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Comment by FollowingTheDao | Hacker News Reader

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These specific workers have a reputation of being in a corrupt unions where nepotism is the name of the game. Note how certain unions and/or their members support Republicans, even though Republicans support weaker labor laws and pay.

They will advocate to increase pay for their own tribe, but also advocate against lifting the floor for all.

Specific to nepotism… how’s that different than anywhere else? I’m 20 years into my adult career and most companies I have worked for has had at least 1 major case of nepotism.

Anecdotally, I have worked for 3 F500 companies and all of their CEOs were the children of founders. Their siblings also sat on the board.

I worked for 2 municipalities where the children of managers were also on staff.

I worked for an investment firm that the owner was the founder’s son and all of his kids had tenure at the firm in the form of “internships” that basically helped fluff their resumes.

My point is that saying “nepotism is the name of the game” isn’t isolated to unions.

> My point is that saying “nepotism is the name of the game” isn’t isolated to unions.

I also didn’t say it was. The difference here is whereas anyone can apply and get a job to be a UPS driver or hotel maid or a restaurant worker, you usually have to have an in for these much higher paying longshoremen jobs.

Therefore, the public may not sympathize with their plight.

This is an old trope brought to you by the corporations fighting against unions.

There’s always multiple tribes fighting to get a disproportionate share of productivity. Even within a union, you will have older union members competing against younger union members, resulting in tiered benefits (because the older ones are usually more politically active and influential).

The federal government should buy out the union

Hah, that's kind of funny. What do you think Corporate America prefers, a port run by unions or a port run by the federal government?

The port would not be run by the federal government. Pass an infrastructure bill that funds port automation and gives a healthy wage for ~30 years to any longshoreman who is either automated or wishes to leave. Give them 150k per year with no contingencies.

Are we going to be lucky to get that deal too when all the programming gets the same automation?

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