Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

[wolverineTrumpet]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Basically, three years ago the Union took it up the * and conceded all their points just to continue working. Now, with over three years of no cost of living increases, increased health care costs, and other changes, the Owners are again saying they won't give any more to the Union. That's the impasse.

That sucks. Good luck crossing the line.
Our Union just gave up cost of living and a bunch of other stuff this year. We were planning for if they went on strike. They didn't though. Down to less than 40 union workers here. Last round of layoffs took people with 18 years of seniority.

I think I work with a bunch of wanna be foopers, 1st thing when i came in this morning that was talked about was the bars of houghton and if I had ever been to the Gay Bar

Why would someone want to be a fooper? Visiting occasionally is good enough for me. If I had time and a bf that was crazy enough to agree, I'd make us East Coast Troll costumes for the Gay Parade. Make him dress up like Delaware and me as Maryland. Won't happen. But we will go watch the Gay Parade on Sunday, and perhaps enjoy a beverage at the Gay Bar.

Is it tomorrow yet? Taking off for Mackinac tomorrow night. Fighting crowds and traffic this weekend should be fun.

 

[legal_hit]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Good morning! Mr. Hit is coming home tomorrow! He's only been gone a week, but these trips seem to get longer and longer each time he goes away.

Morning Lodge. Getting our technicians checked in as they return trucks. Because of the lack of work, and union solidarity rules to not cross picket lines, we have to lay off all our techs.

I can't WAIT until later this afternoon when we go park the trucks at the neighboring construction company; picket lines are already up, and they don't care that I (or whoever else goes with to securely park them) aren't in the Union.


Basically, three years ago the Union took it up the * and conceded all their points just to continue working. Now, with over three years of no cost of living increases, increased health care costs, and other changes, the Owners are again saying they won't give any more to the Union. That's the impasse.

When you're making less today than you were three years ago, unless you were grossly overpaid to begin with (since they guys aren't playing in the NBA that isn't the case) I can sympathize with the strikers.

It sucks for you that you have to cross the lines at all. Be careful!

 

[West Texas Wolverine]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

So I actually had some good news come my way today for once

What's the latest from Saginaw?

For those who are World Cup fans and those who are not World Cup fans, here's a little something I hope gives you a chuckle.

http://www.theonion.com/video/soccer-officially-announces-it-is-gay,17603/

That, sir, is repworthy.

Good morning, Lodge!

 

[Gonzo]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Morning Lodge

For the first time in over 7 weeks, there is not a 30" roll off or a series of pump jacks and scaffolding in my driveway or around my house.
The exterior work is done, with the exception of a little caulking and painting the exposed foundation blocks by the walk out door. They also have to remount my anemometer on the roof, but I have all the hardware for that.
Next week the new deck is being put on. They wanted to put another roll off in my driveway. I asked them for what, and they said all the cedar trimmings. I told them I have a fire pit - NO ROLL OFF

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Is this going to interfere with your lust life at work?

Federal employees cannot go on strike.

Also, I have sympathy for any regular group of workers (i.e. not sports figures) trying to get paid whats fair. Whether thats more money or more benefits and regardless of the national economic outlook.

I'll keep this in mind the next time you complain about high medical costs... and nurses are VERY well compensated. I know several VA nurses that make $80,000+ annually - in base pay. They aren't nurse practitioners, either - just generic RN's.

 

[A Shot and a Goal]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Big doings for The Shots this week as we leave tomorrow for our annual Fourth Of July getaway to Breckenridge. The condo is perfect for two people and quite comfortable for four people. This week we'll find out how well it accomodates nine. [Please feel free to check your privacy as well as your peace and quiet at the door ]. We'll have four "kids" in the twenty to twenty-six year old age range joining us and they'll get to pull up a piece of floor or pump up an air mattress and sleep on it.

Heading up tomorrow and golf, hiking, fishing, concerts, a Fourth of July parade, a firewoks display, an Arts Festival, fine dining at some restaurants, BBQs, margarita infused cocktail hours while wathcing sunsets on the porch and all manner of diversions and entertainment are on the docket.

For the music afficianados in THE LODGE, several members of our mob will be attending a National Repertory Orchestra concert on Saturday night. That program will contain, but not necessarily be limited to, a program featuring:
===>The Music of Hollywood

Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge
Cowboys Overture - Williams
Chaconne from The Red Violin - Corigliano
Elizabeth Pitcairn, violin
Theme from Jaws - Williams
"Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky - Conti, arr. Lowden
Selections from E.T. - Williams
Psycho: Prelude and Murder - Hermann
Pirates of the Caribbean - Badelt, arr. Ricketts
An American in Paris - Gershwin
Sing, Sing, Sing - Prima

Since I'm an ardent fan of the Gershwins I'm especially looking forward to the selections from An American In Paris.

The NRO will also play its annual evening concert of patriotic music on July 4th, after which the town of Breck ingnites a spectacular fireworks display.

In addition to the nine people we'll have in the condo, three cousins[ a married couple and their younger daughter] of Mrs. Shot's will be in town in advance of their older daughter's wedding in Denver the following weekend. In total we'll have twelve people at our place at various times and roaming hither and yon around Breck all weekend. Really looking forward to it as the weatherman is cooperating big-time: temps are promised to be in the mid to high 70s with minimal chance for showers throughout our stay.

I hope everyone gets to spend the weekend in the company of family, friends and loved ones as we will be doing. If you're going to be on the roads drive safely and drive sober. Happy Fourth of July to all.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Federal employees cannot go on strike.

I'll keep this in mind the next time you complain about high medical costs... and nurses are VERY well compensated. I know several VA nurses that make $80,000+ annually - in base pay. They aren't nurse practitioners, either - just generic RN's.

I'd prefer my medical staff was overpaid as opposed to underpaid. Plus, 80k a year is chump change when compared to millions.

 

[Scarlet]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Another example of Opposite Girl in Action:

New employee started on Monday. We went to lunch yesterday (he's on my team). We were talking about the new iPhone, I mentioned how I think I'm going to break down and get one. He says "I'm going to wait till the offer Verizon as a service provider." I say to him "Heh, that's not going to happen, at least not for a loooooooong time."

Ta da!

So, for those of you that would like an iPhone with Verizon as opposed to AT&T, you're welcome. Would not have happened if I did not verbalize that. Seriously, I'm kinda freaking myself out when this happens.

 

[thecomicbookguy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Another example of Opposite Girl in Action:

New employee started on Monday. We went to lunch yesterday (he's on my team). We were talking about the new iPhone, I mentioned how I think I'm going to break down and get one. He says "I'm going to wait till the offer Verizon as a service provider." I say to him "Heh, that's not going to happen, at least not for a loooooooong time."

Ta da!

So, for those of you that would like an iPhone with Verizon as opposed to AT&T, you're welcome. Would not have happened if I did not verbalize that. Seriously, I'm kinda freaking myself out when this happens.

Ok, anytime you want to be certain that UNH and the Bruins will not win a championship, I will not say anything to deter you from those thoughts.

 

[Scarlet]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Ok, anytime you want to be certain that UNH and the Bruins will not win a championship, I will not say anything to deter you from those thoughts.

Why do you think BU won the title in 2009? Because I said they were not. Out loud. And repeatedly.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Why do you think BU won the title in 2009? Because I said they were not. Out loud. And repeatedly.

Please start assuring me I am not going to get a raise this year.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

I'd prefer my medical staff was overpaid as opposed to underpaid.

Which is great in theory until you see the reality of what the hospitals actually get paid by the insurers and medicaid/medicare. They have to keep their costs down.

Plus, 80k a year is chump change when compared to millions.

Math lesson:

MNA has a little over 12,000 members. Every $1k in additional salary and/or benefits per nurse they extract from the hospitals will cost $12 million+ annually.

One of the main points of contention is patient-to-nurse ratios - the union wants a lower one, and they want it contractually guaranteed. Guess what this means? If the hospitals agree to it, they have to hire more nurses - a lot more nurses (if it was an insignificant number, this wouldn't be such a contentious issue). Assuming they need to hire 1000 more nurses, that works out to an annual cost of $40 million plus that will increase over time(if they hire all entry-level ones).

So if the union gets what it wants, the hospitals' cost of doing business could easily go up $100 million per year. Chump change, indeed.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Is it tomorrow yet? Taking off for Mackinac tomorrow night. Fighting crowds and traffic this weekend should be fun.

Yeah, Fourth Of July Weekend is pretty nuts up on the Island. If you're going to stay up there for the fireworks, if your hotel for that nite is on the mainland, you might want to watch them from the mainland instead of the Island. Last boats after the Fireworks are always packed, as in "Hope the Coast Guard doesn't pull em over" Packed. Also, you don't want to be late for em either. When I worked up there on the Dock for the Fourth, they had just finished up departing and was going around the breakwater when this couple came running up. They had sent their luggage on ahead and was pretty much SOL for getting off the Island that night, and I didn't have any way of getting ahold of anybody on the boat or in Mackinaw City either. Felt bad, but not my fault they was late for the last boat.

 

[aparch]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

...
So if the union gets what it wants, the hospitals' cost of doing business could easily go up $100 million per year. Chump change, indeed.

It's sort of where the Owners and Operators are stuck at with their negotiations. The Union says that the pay increase they're asking for is to cover (mostly) the health care benefit increases that they are forced into now. The owners argue that the increase is going straight to the union guys and not these "overhead" costs.

The numbers I've heard floated around, based on the hourly wage of ~$55.00
is the Union wants a 5% increase ($2.75/hr increase, mostly going towards health care, benefits, etc.) The owners are willing to only give a 1% increase. ($0.55/hr)

As it is, every company already pays at least $2500 per month per employee into the union health care / benefits package.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Which is great in theory until you see the reality of what the hospitals actually get paid by the insurers and medicaid/medicare. They have to keep their costs down.

Math lesson:

MNA has a little over 12,000 members. Every $1k in additional salary and/or benefits per nurse they extract from the hospitals will cost $12 million+ annually.

One of the main points of contention is patient-to-nurse ratios - the union wants a lower one, and they want it contractually guaranteed. Guess what this means? If the hospitals agree to it, they have to hire more nurses - a lot more nurses (if it was an insignificant number, this wouldn't be such a contentious issue). Assuming they need to hire 1000 more nurses, that works out to an annual cost of $40 million plus that will increase over time(if they hire all entry-level ones).

So if the union gets what it wants, the hospitals' cost of doing business could easily go up $100 million per year. Chump change, indeed.

All of that is great info. But I don't believe it is the employee's fault that the system they work in is broken.

I certainly am not concerned about the rising costs of education when I go in to ask for a raise.

 

[Swansong]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Another example of Opposite Girl in Action:

New employee started on Monday. We went to lunch yesterday (he's on my team). We were talking about the new iPhone, I mentioned how I think I'm going to break down and get one. He says "I'm going to wait till the offer Verizon as a service provider." I say to him "Heh, that's not going to happen, at least not for a loooooooong time."

Ta da!

So, for those of you that would like an iPhone with Verizon as opposed to AT&T, you're welcome. Would not have happened if I did not verbalize that. Seriously, I'm kinda freaking myself out when this happens.

That's not real earth shattering, considering Apple's exclusivity contract with AT&T ends next year (5 year deal signed in 2006).

That said, I hope it happens! I like my Droid, but will definitely switch given the opportunity.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

All of that is great info. But I don't believe it is the employee's fault that the system they work in is broken.

It's their fault for making insanely costly demands on their employer. I can't believe they expect the hospitals to go along with fixed ratios - as if all patients are the same and require equal amounts of effort/monitoring.

 

[Sloe Gin]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Also, I have sympathy for any regular group of workers (i.e. not sports figures) trying to get paid whats fair. Whether thats more money or more benefits and regardless of the national economic outlook.

you feel that way about pilots? Considering right now I qualify for food stamps on my wage...

Why do you think BU won the title in 2009? Because I said they were not. Out loud. And repeatedly.

you wouldn't even talk to me during the game!

 

[REDRocket]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Could someone point me to the "my car is a piece of shart" thread? Back to the garage, I've had the POS in my posession 18 hours and it's fecked again. BAH!!!!!!

 

[legal_hit]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge 115: What sports do you watch in the off-season?

Why do you think BU won the title in 2009? Because I said they were not. Out loud. And repeatedly.

While you are taking requests ( ) could you start talking out loud about how Maggie is going to be early? (she really needs to stay where she is for another 7 weeks or so - at least!)