NFL ref strike

The NFL referee strike reveals some things about unions and strikes.The general public usually knows little about the businesses and workers and issues involved in a strike.But the public knows about football.This strike shows us what a union can do and why strikes occur.

How would refs be treated without the union?How were they treated before they unionized?I always think back to the '50's and '60's when talking about unions(when they had strength).Since sports related unions are relatively new,this strike is similar to strikes then.It reveals why unions were beneficial to workers and why group action was needed to counter exploitation.

The first thing that is revealed is that union workers are usually better than non-union workers.It's not easy to simply replace the workers.Also apparent is the propensity for companies to run roughshod over workers,especially corporations or a conglomorate of owners(NFL)-pay them as little as possible,allow no benefits or as little as as it takes to keep the workers(usually because of unionized competitors),pick and choose workers with no regard to descrimination,favoritism,etc.

The NFL strike allows us to look at  potential employer greed and their disregard for employees.We've seen examples of this disregard as unions have declined and are eliminated.Employers are very good at exploiting public opinion.They do it with reverse psychology.They publicize benefits that their employees have that others don't as if they don't deserve them...and the public responds as if they don't deserve them.Instead of thinking that they should have the same benefits,they sympathize with the employers-illogical,but that's what happens.You'd think that they would want a union and those benefits,but it seems to work in reverse-crazy.

The NFL strike ended because the replacement workers couldn't replace;not unusual,but much more visible because it's the NFL.As I stated before ,union employees are usually better,simply because union protection allows them to gain experience.

Unions aren't perfect,but they're necessary to counter employer exploitation,discrimination,and greed-especially greed .employees should benefit from company success and the only way to do it  is with organization.Without it almost all profit goes to managerial salaries and bonuses.

Unions are necessary!The NFL strike is an example.