I figured out why US pharmacists are prone to accepting being abused...

[museabuse]

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This is the perfect example of why unionized pharmacy will fail. Patients are not stupid, once they realize that their pharmacy is charging more for their prescriptions while they get less effort from a pharmacist then they will go elsewhere. Why else is the USPS losing business to FedEx and UPS?

".

Isn't ups unionized? I am pretty sure it is because I have a pt that gets brand EVERYTHING for $2.50 and they work for UPS, this would not happen with a non unionized plan. I thought usps is failIng because of email and Internet.

Anyways I think it's too late to unionize, it needed to be done while there was a shortage.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

So let me get this straight.

A union will either help pharmacists get better working conditions (the main concern) and potentially better wages (a nice side-quest I guess, but nobody is whining about money as much as conditions...)

or

It will "destroy" the corporations that employ us.

---

Ok, I'm waiting for the bad part.

What, does anyone actually think we need CVS or Rite Aid around? Back in the day, we used to do this **** ourselves. It was a lot better. We don't need these useless middle men. If the above are the two theoretical "end game" scenarios, I don't see how we could lose, quite frankly.

I just don't get how conceding all leverage to the employers is a great idea. At all.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Isn't ups unionized?

Yes. My steppops got fired from there. Which apparently couldn't have happened because of his union. lmao...

 

[yappy]

I worked for UPS for a winter break... they are a great organization. My driver got paid 44/hr and 1.5 for overtime during peak season. If we finished early via working hard he received a bonus that would bring his day pay to equal an eight hour day.

I honestly don't get where renetto is coming from. Unions have been great in my experience. Its almost like you're a brainwashed "Reaganite". What you don't realize is that the money you as a pharmacist are not getting paid or the renevue you're generating by working in insane working conditions is being collected by big business. Its not a matter of screwing the patient its getting what you've worked for/earned.

I know from experience that left unchecked, an employer will screw you over every time. I used to work as a paramedic for a large private ambulance company... We were paid 12.50/hr. No lunch break and would run calls ALL day which meant being on the road ALL day (we were provided no stations). We would average 12-13 calls in a 12 hour period.
My fire department paramedic brothers averaged 6 calls per 24 hr shift, were provided comfortable stations with gyms, kitchens, and bathrooms, were paid over twice as much, and had great pension plans.

Same job, difference? UNION!

 

[renetto]

Poor working conditions? No breaks? Why are you complaining when this is exactly what you deserve? You guys take these jobs and continue on and on and on and never move to somewhere better.

 

[SZ251]

UAW killed the American Automotive Industry? I always assumed it was because Ford and Chev made s**t cars (as of recent).

Oh yea, and for giggles

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/25/ford-china-plant-automake_n_299629.html

Not to get into a big argument here, but I believe that you are right that the industry died because Ford and Chevy made **** cars. However, they (in part) were making **** cars because they couldn't afford to make a quality car that was competitively priced to it's foreign counterparts because of the high cost of manufacturing (due to the higher wages and expensive benefits they had to pay the workers).

I'm not saying that I'm against UAW workers getting paid fairly, nor am I against paying more money for a crappier car.....just that the UAW was/is partially responsible for crippling the American auto industry.

 

[SZ251]

So... without a union, how can we pharmacists go on strike if we don't like conditions or pay. Think about it, if all pharmacists go on strike, we could cause an insane amount of havoc.

My only concern would be the huge amount of unwanted, negative publicity it would bring pharmacists.

One of my professors once told us that "your job as a pharmacist is only protected by 4 lines of legislation" (meaning the law stating that a pharmacist must check all prescriptions filled). His point was that if public perception turned on us, it would be very easy for big corporations to push an amendment for something like a "tech check tech" program that would eliminate the need for pharmacists all together.

Obviously this is an extreme situation (and I'm not trying to scare anyone), but it's important to realize the full implications of what a strike might do.

 

[genesis09]

GM/Ford and other American auto makers state close to $2000 of the cost of a car made in the U.S. goes to employee benefits/salaries. These same manufacturers state outside of the U.S. they can make the same car at a fraction of the employee related costs. Also, people perceive, rightfully or wrongfully, foreign made cars are superior.

 

[type b pharmD]

GM/Ford and other American auto makers state close to $2000 of the cost of a car made in the U.S. goes to employee benefits/salaries. These same manufacturers state outside of the U.S. they can make the same car at a fraction of the employee related costs. Also, people perceive, rightfully or wrongfully, foreign made cars are superior.

SOME people's views are changing, especially with the toyota disaster. I know a lot of people who drove hondas in high school but after getting their first jobs most of them bought american cars, even though more of their money was going to the unions. Also you probably have more people who want to support the economy now with the whole industrial collapse thing - thats why i'll be buying a ford for the rest of my life, although the way the company is run and the new quality level in their cars has a lot to do with it too.

/ramble

 

[Sparda29]

SOME people's views are changing, especially with the toyota disaster. I know a lot of people who drove hondas in high school but after getting their first jobs most of them bought american cars, even though more of their money was going to the unions. Also you probably have more people who want to support the economy now with the whole industrial collapse thing - thats why i'll be buying a ford for the rest of my life, although the way the company is run and the new quality level in their cars has a lot to do with it too.

/ramble

Ford's the only decent American car company right now, I really love the new Taurus. But, I'm probably going to stick to German cars for the rest of my life.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Ford's the only decent American car company right now, I really love the new Taurus. But, I'm probably going to stick to German cars for the rest of my life.

I only buy Ford. To hell with everyone else.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Poor working conditions? No breaks? Why are you complaining when this is exactly what you deserve? You guys take these jobs and continue on and on and on and never move to somewhere better.

Well, I am a hospital pharmacist. I refuse to work for those corporations without several guarantees in writing or union protection, so I'm not sure who you are talking about. And when a few corporations have a ridiculous amount of leverage, it can be tough to break out of their sphere of influence.

 

[genesis09]

SOME people's views are changing, especially with the toyota disaster. I know a lot of people who drove hondas in high school but after getting their first jobs most of them bought american cars, even though more of their money was going to the unions. Also you probably have more people who want to support the economy now with the whole industrial collapse thing - thats why i'll be buying a ford for the rest of my life, although the way the company is run and the new quality level in their cars has a lot to do with it too.

/ramble

Perception is an important part of consumerism. At one time, I believe Pontiac/Toyota made an agreement to make more or less the same car. The only differences were cosmetic. However, the Toyota version cost more and retained value better.
Right now, I have a Saturn. It's not fancy, but it does the job. Thus far, I haven't had any unusual issues with it. Its battery just died, and it'll need new tires by the fall, but these are issues which any 8 year old car will have.
If you work at Walgreens, you do get a discount if you buy a Ford, GM, or Chrysler product.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Interestingly, Ford apparently beat everyone in the latest JD Power reliability ratings. Except Porsche, but they are for a completely different segment. The company after Ford? Buick.

Unionized, 'Murican industry is making a comeback, bitches.

 

[litetigre]

Poor working conditions? No breaks? Why are you complaining when this is exactly what you deserve? You guys take these jobs and continue on and on and on and never move to somewhere better.

Your argument is flawed that as a human you can work non-stop and expected to spit out the same result every single time. I agree that if you take a public career you should be dedicated espcially if you are paramedic. However, like I said before if a good employer provide overlap so that employees can take turn have lunch and breaks, the quality of care is greatly preserved. Just think about it, if you say they don't need break, why don't just let pharmacist work 3 day /12h straight then off 4 days? Let see how many mistakes and errors will be made. When you work as a health care professional, I strongly believe public safety is the foremost important issue as much as the worker's benefits.

 

[IrishHammer]

Ford's the only decent American car company right now, I really love the new Taurus. But, I'm probably going to stick to German cars for the rest of my life.

I'm still a Cadillac guy, even if some of GM's other products aren't so great at the moment.

 

[Sparda29]

I'm still a Cadillac guy, even if some of GM's other products aren't so great at the moment.

I drove the Chrysler 300 a couple months back when my VW CC was in the body shop because some ******* in a BMW M6 opened his door as I was driving by. Unfortunately, the car that they gave me was a WEAK V6. A car as big as the Chrysler 300 should come STANDARD with at least a 350HP V8.

I loved how comfortable it was (well my grandparents loved it a lot more). The ride in my VW is pretty rough, but then again that's the trade off you make when you're going for performance with a stiff suspension.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I drove the Chrysler 300 a couple months back when my VW CC was in the body shop because some ******* in a BMW M6 opened his door as I was driving by. Unfortunately, the car that they gave me was a WEAK V6. A car as big as the Chrysler 300 should come STANDARD with at least a 350HP V8.

I loved how comfortable it was (well my grandparents loved it a lot more). The ride in my VW is pretty rough, but then again that's the trade off you make when you're going for performance with a stiff suspension.

Eff that gimme a boat. Someone buy me a Lincoln Towncar..