Crossing the Picket Line
The other day I was going to the grocery store to get some food. Mostly, I get meat. Steaks, tri-tip, hamburger, chicken and veal are my staples. I really like getting veal because it makes the PETA people whine like the bitches that they are. Sometimes, I even go in my mink lined leather jacket.
Anyhow, there was a picket line in front of the market. The employees were striking because the market is going to cut their health benefits. Essentially, the grocery chains are trying to stay competitive with companies like Costco and WalMart and all of the other bargain (non-unionized) stores, and they can't do that if they continue to pay as much of the insurance. It's called cost cutting to keep their prices low so that they aren't driven out of business.
Not one to make snap judgments, I did some research. I found that the average supermarket employee gets paid $15.00 per hour to drag an item across a window that tells them what the price is. They don't have to do any brain work other than counting the money that they return to the patron. The toughest part of this job is listening for the "beep" when they drag the item across the glass. A retarded monkey with cerebral palsy and a club foot could do this job. Yeah, I know, some people have to stock the shelves and pack bags. Are you going to tell me that a monkey couldn't do that?
OK, so they are already overpaid for the brainless job that they do. We can all agree on that. But, on top of a ridiculously high hourly wage they get insurance benefits. Sounds like a dream job to me - even if they have to pay a bit more for their insurance than they were before. You know, most folks with that skill level are lucky to get paid minimum wage, let alone get insurance through their company.
So, after being overpaid AND insured, these mooks have the gall to ask me to shop somewhere else? Let me get this straight...you want me to get back into my car and drive a further distance (costing me money) to shop at another store? Inconvenience myself because you, an overpaid monkey, don't think that you are getting enough from your company? Are you stupid? Not only will I not shop somewhere else, but I will take great glee in shopping while you watch. Hell, I might even make extra trips to the market just to spite you.
I have a question for you grocery store employees who are on strike. Since, you have no real skills, other that dragging something across a window or stocking shelves, what will you do if the grocery stores can't compete with the non-unionized discount stores? Have you thought that far ahead? Of course not. You are too busy thinking of the immediate moment and not the future that lies ahead of you.
And, as for those people who are in blind support of the strike; Have you thought about how this will impact you? Have you thought about the extra money that it will cost us all by supporting this strike?
To illustrate; You are driving out of your way to shop somewhere else, which costs you money in gasoline and wear and tear on your car. On top of that you are shopping at stores with long lines and shitty service. So, the strikers are costing you time and money and shortening the life of your vehicle.
When there is an increased demand for gasoline the price-per gallon of gasoline goes up and the supply goes down. So, you have to pay for more gasoline at a higher price.
Then, if they get their way, the cost of supermarket operations will go up, because the cost of their employees health care will go up. Then, to make up for the loss of profits, they will raise the costs of their products. So, you will have to pay even more money if the strike is successful. This, essentially, means that you are earning less because you have to pay more to live. This will drive people to shop at the larger discount chains, where they can get a better deal for their dollar.
Then, when the supermarket chains can't compete against the big discount chains, they will go out of business, flooding the market with unemployed talking monkeys with no high school diploma or skills. These people will collect unemployment and welfare, which comes right out of our pockets via taxes.
Now, the few who will get jobs will be working for minimum wage and no health insurance. Where will these folks get their health care coverage from? You guessed it - from the government, sucking out even more money from the government.
Then, the government will be forced to raise taxes to pay for the health care of these people, lowering your income and mine, even more.
Way to go!