learn your facts before commenting. I applaud them for standing up for what they believe is right.
Today is Flag Day. Remember why we celebrate this day!!! FLY YOUR FLAG!

Wouldn't you think the reasons for thier strike would be news? Story leaves you without much information. What are the conditions they are complaining about, no mints in the bathrooms? or the building falling apart? Sort of makes a differance in the story.

obama needs to step in and force these animals to work. we have many social needs for the poor like welfare, free medical for illegals and people who dont want to work. section 8, foodstamps ect ect.
these things dont pay themselves. we need the tax revenue to pay for it. if these european americans arent working, they're not paying there taxes. go get back to work.

These people have families they support and I think it is unfair for people to pass judgement on them. It isn't like they are striking for money or benefits like the teachers - it is about working conditions. Am I to understand that because the economy is bad, people shouldn't stand up for what is right?

Stand your ground union workers. Companies today do not care about their employees at all. It is all about how much can we get out of the workers, and how much profit can we make. Scare tactics are what alot of these companies are doing today. As far as the comment the gentleman made about Mack Trucks. Come work on one of the lines for one day. Then lets see how much you run your mouth?

the company has been fair. we are spoiled. you must be liberials !
go ask obama for help, see what hand out we can get.

mom wrote:

if u keep it up u will be out of a job over all

mom just take care of the kids,because you know nothing about unions

A problem with working conditions? Did anyone call OSHA? Isn't that why that entity exists. I know no company is going to be perfect, but I'm sure their conditions are nothing compared to what people had to deal with "back in the day." Unions were critical in the advocacy of laborers, but I honeslty feel that page has turned. Anymore unions seem like nothing but a bunch of bureaucracy and red tape. These days, unions do more harm that good. If a struggling company keels over after being handcuffed by union restrictions, how is that better than keeping the business going through painful, yet necessary sacrifices?

One reason they are on strike was listed as - Everyone is cross trained on other jobs. Then they just move people around instead of paying overtime.

Sounds like the end of the world to me.../sarcasm

Devildog78 wrote:

A problem with working conditions? Did anyone call OSHA? Isn't that why that entity exists. I know no company is going to be perfect, but I'm sure their conditions are nothing compared to what people had to deal with "back in the day." Unions were critical in the advocacy of laborers, but I honeslty feel that page has turned. Anymore unions seem like nothing but a bunch of bureaucracy and red tape. These days, unions do more harm that good. If a struggling company keels over after being handcuffed by union restrictions, how is that better than keeping the business going through painful, yet necessary sacrifices?

Actually, the agency in charge of safety at cement mills and their adjacent mines is MSHA.

And other stories on the web state the problem as the company's attempt at making job descriptions useless. Hercules currently has a limited ability to force an employee to perform a job other than their own (emergency situations). They are trying to make it an unbridled ability to force the individual to do whatever job the company wants, for whatever period of time.

That is what the strike is about, and I can not blame the union workers for striking.

Bubba wrote:

One reason they are on strike was listed as - Everyone is cross trained on other jobs. Then they just move people around instead of paying overtime.
Sounds like the end of the world to me.../sarcasm

Sounds like a job description is a moot point to the company.

rey wrote:

obama needs to step in and force these animals to work. we have many social needs for the poor like welfare, free medical for illegals and people who dont want to work. section 8, foodstamps ect ect.
these things dont pay themselves. we need the tax revenue to pay for it. if these european americans arent working, they're not paying there taxes. go get back to work.

Are you trolling, sarcastic, or just confused? Please let me know before I rip apart your post in a few well made, grammatically correct sentences.

Jen wrote:

These people have families they support and I think it is unfair for people to pass judgement on them. It isn't like they are striking for money or benefits like the teachers - it is about working conditions. Am I to understand that because the economy is bad, people shouldn't stand up for what is right?

Agreed. I have a family member that is going to miss my sister's wedding because of this strike, and he still supports the strike as far as I know. At the very least, he supports the union.

People remember that the UNIONS made the middle-class in this country. And from their sweat and blood came changes that all you bloggers are benefiting from and don't know how you got them.
Walk a mile in those hard toed shoes, go clean -up on the horizontal clinker belt for a few hours.
Then tell those men and women they are spoiled.
DAD - you wouldn't even go out on the horrible belt let alone take some one's job that does.
dad you left out Bethlehem steel with its 2 or 3 golfcourses and how many airplanes and lawyers ???
But in some peoples eye's its always the unions
GOD BLESS UNION WORKERS AMERICA NEED'S THEM

the man wrote:

the company has been fair. we are spoiled. you must be liberials !
go ask obama for help, see what hand out we can get.

Last time I checked, most of the folks working the manual labor field are conservatives or not bound to a particular political party. And the last person they want to see is Obama.

Do you work for the company? Did you even read the story? They aren't striking for wages (they aren't even getting a raise in the first year of their next contract), they aren't striking for benefits, they are striking because their employer is trying to stick a clause in their contract officially eliminating the meaning of a job description. They would be able to rearrange any employee into any job they see fit, even if it was not anything close to what they were hired for.

Read the dam*ed article(s) before you spout off your ignorant mouth.

Jen wrote:

These people have families they support and I think it is unfair for people to pass judgement on them. It isn't like they are striking for money or benefits like the teachers - it is about working conditions. Am I to understand that because the economy is bad, people shouldn't stand up for what is right?

In response to Jen's comment How are the people who rely on the product these striker's had produced going to support there families. I feel unity should include everyone. People should work through there problems without causing undo hardships to others.

steeler fan wrote:

<quoted text>mom just take care of the kids,because you know nothing about unions

Hey steeler fan, how about you explain unions to DHL and Pillsbury

unemployed wrote:

<quoted text>
In response to Jen's comment How are the people who rely on the product these striker's had produced going to support there families. People should work through there problems without causing undo hardships to others.

There are other sources of cement, especially in this area.
"I feel unity should include everyone." What utopian society are you living in unemployed? You do realize that the point of a strike is to get the company to change their unfair terms or fire their employees, right? Then submit a job application there and find something constructive to do with your time.