A union shop

[OldAirmail]

A dedicated Teamsters union worker was attending a convention in Las Vegas and decided to check out the, ummmmm.... "adult entertainment centers".

When he got to the first one, he asked the madam, "Is this a union house?"

"No," she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't."

"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.

Offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop. His search continued until finally he reached an adult entertainment center where the madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all union rules."

The man asked, "And, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The girls get $80 and the house gets $20."

"That's more like it!" the union man said.


He handed the madam $100, looked around the room, and pointed to a stunningly attractive green-eyed blonde.

"I'd like her," he said.

"I'm sure you would, sir," said the madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and according to union rules, she's next!"

[papituwall]

[ftldave]

The other side of the story, the one that management doesn't want you to think about:

92-year-old Ethel has union benefits, a retirement plan, paid days off, health care, dental care, and she can file a grievance if the house management tries to dictate unreasonable, exploitive work rules on the girls. And her union negotiates pay raises, so the owners and bosses aren't the only ones reaping financial rewards from the house earnings.

The $20 hooker has none of those things. She isn't in a union. Her only option if things become unbearable or she gets in hardship is to quit, go out on her own with no help except maybe a handout from Ethel. And if she gets a bad dose from one of her johns, she's got no medical coverage, faces financial ruin and destroyed health.

Of course, Ethel has common sense and understands how the system actually works. On the other hand, the $20 hooker may be pretty, but she's dumb as a rock.

[Hawkeye07]

The other side of the story, the one that management doesn't want you to think about:

92-year-old Ethel has union benefits, a retirement plan, paid days off, health care, dental care, and she can file a grievance if the house management tries to dictate unreasonable, exploitive work rules on the girls. And her union negotiates pay raises, so the owners and bosses aren't the only ones reaping financial rewards from the house earnings.

The $20 hooker has none of those things. She isn't in a union. Her only option if things become unbearable or she gets in hardship is to quit, go out on her own with no help except maybe a handout from Ethel. And if she gets a bad dose from one of her johns, she's got no medical coverage, faces financial ruin and destroyed health.

Of course, Ethel has common sense and understands how the system actually works. On the other hand, the $20 hooker may be pretty, but she's dumb as a rock.

And don't forget that if the union/management contract negotiations stall and the union decides to call a strike management will call in replacement workers (called "Scabs" by union members) who work for less money, fewer benefits and crappy work rules, not to mention the ability of management to fire any of them for whatever reason they feel like using.