ROTC Taints University Campuses - Colman McCarthy, Washington Pos

[roo_ster]

MC:

It is entirely possible to thoroughly break down the less-thick-skinned without ever crossing any of the PC red lines.  I've been on the receiving end from masters of the skill and then had to apply some of it when it was my turn to mold some young men into something Uncle Sam could use (and re-use, since they'd be better prepared to survive).

Since the womyn studies gal took three weeks to quit, I suspect that they did, indeed, maliciously stay within the PC lines.  I'd like to hear from scout as to the content.  If no PC verbal holds were barred, I'd bet the gal would have jumped ship before the three weeks were done.  One week or less would be my bet.

[Scout26]

roo_ster pretty much got it, except they were drug screened.

705 Teamster Joke:
What did Jesus say to the 705 Teamsters at the last supper ?
"Don't do anything until I get back."


Working air freight logistics in a union environment is like being thrown in with a pack of wolves.  You either have to become the alpha male/female or get eaten by the rest of the pack.  Right, Wrong or Indifferent that's the way it was.  I had just left Pepsi after they sold off their restaurant division, so I was happy to have a J-O-B.

I was up to my eyeballs in alligators with my own group of 25 aholes drivers.  But, yes I did comfort and give advice to Ms Feminine Studies on how to ignore the crap they flung like Chimps in the monkey house.  One sign of weakness and they were on you like sharks.  Withstand the onslaught and show them that you're not going to take their crap (and/or give back as good as you took) and they eventually accepted you as their leader.  You definitely had to earn respect, it was NOT given simply because you had a fancy title.  They didn't care where/what you studied or what you did before (yes, they even ate JMO's* for breakfast).  

It was a hell of lot easier to order men to charge machine guns then it was to get these jerk-offs to do what they were being paid exorbitant^ money to do.  But once you earned their respect it was amazing what they would do for you.

Writing them up for "being mean and saying things that hurt another Sup's feelings."  Crap, I had barely enough time to do my job much less get into a "paper war" with the shop steward.   (General rule was - you do one write-up, I'll file 10-15 grievances, and they had nothing but time on their side.  Think tort lawyers, only worse.)  This was the same place that I had four tires slashed during contract negotiations, other sups had their windows smashed, paint pour into and on their cars, another sup had his car burned.  (Like I said they respected and liked me.)

I even managed to get two of my worst fired.  I even had drivers thanking me for getting rid of those two.  That impressed the shop steward, business agent, and even earned me/the station a visit from the 705 local President and his "entourage".

Something about Lenin, or was it Stalin, and sticking in the knife until you hit steel, comes to mind.

*Junior Military Officers

^The average Airborne driver made more in a year then us Sups'.  It generally took about three years for a new driver to make full-time, then another four to make top scale, and they were limited to a max of 20 hours of OT a week (DOT rules= 60 hours max.).  Supervisors, on the other hand were not bound, by such trivialities.

[Scout26]

I don't recall if they crossed the "then" PC line.  They may have just tiptoed along it or they probably jumped over with both feet.   All I remember is her running from the dock into the office and my boss saying "Run her line too."      

Then once the sort was over and I had forcibly gotten all of my and her driver out onto the street, I do remember  going into the office where she was still sitting red-eyed in the bosses office.  Even the female Clerks (also 705 Teamsters) had no sympathy for her.

Like I said, you either had the backbone/discipline to get the job done or you got eaten.  I decided early on that I would give ulcers rather then get them.    

[MillCreek]

MC:

It is entirely possible to thoroughly break down the less-thick-skinned without ever crossing any of the PC red lines.  I've been on the receiving end from masters of the skill and then had to apply some of it when it was my turn to mold some young men into something Uncle Sam could use (and re-use, since they'd be better prepared to survive).

Ain't that the truth.

[MillCreek]

I would say up front that I have never been a union member in my life, since pretty much all my employment since leaving college has been professional/technical.  But member or not, I have to say that it would drive me frakkin' nuts to be in a job but not do it. I read stories about these people not actually doing the job, and I wonder how the heck you pull that off.  My own pride of workmanship would simply not allow me to do it.

Edited to add:  I know quite a few people who work at Boeing, are union members and are quite hard workers.  Boeing would be the largest unionized employer around here by far.

[MicroBalrog]

I would say up front that I have never been a union member in my life, since pretty much all my employment since leaving college has been professional/technical.  But member or not, I have to say that it would drive me frakkin' nuts to be in a job but not do it. I read stories about these people not actually doing the job, and I wonder how the heck you pull that off.  My own pride of workmanship would simply not allow me to do it.

No military service, I see?  

[no offense intended to veterans. I have seen, however, some truly fine examples of people being paid to do perfectly nothing...]

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

One week or less would be my bet.

i replaced a culinary school grad who lasted 11 mins in a union hotel in dc and it took exactly one 7 word sentence and a scowl to send him out the door so fast he left his street clothes in his locker and never came back.

he came in started barking commands like they taught him in cordon bleu and maxwell a 25 year vet there looked at him and said , "boy?! i'm not afraid of the penitentiary!" quietly to him.   game over. apparently that was his sop with the new pale managers. he tried it with me same quiet voice  i replied just as quietly as i halved the difference between us  "you should be afraid  when i am done with you i'd be renting you out in the showers for cigarette money." and kept working. he never gave me any trouble after that. the guy he scared off was physically much more substantial than me,  but no fight in the dog

[Scout26]

No military service, I see?  

[no offense intended to veterans. I have seen, however, some truly fine examples of people being paid to do perfectly nothing...]

MB,

There's a difference to getting paid to do nothing (as in military service), and having a job to do, basically refusing to do it, and still getting paid.

[Perd Hapley]

The real peace movement is populated by quite a large number of people with resolve and daring.  It is called the United States Armed Forces.  They do more to preserve and maintain peace here and abroad than any of those "peace" movements.

Of course.

[MicroBalrog]

MB,

There's a difference to getting paid to do nothing (as in military service), and having a job to do, basically refusing to do it, and still getting paid.

In my experience, soldiers, especially in non-combat ranks, are experts in avoiding work.

But more to the point in civilian life: I've seen it in mulitple workplaces that once the ethic of avoiding-work-at-all-costs infects a workplace, it will not help that a new employee is honest - they get 'corrupted' within days of arrival. Mostly I've seen this at security companies.

[drewtam]

In my experience, soldiers, especially in non-combat ranks, are experts in avoiding work.

But more to the point in civilian life: I've seen it in mulitple workplaces that once the ethic of avoiding-work-at-all-costs infects a workplace, it will not help that a new employee is honest - they get 'corrupted' within days of arrival. Mostly I've seen this at security companies.

Going off topic...
From what I have read of GM and my experience with ex-GM employees, I think MBs statement accurately describes that company's situation from factory to engineering to management. This is why GM will never be cost competitive. The only fix, as I see it, is hardcore bankruptcy with no bailouts of any kind.