Negotiating in the Face of Loss

I am in conversation with people who are having their life goals wiped out, particularly those in education. A friend just spent 3 days at a teacher's union rally, where he had met plenty of peers.  Aside form the dreadful politicians making disingenuous speeches, he noted the few people who see what is coming almost all have a plan of some sort that will exempt them from the result.  They will get into the union management themselves... they will fight the power at the school level... they will be come the principals pet...  whatever.  There is a concept of the five stages of grief, this is #3, negotiation.

My friend noted what safety he has is in the hands of the unions.  It is the 23 year old newbie girl teachers who also become the union reps in the schools.  They do not like seniority, since it means they have to move from school to school each year until they can get enough seniority to stay put.  Seniority is what keeps my friends 80k a year grade school teaching job secure.  Those girls make $24k.  The state wants to replace his big income with their small income.  He needs 12 more years before he can retire.  He figures he has got 2 left, maybe.

Teamsters and longshoremen watched union management sell them down the river.  Auto workers too.  And there was no blood in the streets.

Bookmark this post --- Email this post