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Re: (TV) Amazon.com



I don't know about BN.com, maybe others don't know about them  too. But
Iheard about what was happening at Amazon on UK national radio and then I
got the email via a faction of my union in which I am active. If I had
received something similar about BN.com I would have circulated that as
well. Also, Amazon have been mentioned on this list before and I was
disappointed to find that to get Richard Lloyd's new album yu are directed
to Upsetter or Amazon!! So in a way it is very relevant to this list.

As for 'the only thing that
>prevents employees from unionizing is the employees, who in most cases are
>just too damn lazy and well off to give a rat's posterior'
That could be the case for some but, as far as the UK is concerned I don't
think that is too common. Ray has actually hit on one of the main problems.
He mentions short term contracts which are now prevalent. People are scared
to put their heads above the parapet. If they try to unionize, come the end
of their contract they'll be out on the dole. Yes unemployment has reduced
dramatically but if you lose a half decently paid job you'll end up with
something paying minimum wage, and who can afford that.What I find very
depressing is working people who are in unions continuing to put up with
crap from employers Unfortunately since Thatcher the employers have had even
more than usual of their own way. But swings and roundabouts. Working people
will come eventually revolt--you have to have faith.
I could go on but I don't want to get kicked off the list for talking
politics.
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Olcsvary <olcsvary@icehouse.net>
To: tv@obbard.com <tv@obbard.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 6:08 PM
Subject: Re: (TV) Amazon.com


>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Philip P. Obbard"
>BN.com has *also* prevented
>> its employees from unionizing. Yet I don't hear anyone bashing BN (except
>my
>> girlfriend, who works for them), or rallying against them in Seattle.
>Instead,
>> I see internet petitions against Amazon! It's like missing the forest for
>the
>> trees.
>
>In my experience - and my last job was a union gig - the only thing that
>prevents employees from unionizing is the employees, who in most cases are
>just too damn lazy and well off to give a rat's posterior.  Also, I don't
>think Barnes and Noble is asking employees to work unpaid, nor do they
>evangelize their company like it's the second coming of Scientology (and
>doesn't that sound scary?).
>
>Did Sears crush all the mom-n-pop stores? Hardly -
>> Sears has narrowly avoided bankruptcy in this past decade. (As my friend
>used
>> to say about his own company, "I'm afraid we're going to turn into
Sears -
>> doing lots of things, but not doing any of them well.")
>
>Granted, Sears almost bit the big one, however, Home Depot and Wal-Mart are
>other stories.  A Home Depot opened here not far from where I live - now
the
>local hardware store is holding it's 90% off inventory reduction/quitting
>business sale.
>
>As an aside... I find the Seattle protests very odd. They were more
>virulent, and got more attention, than protests now over the US election.
>
>Are you referring to the anniversary protests two weeks ago?  They weren't
>anything near approaching violent - the police went out of their way to be
>cooperative and took a lot of crap (I was downtown that day) they didn't
>deserve.  The protesters had use of the street till 9 PM - then a small
>minority refused to move.  However, it looked like dynamite on TV, all the
>flashing lights and uniforms and stuff, didn't it?  First rule of TV
>journalism is "Lead with the fire - or the closest thing to one."  By the
>way, we have pro-Bush/Gore protesters in Westlake Center (the downtown
>retail core) every day - the only reason you don't see them is because
>they're fairly well mannered for being so obnoxious.
>And the final irony - I have an interview at Nordstrom.com tomorrow.
>
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