In a message dated 9/16/2002 2:03:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

>  How do those unions (Medical
>  Associations, the Bar?) leverage better pay for their members?
Actually, the bar and medical associations are a way for the professions to
police themselves and certify that said person has a certain level of skills
and continuing education. It's a way of protecting the consumer- your doctor
will know the most recent medications and your lawyer will be up to date on
court decisions. Their fear is if they don't do it, the government will. With
the advent of managed care, medical associations are just beginning to wade
into the area of cost management. Becoming a doctor is no longer a guarantee
path to wealth

The golden age of unions was the Depression Era, where clearly there was
plenty of people waiting to fill empty spots. But those professions that were
unionized for employment regualtion purposes such as  autoworkers, steel
workers, etc. worked for companies that made billions each year, which
seemingly went into the owners' pockets. If museum workeds fight for more
money, where does it come from?  At whose expense?

Every few months we do this circle dance, "we should get paid more/ how can
we live so cheaply/ our jobs are essential to the community/ there are no
museum jobs/ I need a museum job and will do anything to get it/ I love my
job." We've never found the answer, but I question in the end if it is worth
it. We have great jobs. True, there is not much money and the hours stink and
the benefits are often nonexistent. But for the most part, we have really
cool jobs that are a joy to goto every day. We get to do interesting things
and have perks that no other profession has. And a lot of people want those
jobs, many who are just as qualified as the rest of us (I know I am!). If you
want to become rich, do something else. You might not find it as satisfying,
or as interesting, but you'll have the money to buy excitement in your off
hours. You can always volunteer at a museum on weekends.

And as an unofficial plug, a good book on the history of the labor movement
came out last year- it's by an old professor of mine, Priscilla Murolo called
"From the Folks Who Gave You the Weekend."

Pamela

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