maarsen

And how well did that work for the US in South and Central America?

Here in Canada no one is required to join a union in order to get a job. However, if you derive a benefit from being in a workplace represented by a union you do have to pay union dues. This principle has been enshrined in law here since the 1940s. You don't get a free ride by getting the benefits of a union without paying for it. Companies hire and fire workers. Unions just aquire them here.

As a union exec I dealt with members in my union who disliked unions. We did the best for them, getting them a wage increase denied to them for silly reasons for example, but the employer treated as badly or worse the non union workers in the same workplace. Paying union dues is a very good bargain.

This has been a problem in Healthcare for years. Covid just made it more obvious. Bad working conditions and low wages are the main reason. 12 hour shifts and constant shift work are hard. Weekend work is a constant and so is working part time at 2 or more jobs and not getting benefits. Unless the private operators offer better wages and working conditions, which I doubt will happen, all that will happen is even more workers will leave the field. Being designated as an essential service means healthcare workers can't strike for better wages or benefits and rely on arbitration for contract negotiations. I have been through this as a union exec enough times to know that getting a whole group of new managers who have no understanding of the existing contract language will be an utter shitstorm.

I was gently tweaking you.

So Poilievre is the new Conservative leader. I guess they were in a hurry to implode.

Apparently there is a video of Trump and his aides loading a plane with boxes of documents after he was told they needed to be returned. His buddy Conrad Black spent 2 years in prison for going the same. One can only hope.

I'd use a different phrase than burden.

Did the Russians take lessons from the Afghanistan army in how to advance to the rear in double time?

How does he square that with the nasty behaviour of those colonists back in 1776?

What? Leaving Parry Sound for Florence?

What? No loonies or toonies in your pocket?

I have been calling Trump a fucking idiot for years. Eventually that may stick.

The feelings are mutual, I suspect, for a large chunk of the Commonwealth. I used to tweak my English in-laws by saying Charles would likely have found work as a plumber's helper if he wasn't a royal.

No one is ever in complete control of anything. Does Putin fly every plane in Russia? Does he drive every vehicle? Does he manage every business or enterprise in Russia? Does he even attend every departmental meeting within the Kremlin? Putin may have the illusion of complete control but no chance in hell he actually has complete control.

Paxter I suspect that your income is high enough here in Canada that no refund is given. I am in that situation. When you file in Canada, if your income is below a certain point, the refund is automatically given. If I can find a link I will send it on.

Paxter the federal hovernment does give a GST rebate if your income is low enough.

Stuff like this makes me wonder about how well trained Putin actually was as a KGB agent.

It could also mean he has crypto to sell and is looking for suckers, judging by his past behaviour.

Does the eagle get frequent flier points?

You need a minimal amount of heat or your pipes freeze. Unless you drain and blow them out so all water pockets are eliminated. Anti freeze in the drain traps also.

Phrenology is due for a comeback in a big way. People are just dying for an excuse to fondle heads.

Just be glad they don't carry hockey sticks.

Stupid is as stupid does.

The solar system is the sun, Jupiter and some dust.