Unions, and the Dallas Police

I've yet to have a positive encounter with a union; it's my opinion that they're interested in maximizing their members' salaries (and coincidentally their Union Dues) and not as much in enhancing whatever profession is represented. I see them as bastions of inefficiency, but what do I know?

At a tradeshow in Detroit (years ago) I needed to move a $100 monitor about 20 yards, before the show started. This meant that I needed to work with the unions who were contracted to setup the show. I counted 7 people involved in moving that (20 pound?) monitor. I naively started to move it myself until The Union Guys made it very clear that this was their job. One Union Guy took my $100 monitor and placed it on a pallet, then Another Union Guy moved it with a forklift the 20 yards to the booth, then Another Union Guy (the unloader's union?) took it off the pallet, then Another Union Guy (electrician's union?) plugged the monitor into the wall socket. This doesn't count The Other Union Guys who kept detailed records of this Work Order (no, I'm not kidding). I never knew how much my company paid for those 7 people to do this backbreaking [sarcasm inferred] work, but I suspect it was a multiple of the cost of the monitor.

I almost had to join a union, many years ago, but didn't stay in the job long enough. It was explained that, if I accepted the position, I'd be required to join the union after 30 days. In hindsight, I'd classify that job as a weekend experiment that didn't work out (my boss was a classic Control Freak, and Gene Bob don't hunt that way).

In Dallas, the various Police Unions (representing about 2,900 officers) are divided along racial lines. The four biggest police officers unions (best I can figure) are: Dallas Police Association (mostly white, led by Glenn White); Dallas Police Patrolmen's Union (sadly, associated with reports of an associated telemarketing scam); the Texas Peace Officers Association (black, led by Malik Aziz) [this was the Texas Negro Peace Officers Association until 1955]; and the Latino Peace Officers Association (Hispanic, led by George Aranda). One of the problems that (new) Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle is dealing with is how to handle policing, when nearly every personnel decision is questioned by one police union or another; that has to be Frustrating (with a capital F).

Noteworthy: the Texas State Troopers Association [TSTA] is a real organization (their fundraisers show up as TSTA on CallerID), but reports are that most of their funds go to the telemarketers, not the police. I guess that's what happens when you outsource? The A to Z Charity Listing doesn't list the TSTA. Hmm.

And then (last but not least), while looking for the Dallas Police Department Management and Efficiency Study I wandered across this site: dallascrime.com which appears to be a front for the guy's security monitoring business. hmmm. yeah, yeah, I should plop that onto Sundry on Thursday .. so shoot me.