Now I know where all the "can I collect unemployment while on strike" hits are coming from

I started seeing the search queries in my server logs a couple of weeks ago. They vere all variations of "can I collect unemployment while on strike in NJ." And they found this rant from January of 2009, when the NJ State Supreme Court ruled that yes, strikers are entitled to unemployment benefits.

At 12:01 AM this morning 45,000 unionized workers at Verizon Communications went on strike. They're demanding higher wages and even more lavish benefits. And thanks to some idiotic unelected judges those of us who show up at our jobs on Monday morning will have the privilege of subsidizing their summer vacations^*.

The Obama recession has emptied New Jersey's unemployment insurance fund because so many of us are involuntarily out of work. Walking away from your perfectly good job and then claiming you are "unemployed" is a lot like the kid who killed his parents and then begged for mercy because he was an orphan.

But of course labor unions aren't known for their subtlety, or their grasp of economic realities. The average union worker at Verizon takes home around $85,000 per year, along with a benefits package valued at more than $50,000. Not exactly chicken feed, eh?

For their part Verizon is promising no interruption in service. They've cross-trained management employees to step in and cover the strikers' work assignments. But I think they should go one better and fire every one of the ungrateful little whingers. You strikers wanna play at being unemployed? Why not try the Real Thing!

There are plenty of truly unemployed folks around here who'd jump at the chance to score a job paying $85K a year. And you'll note that Verizon already knows how to train your replacements. Yeah, you're not irreplaceable.

Verizon's bargaining position should reflect that reality — Nice jobs you union hacks have, it'd be a shame if we decided to give them to somebody who'll actually appreciate having one.

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^* Ever notice how these union featherbedders never go on strike in January? Too cold! August is the perfect time for a little R&R on the beach courtesy of us taxpayers. Isn't your union strike fund supposed to keep you in clover while you stroll the boardwalk picket lines? What's that? Richard Trumka gave all your dues money to Obama? Bwhahahahaha! I hope you greedy bastards choke on your pina coladas.

UPDATE 07 Aug 2011 20:22:
Getting some good comments on this one! Keep 'em coming.

One thing though, my major beef is with the strikers believing they're entitled to unemployment compensation, not with the terms of Verizon's latest contract offer. You guys walked off the job voluntarily. Collecting unemployment is a kick in the ass to the thousands of New Jerseyans who've been laid off and seen their unemployment benefits run out.

You want a better deal with VZ? Great, work on that at the bargaining table. But striking? That's awfully selfish given the economic realities facing a whole lot of the customers you claim to care about.

UPDATE 10 Aug 2011 00:37:
At least one IBEW unionista knows how to put the ass in class.

UPDATE 10 Aug 2011 12:28:
Reluctant Rebel links. Thanks!

Posted at 17:21 by Chris Wysocki   [/news]   Comments | Perm Link |
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