this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2024
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
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- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
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- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
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Ok, it’s good that you’re happy with their response.
I still think Williamson’s response is asinine.
And I see this part of their statement as being supportive of the union
and that their main regret is failure to address needs before one was needed.
edit: as far as I’m concerned, Williamson’s reply is only relevant because she’s up for election and thought being critical would win her points. That’s it.
to quote Williamson's words:
Classy would have been, "We respect the decision made by Costco workers to form a union, and we look forward to a mutually constructive relationship."You are entitled to your opinion, though I would say that there is some hyperbole to your phrase and word choices and given its directed at a woman it may not be having the effect you intended regardless of how you mean it (I am chronically guilty of this so speaking from I hope experience).
Williamson is only being critical of what they are not saying, and not doing, she is not being critical of what they are saying and are doing. Again both can be true.
Costco clearly highly values taking care of employees. They were masterful in accepting responsibility, though it still has to be proven in their long term actions (which I fully expect it will be).
Williamson is also correct that the response did not go far enough to welcome and encourage the union or more people to join the union. That is the criticism, and as far as I can tell only that.
Costco has a very carefully crafted message by saying "has never been the result of any union" its interesting wording because its designed to get people to react by saying well if a union did not get me the great treatment I already have, then how is this new union going to make things even better.
It subtly delegitimatizes the value of the union while not explicitly attacking it and lets Costco claim a victory when the original conflict was of their own creation and they lost not won. That line pivots from look what a union can do, to you dont need one because we always put you first, ignore that we just owned up to not doing that.
Just so you know, writing increasingly longer replies doesn’t sway me. I didn’t bother with most of that.
sway you from what? I am not trying to change your opinion or position.
“has never been the result of any union” is simply them stating that they try to make efforts to be responsive to employees without the need for a union in the first place. That’s it. They didn’t discourage unions in the statement.
Now I’m back to “I’m sorry they didn’t word it to your exact liking.”
Now, seriously, I have other things to do today than argue about wordsmithing to make Marianne happy.
ok, did not realize we were arguing outside of the academic sense.