Overpaid unions slobs would rather destroy own country's economy than compete

[Beet]

freely:

Greece's Minister of Transport Dimitris Reppas said Monday that the government wouldn't back down on reforms to the transportation sector despite the fact that truckers' unions are on strike and fuel supplies are becoming very scarce across the country.

Greek truck drivers have been on an indefinite strike since 2100 GMT Sunday, dismayed about the liberalization of their "closed-off" profession that would effectively whittle down the value of their licenses.
...

Reppas argued that the value of truck licenses, which today range between EUR90,000 to EUR200,000 each, will not be lost because they will be able to be incorporated into a newly formed company's capital structure. But that hasn't appeased the industry associations.

...

At Athens International Airport, thousands of travellers and hundreds of flights were delayed after air-traffic controllers decided to stage a "work-to-rule" protest for the last two days. The average delay was about four hours extending to seven hours for some flights to Cyprus.

The controllers are now mulling a full strike for Saturday that would seriously harm the summer tourism season.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100726-710464.html

[opebo]

Freedom Fighters.

Representing them in the way you have only reveals your complete misunderstanding of politics, Beet.

[Beet]

Freedom Fighters.

Representing them in the way you have only reveals your complete misunderstanding of politics, Beet.

So knowing how to drive a truck is worth 200,000 euros? No wonder Greece is bankrupt.

[Gustaf]

Freedom Fighters.

Representing them in the way you have only reveals your complete misunderstanding of politics, Beet.

So knowing how to drive a truck is worth 200,000 euros? No wonder Greece is bankrupt.

Yeah, these people are parasiting off of a country which is not particularly rich. For the sake of people who are actually poor in Greece and need a functioning state with decent public finances these reforms need to be made.

[opebo]

So knowing how to drive a truck is worth 200,000 euros? No wonder Greece is bankrupt.

'Worth'?  What a ridiculous concept.  People are paid based on political power, not 'value' - or rather, value is determined by political power, not by any objective method.

Are CEO's worth millions?  Are owners worth billions?  No, of course not.  "Worth" has nothing to do with anything.

[opebo]

Yeah, these people are parasiting off of a country which is not particularly rich.

You complain about parasites and yet support capitalism, a system which is built to serve a parasitic class of owners.

[??????????]

Freedom Fighters.

Representing them in the way you have only reveals your complete misunderstanding of politics, Beet.

So knowing how to drive a truck is worth 200,000 euros? No wonder Greece is bankrupt.

Damn, I'm moving to Greece. Sure you have people like PX75 but the pay would be worth it.

[opebo]

Damn, I'm moving to Greece. Sure you have people like PX75 but the pay would be worth it.

Happily the visa issue prevents you from doing a BushOK here, States, but let me just elucidate another home truth for all the young dudes:

Don't base any personal decisions on propaganda from the Wall Street Journal. (its not real)

[??????????]

Damn, I'm moving to Greece. Sure you have people like PX75 but the pay would be worth it.

Happily the visa issue prevents you from doing a BushOK here, States, but let me just elucidate another home truth for all the young dudes:

Don't base any personal decisions on propaganda from the Wall Street Journal. (its not real)

You may be right, the Greeks are pretty damn lazy.

[phk]

€200,000 for truck driving?

 Do males even bother with upper education and just get a truck license?

[John Dibble]

I think we've found the solution to our illegal immigration issue - let the Mexicans know there's good money to be made doing scab truck driving in Greece.

[Earth]

What a great thread title. Why would anyone in their right mind value competition, over finding security through their labor union? Individuals aren't businesses. Good for the truckers.

[opebo]

€200,000 for truck driving?

 Do males even bother with upper education and just get a truck license?

Upper education is made available only through privilege, phknrocket. It is not a 'choice', and your insinuation that it is is offensive.

[Gustaf]

€200,000 for truck driving?

 Do males even bother with upper education and just get a truck license?

Upper education is made available only through privilege, phknrocket. It is not a 'choice', and your insinuation that it is is offensive.

lol

[opebo]

Upper education is made available only through privilege, phknrocket. It is not a 'choice', and your insinuation that it is is offensive.

lol

You find it amusing that phknrocket characterizes something which costs $20-80,000/year a a thing you 'bother with'?

[Gustaf]

Upper education is made available only through privilege, phknrocket. It is not a 'choice', and your insinuation that it is is offensive.

lol

You find it amusing that phknrocket characterizes something which costs $20-80,000/year a a thing you 'bother with'?

Well, given the fact that higher education is free in Greece I found your post amusing.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I have found the idea that 'competition' (in itself) as virtuous rather absurd... I guess you could say that it is a vice that can create it's own virtue (I wouldn't be sure of that but it is an argument) but a virtue in itself?

And anyway wasn't 'globalization' meant to make such concepts as the 'national economy' obsolete? The truckers union strike me as capitalists to the man.

[opebo]

Well, given the fact that higher education is free in Greece I found your post amusing.

Well, whereever that good policy is in force in the world, we can thank freedom fighters like these union men for it.

(Nevertheless, of course, free high education does not gaurantee social mobility).

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

The title of this thread rather accuratly describes what a terrible piece of crap modern day unions are. Where's Thatcher when you need her?

[opebo]

The title of this thread rather accuratly describes what a terrible piece of crap modern day unions are. Where's Thatcher when you need her?

That's it, embrace your oppression, worker. 

[Gustaf]

Well, given the fact that higher education is free in Greece I found your post amusing.

Well, whereever that good policy is in force in the world, we can thank freedom fighters like these union men for it.

(Nevertheless, of course, free high education does not gaurantee social mobility).

So this is how you react to being caught in an unambigious lie? You're not even going to have the courtesy to apologize for calling me and Rocket naive and heartless because we thought anyone could get a college education in Greece when, in fact, they can?

I'm curious, this idea that a college education in Greece costs, what was it, $20 000 to 80 000 a year, where did it come from? Did you make it up randomly, just like the other parts of your worldview?

[opebo]

So this is how you react to being caught in an unambigious lie? You're not even going to have the courtesy to apologize for calling me and Rocket naive and heartless because we thought anyone could get a college education in Greece when, in fact, they can?

I'm curious, this idea that a college education in Greece costs, what was it, $20 000 to 80 000 a year, where did it come from? Did you make it up randomly, just like the other parts of your worldview?

I wasn't referring to Greece there, Gustaf, but the USA.  And I'm sure working class people only very rarely receive a college education in Greece or anywhere else.

[Frink]

The union is doing what any union would do; looking out for its members. It may not be the right decision, but its at least an understandable one given the circumstances their facing.

[Gustaf]

So this is how you react to being caught in an unambigious lie? You're not even going to have the courtesy to apologize for calling me and Rocket naive and heartless because we thought anyone could get a college education in Greece when, in fact, they can?

I'm curious, this idea that a college education in Greece costs, what was it, $20 000 to 80 000 a year, where did it come from? Did you make it up randomly, just like the other parts of your worldview?

I wasn't referring to Greece there, Gustaf, but the USA.  And I'm sure working class people only very rarely receive a college education in Greece or anywhere else.

Oh, YOU are sure. Then it must be true.

It's funny that you rebutted a point on Greek people with talking about the US.

[ilikeverin]

The union is doing what any union would do; looking out for its members. It may not be the right decision, but its at least an understandable one given the circumstances their facing.

The problem is that this action isn't in the union workers' best interests at all.  It's in no one's interests, actually