The Lakeside strike

[cowman]

This isn't particulary about the strike or what is happening there, but a funny little story at the cow sale in Innisfail on Friday.
A short time ago the union called for a boycott on Alberta beef if the strike continued. Reporters called Jack Daines(owner of the Inn. auction mart) for a comment. He basically gave them what they wanted...a blast at the union and some mild threats! Got a lot of play on the radio?
Anyway he gave a little lecture at the sale on unions and free enterprize! Said some union officials phoned him and blasted him, but he told them exactly what he thought! Said one wolf is a coward but a pack of them running together can be dangerous...suggested they were nothing but a group of cowards running together, too chicken to take control of their individual lives! He went on to tell these union men that if they kept up this attack on Alberta beef they just might find out how ranchers treat a pack of wolves...with a rifle!
He said he never heard anymore about a boycott of Alberta beef!
Now Jack knows how to play the crowd and he got quite a good response...a lot of laughs and a lot of heads nodding! He is sort of a BSer but I wonder if his attitude is pretty general in Alberta?

[Horse]

His attitue general in alta '''you bet EVERYONE LOOKING OUT FOR TRIER OWN ASS AND TO HELL WITH EVERYONE ELSE.

[cowman]

I guess in the big picture the union wasn't much of a threat? About half their own members crossed the lines anyway, so how much support was there?
Apparently there will probably be a vote in the near future to de-certify? I imagine the Lakeside management has a "hit list" of who needs to go?
Personally I don't have a lot of use for unions. I guess I take the attitude of a lot of people in Alberta that you are the captain of your ship and the master of your soul!
Now it would be helpful if the Alberta government updated some of their labor laws so scoundrels can't take advantage of the weak and helpless, but at the end of the day no one holds a gun to your head and forces you to work at Lakeside? If you don't like it quit and move on? Not much of an excuse not to...the papers are full of jobs.

[wilagro]

cowman: We both worked in packing plants...right? I for one am in favour of unionizing IF the workers want it. Apparently most at Lakeside did.
I have worked in both union and non-union shops with few problems.
SOME asshole companies should be unionized to civilize the bastards as how to treat people and not consider them as their private slave camp to be abused and controlled.

[cowman]

Yea I worked at CP for about four years and they were a good company that treated you right. It was hard work that a lot of guys couldn't handle(no women in those days).
I think if the Alberta government would bring in some decent labor laws the need for a union just wouldn't be there? And if the companies realized you can't expect much out of employees if you treat them like dogs?
I still believe if you treat a person decently they will respond? Now I know there are people who won't and who are not interested in getting with the program, but generally I like to think most people want to do a good job and help themselves. Maybe I am out of touch with the world or something?

[cowman]

cowman I think you hit on the problem, the lack of adequate Labor Laws. Just one more thing that our government is slacking off on.

[cowman]

Have no fear emerald...Klein created a new ministry to whip all these government departments into line and give us more bang for our buck! Why my own MLA is the minister!
Frankly he is about as useless as they come, so it is probably fitting that he gets the job to whip all the others into shape! We never hear anything from him other than to trot out the party line...a real good "yes" man for Ralph!
I do believe he is the most useless MLA we have ever had and our first cabinet minister!