During his Labor Day recording, Toppie discusses New York State Government corruption; unions, and a visit to the Smellie household by two union representatives who were originally mistaken for Mormons; also, a few words about the mysteries of capitalism and the economy. Finally Toppie ends it all with a look at Shirley Temple and Judy Garland who were contemporaries and rivals for the role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
Please send your e-mail to Smellcast@aol.com. Leave a comment right here on Toppie’s blog. Friend Toppie Smellie on Facebook.
Please click the link below to listen to the Smellcast, episode 109.
Tags: capitalism, corruption, economy, gay podcast, Judy Garland, Labor Day, politics, Shirley Temple, smellcast, three men in a room, toppie smellie, union reps, unions, Wizard of Oz
The Smellcast 
September 14, 2010 at 11:27 am |
I’m not exactly anti-union but the union I joined was toothless. I was only making $17K a year working at a university and my union dues were about $30 a month, which is a lot when you’re only making $17K a year.
Every year, the union rep would come around and tell us that the university refused to pay us any more money, “Those bastards!” And then he’d leave and show up again a year and $360 in dues later and tell us the same thing, pretending to be angry.
I came to realize that a union is a business that makes money off the backs of the workers which is exactly what union reps rail against. I figured I didn’t need to pay the union $360 a year to tell me I wasn’t getting a raise so I opted out of the union.
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September 14, 2010 at 5:01 pm |
Yes, toothless unions! So true! Good gravy, I wonder what the hell my dues were, back in the day?? $360 seems so steep. But yeah, I agree with your assessment of unions. Kinda useless in many circumstances — in many companies. And that’s one of the things the union reps who visited me were so slick about! They wanted me to know that criticisms of union dues and that unions were sort of irrelevant just couldn’t be further from the truth!!! God damn slickey-boys! Oh they left such a distaste in my mouth! Waitaminute… that sounded sort of weird… I don’t mean to imply that I… oh never mind. Ha! Great comment Mark — thanks!
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