LOS ANGELES – If Safeway and its CEO Steve Burd have their way, the 21st century will have conditions more like the 19th century for working families, said Connie Leyva, president of Local 1428 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, speaking to a panel led by four Democratic California congresspeople.

The panel was convened Feb. 13 at Loyola Marymount University here to examine the impact on working families of the five-month old strike and lockout of 70,000 Southern California grocery workers.

Leyva stated that under the employers’ proposal, the low-paid grocery workers will not be able to afford adequate health care for themselves and their families, nor will they qualify for MediCal (California’s Medicaid program). New workers would probably end up with no health care at all and would soon replace the protected union workers, making for more Wal-Mart-style jobs.

The California Grocers Association calls their concept a “new model of competition and worker-community cooperation.” But Leyva says it aims to create “a whole underclass of employees that puts a big target on our back.”

Rep. George Miller was more blunt. “Your new model of a competitive market and community, frankly, sucks!” he said, addressing the supermarket chains’ management, which had failed to show up.

Republican legislators were also no-shows, but hundreds of grocery workers filled the meeting hall to hear from union representatives and the congresspeople.

Rep. Linda Sanchez commended her colleague, Rep. Miller, for his eloquence, pointing to the trend for more and more corporate thievery by dumping health care for the workers and leaving them in part-time, underpaid jobs with no security or benefits.

Miller discounted the companies’ excuse of competition from nonunion Wal-Mart.

“Of course the prices at Wal-Mart and Costco are cheaper,” he said. “They stole it. This is the model for many corporations today.” Also participating in the panel were Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Grace Napolitano.

Across town a day earlier, Longshore Local 13 members presented 272 individual checks totaling $100,000 to members of striking and locked-out UFCW locals who otherwise would lose their health care when their benefits expire at the end of the month.

And on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 16, grocery workers and supporters literally rolled up their sleeves to donate to a blood drive as a way to say thank you to the people of Southern California who have supported their battle to “hold the line on health care.” According to a report from the Associated Press, Safeway is losing at least $20 million a month as a result of the strike.

Roberta Wood contributed to this story.
The author can be reached at kelsdrumr@webtv.net.


Originally published by the People’s Weekly World
www.pww.org

You are not seeing the Forest Through the Trees!
You are not seeing the "Forest Trough the Trees"

I am not saying that Unions are Evil, but times have been changing. With labor laws that have been instituted by our Governments, (ie Federal, State, and Local) You the employee have been given huge power to influence your employer. Granted many of these laws are the direct result of Union intervention. I do have to thank the Unions for that. Especially when I was young and growing up, 50 some years ago.

Now it seems that the Unions are only negotiating contract between employees and employers. I do not see the Unions working for employee safety as they once did. I feel that this is wrong. I see the Unions giving the workers the false impression that they could not talk to their employer with out their intervention. The unions are only pointing out how your employers are doing you wrong.

Being self-employed for almost 30 years, I do see both sides of the story. I know many of you may argue with me. I have over 150 employees in MY care. With that comes much responsibility. I have a responsibility to all of my employees, I also have to meet all AQMD requirements, Safety requirements (CAL-OSHA), Licenses, Permits, Insurance requirements (I have 16 policies), Legal Retainers, Property Taxes, State, Federal, and Local Taxes, Fines if I over look anything. (The Government has no heart when it comes to errors. although I can not fine them if they make an error.) Customer satisfaction, and also my needs. (Sometimes I do not pay myself when money is tight!)

Fortunately I do not have a Union to deal with. I feel if I did I would just close up my business today, and over 150 people would be out of work tomorrow. I will run my business my way. I worked hard to build it! I will not have a Union tell me how to run it! Period! And believe me. The TEAMSTERS tried! Twice! My employees saw they have a "Damn Good Deal!".

Not one of my employees earns the same salary as another employee. All of my employees receive their raises based on merit. I know if my employees did not work on the Merit basis all incentive to do better would be lost. A hard working employee would be paid the same as an employee that was doing enough just to get by. It is also possible that the hard working employee would not have the seniority of the less productive employee. This is where Unions are ruining America. I would see my customers going to my competitor if I had to run my business according to Union Rules.

Now, as for the employers that you work for, You say it is "Corporate Greed" that is the cause of all of this. Keep in mind, your employer has all the responsibility that I have! But! They have one more responsibility! They have to answer to their "Share Holders"! The majority of their Share Holders are investors for retirement accounts! Maybe your retirement account is a Mutual Fund that is invested your own employer. You may be hurting your self twice. Also too you have greed. Look what you have done to your community demanding what others do not have. If you want lower health care, Stop funding non-citizens health care and schooling benefits. If a non-citizen uses taxpayer services send the bill to their country. We do not owe non-citizens an education or health services. "Charity starts in the home!" Remember that saying?

The majority of my employees are movers and shakers. I have two women who have worked for me for most of the 30 years as secretaries. I have taken care of them to ensure they have a nest egg to take care of them in their later years. I as well as my employees have to take classes BI-annually (Every two years) to stay current in our profession. All of my employees must pay for their own classes and license fees. These classes cost in the thousands, and take them away from their friends and families for three weeks out of the year. (One week in the summer and two in the winter.) I do give them zero interest loans to help. By law I do not have to do this. It would be illegal to hire them if they were not current with their license's and classes.

On the insurance issue for my employees, My employees are not destitute or dying because they must contribute to their health care. Actually I feel that they respect it more. My floor manager lives next to a Federal Employee. They have 100% coverage. My floor manager and I have talked about the abuse this man and his family have for their health care plan. The Father Demanded an X-Ray on his son's hand when the Doctor indicated it was nothing more than a sprained finger. The father got his X-Ray and the Doctor was correct in his diagnosis. It indeed was a sprained finger. Having to pay a co-pay, deductible, or prescription service stops abuse of this service. If it costs, you respect it more than something just handed to you.

One thing many people do not understand. Healthcare is not a right. So the people carrying those signs that read "Health Care is a RIGHT!" are clueless. Congress in the 1960's voted that emergency services could not be denied. No where is it mentioned in the "U.S. Constitution" or in the "Bill of Rights" about it being a right. Health care is a perk offered by an employer. No different than a "Stock Option" or a "Matching Retirement Plan". An employer can be sent to jail for not honoring an employees "Civil Rights" An employer can not be sent to jail for not funding health insurance for his/her employees. If so, I would be in jail for not funding health insurance for the first six years I was in business. (Whew!) My business would have never survived if I did.

My company could not afford to pay 100% of all my employees' families medical costs. I would have to raise the cost of our services to the point my clients (Customers) would go somewhere else. This is no different in the Supermarket arena. Higher priced stores soon go under when places like Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Smart -n- Final, 99cent only, and Costco move in to the neighborhood.

I would not be happy being a UFCW worker. My intention in life was to advance as far as I could. I could not work where someone told me how much I am worth and how much I should be paid for my labors. Neither would any of my employees. I worked hard to get to where I am in life. Some of my employees have left me and started their own companies. They leave with my blessings. Some have come back. I welcome them when they do. Not every one is cut out the same way.

Many Union Managers make six digit salaries. Is this not taking monies from the workers? I know the employees of the Union have to pay into their medical and dental account. How can these actions be OK when leaders of large corporations are heckled for salaries with much more responsibility?

I know the majority of you do not want to go beyond scanning items into a computer terminal, or stocking shelves. That is not a crime. Times are changing you may not have the opportunity to do that job much longer. You will have to re-train yourself for another job. Self-check out stands are coming is the near future. "Home Depot" already has them. How many tellers were laid off due to the ATM Machine? The railroad needed stokers for their trains and one brakeman for each car along with the Engineer. It took sometimes over 20 people to have a train go from place "A" to place "B". Now only one man runs a train. Maybe two.

In Japan I saw a robot that stocked shelves and took inventory. This machine worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It may be coming here. (No it did not get a Christmas Bonus for putting in 24-hour days!) Everyone says Japanese and European cars are better than U.S. Built cars. Look at "Consumer Reports". Why are Union Worker built cars not as well built as cars built on foreign soil. Do you see anymore U.S. built electronics? Would you buy them to save the American Worker even though the cost would be much higher due to higher wages paid to Union Workers? The $250 TV may cost over $600 if it were totally built in the U.S. No you Union workers are proud you bought your TV for $20 less than your friend at Costco! Did you think of the Union worker that did not build that TV? Did you gloat thinking about your savings? Did you tell everyone you knew?

When I was watching the News Last night, workers were told they could call a "Hot Line" that would take them to the "War Room"! What in God's name is that? When I looked up the Union site; there it was right on top! "War Room" (213) 487-7070 War Room ext.9! I looked up over 40 Locals! Half of them had the term War Room somewhere in their pages. How sad. There is not one of my employees that can not go to his/her supervisor with a complaint or question. I have handled personally many complaints from the janitors of my business to the Floor managers. The door to my managers as well as MY DOOR is always open! When I said I had over 150 employees I should have said close to 200 is the more realistic figure, and no one is at war with anybody under my employment.

It is funny. Before the strike I was friends with many of the Albertson's employees. Now I am hated for trying to keep my life normal. There are items that only Albertson's sells. Would any of the Albertson's Union Employees come to my calling when I get License hikes or unfair fines from the Government? I do not think so!

When Albertson's employees life was normal 80% of them drove Japanese, European, or Saturn cars. (Hmmm Non-Union made cars?) What are they telling their brothers and sisters that are UAW? Now that they are not working they are telling me to shop Non-Union Stores like "Trader-Joe's", Northgate" or "Sam's Club". (Hmmm? Non-Union Stores?) Shoot yourself in the other foot! I have no Stater Brother's in my area so I guess it would be hard to go there. But I do have a Wal-Mart, Trader-Joe's, Northgate, and a Target!!

Thank you for your time
Michael V.

You are not seeing the "Forest Trough the Trees"

I am not saying that Unions are Evil, but times have been changing. With labor laws that have been instituted by our Governments, (ie Federal, State, and Local) You the employee have been given huge power to influence your employer. Granted many of these laws are the direct result of Union intervention. I do have to thank the Unions for that. Especially when I was young and growing up, 50 some years ago.

Now it seems that the Unions are only negotiating contract between employees and employers. I do not see the Unions working for employee safety as they once did. I feel that this is wrong. I see the Unions giving the workers the false impression that they could not talk to their employer with out their intervention. The unions are only pointing out how your employers are doing you wrong.

Being self-employed for almost 30 years, I do see both sides of the story. I know many of you may argue with me. I have over 150 employees in MY care. With that comes much responsibility. I have a responsibility to all of my employees, I also have to meet all AQMD requirements, Safety requirements (CAL-OSHA), Licenses, Permits, Insurance requirements (I have 16 policies), Legal Retainers, Property Taxes, State, Federal, and Local Taxes, Fines if I over look anything. (The Government has no heart when it comes to errors. although I can not fine them if they make an error.) Customer satisfaction, and also my needs. (Sometimes I do not pay myself when money is tight!)

Fortunately I do not have a Union to deal with. I feel if I did I would just close up my business today, and over 150 people would be out of work tomorrow. I will run my business my way. I worked hard to build it! I will not have a Union tell me how to run it! Period! And believe me. The TEAMSTERS tried! Twice! My employees saw they have a "Damn Good Deal!".

Not one of my employees earns the same salary as another employee. All of my employees receive their raises based on merit. I know if my employees did not work on the Merit basis all incentive to do better would be lost. A hard working employee would be paid the same as an employee that was doing enough just to get by. It is also possible that the hard working employee would not have the seniority of the less productive employee. This is where Unions are ruining America. I would see my customers going to my competitor if I had to run my business according to Union Rules.

Now, as for the employers that you work for, You say it is "Corporate Greed" that is the cause of all of this. Keep in mind, your employer has all the responsibility that I have! But! They have one more responsibility! They have to answer to their "Share Holders"! The majority of their Share Holders are investors for retirement accounts! Maybe your retirement account is a Mutual Fund that is invested your own employer. You may be hurting your self twice. Also too you have greed. Look what you have done to your community demanding what others do not have. If you want lower health care, Stop funding non-citizens health care and schooling benefits. If a non-citizen uses taxpayer services send the bill to their country. We do not owe non-citizens an education or health services. "Charity starts in the home!" Remember that saying?

The majority of my employees are movers and shakers. I have two women who have worked for me for most of the 30 years as secretaries. I have taken care of them to ensure they have a nest egg to take care of them in their later years. I as well as my employees have to take classes BI-annually (Every two years) to stay current in our profession. All of my employees must pay for their own classes and license fees. These classes cost in the thousands, and take them away from their friends and families for three weeks out of the year. (One week in the summer and two in the winter.) I do give them zero interest loans to help. By law I do not have to do this. It would be illegal to hire them if they were not current with their license's and classes.

On the insurance issue for my employees, My employees are not destitute or dying because they must contribute to their health care. Actually I feel that they respect it more. My floor manager lives next to a Federal Employee. They have 100% coverage. My floor manager and I have talked about the abuse this man and his family have for their health care plan. The Father Demanded an X-Ray on his son's hand when the Doctor indicated it was nothing more than a sprained finger. The father got his X-Ray and the Doctor was correct in his diagnosis. It indeed was a sprained finger. Having to pay a co-pay, deductible, or prescription service stops abuse of this service. If it costs, you respect it more than something just handed to you.

One thing many people do not understand. Healthcare is not a right. So the people carrying those signs that read "Health Care is a RIGHT!" are clueless. Congress in the 1960's voted that emergency services could not be denied. No where is it mentioned in the "U.S. Constitution" or in the "Bill of Rights" about it being a right. Health care is a perk offered by an employer. No different than a "Stock Option" or a "Matching Retirement Plan". An employer can be sent to jail for not honoring an employees "Civil Rights" An employer can not be sent to jail for not funding health insurance for his/her employees. If so, I would be in jail for not funding health insurance for the first six years I was in business. (Whew!) My business would have never survived if I did.

My company could not afford to pay 100% of all my employees’ families medical costs. I would have to raise the cost of our services to the point my clients (Customers) would go somewhere else. This is no different in the Supermarket arena. Higher priced stores soon go under when places like Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Smart -n- Final, 99cent only, and Costco move in to the neighborhood.

I would not be happy being a UFCW worker. My intention in life was to advance as far as I could. I could not work where someone told me how much I am worth and how much I should be paid for my labors. Neither would any of my employees. I worked hard to get to where I am in life. Some of my employees have left me and started their own companies. They leave with my blessings. Some have come back. I welcome them when they do. Not every one is cut out the same way.

Many Union Managers make six digit salaries. Is this not taking monies from the workers? I know the employees of the Union have to pay into their medical and dental account. How can these actions be OK when leaders of large corporations are heckled for salaries with much more responsibility?

I know the majority of you do not want to go beyond scanning items into a computer terminal, or stocking shelves. That is not a crime. Times are changing you may not have the opportunity to do that job much longer. You will have to re-train yourself for another job. Self-check out stands are coming is the near future. "Home Depot" already has them. How many tellers were laid off due to the ATM Machine? The railroad needed stokers for their trains and one brakeman for each car along with the Engineer. It took sometimes over 20 people to have a train go from place "A" to place "B". Now only one man runs a train. Maybe two.

In Japan I saw a robot that stocked shelves and took inventory. This machine worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It may be coming here. (No it did not get a Christmas Bonus for putting in 24-hour days!) Everyone says Japanese and European cars are better than U.S. Built cars. Look at “Consumer Reports”. Why are Union Worker built cars not as well built as cars built on foreign soil. Do you see anymore U.S. built electronics? Would you buy them to save the American Worker even though the cost would be much higher due to higher wages paid to Union Workers? The $250 TV may cost over $600 if it were totally built in the U.S. No you Union workers are proud you bought your TV for $20 less than your friend at Costco! Did you think of the Union worker that did not build that TV? Did you gloat thinking about your savings? Did you tell everyone you knew?

When I was watching the News Last night, workers were told they could call a "Hot Line" that would take them to the "War Room"! What in God's name is that? When I looked up the Union site; there it was right on top! "War Room" (213) 487-7070 War Room ext.9! I looked up over 40 Locals! Half of them had the term War Room somewhere in their pages. How sad. There is not one of my employees that can not go to his/her supervisor with a complaint or question. I have handled personally many complaints from the janitors of my business to the Floor managers. The door to my managers as well as MY DOOR is always open! When I said I had over 150 employees I should have said close to 200 is the more realistic figure, and no one is at war with anybody under my employment.

It is funny. Before the strike I was friends with many of the Albertson's employees. Now I am hated for trying to keep my life normal. There are items that only Albertson's sells. Would any of the Albertson's Union Employees come to my calling when I get License hikes or unfair fines from the Government? I do not think so!

When Albertson's employees life was normal 80% of them drove Japanese, European, or Saturn cars. (Hmmm Non-Union made cars?) What are they telling their brothers and sisters that are UAW? Now that they are not working they are telling me to shop Non-Union Stores like "Trader-Joe's", Northgate" or "Sam's Club". (Hmmm? Non-Union Stores?) Shoot yourself in the other foot! I have no Stater Brother's in my area so I guess it would be hard to go there. But I do have a Wal-Mart, Trader-Joe’s, Northgate, and a Target!!

Thank you for your time
Michael V.


You are not seeing the "Forest Trough the Trees"

I am not saying that Unions are Evil, but times have been changing. With labor laws that have been instituted by our Governments, (ie Federal, State, and Local) You the employee have been given huge power to influence your employer. Granted many of these laws are the direct result of Union intervention. I do have to thank the Unions for that. Especially when I was young and growing up, 50 some years ago.

Now it seems that the Unions are only negotiating contract between employees and employers. I do not see the Unions working for employee safety as they once did. I feel that this is wrong. I see the Unions giving the workers the false impression that they could not talk to their employer with out their intervention. The unions are only pointing out how your employers are doing you wrong.

Being self-employed for almost 30 years, I do see both sides of the story. I know many of you may argue with me. I have over 150 employees in MY care. With that comes much responsibility. I have a responsibility to all of my employees, I also have to meet all AQMD requirements, Safety requirements (CAL-OSHA), Licenses, Permits, Insurance requirements (I have 16 policies), Legal Retainers, Property Taxes, State, Federal, and Local Taxes, Fines if I over look anything. (The Government has no heart when it comes to errors. although I can not fine them if they make an error.) Customer satisfaction, and also my needs. (Sometimes I do not pay myself when money is tight!)

Fortunately I do not have a Union to deal with. I feel if I did I would just close up my business today, and over 150 people would be out of work tomorrow. I will run my business my way. I worked hard to build it! I will not have a Union tell me how to run it! Period! And believe me. The TEAMSTERS tried! Twice! My employees saw they have a "Damn Good Deal!".

Not one of my employees earns the same salary as another employee. All of my employees receive their raises based on merit. I know if my employees did not work on the Merit basis all incentive to do better would be lost. A hard working employee would be paid the same as an employee that was doing enough just to get by. It is also possible that the hard working employee would not have the seniority of the less productive employee. This is where Unions are ruining America. I would see my customers going to my competitor if I had to run my business according to Union Rules.

Now, as for the employers that you work for, You say it is "Corporate Greed" that is the cause of all of this. Keep in mind, your employer has all the responsibility that I have! But! They have one more responsibility! They have to answer to their "Share Holders"! The majority of their Share Holders are investors for retirement accounts! Maybe your retirement account is a Mutual Fund that is invested your own employer. You may be hurting your self twice. Also too you have greed. Look what you have done to your community demanding what others do not have. If you want lower health care, Stop funding non-citizens health care and schooling benefits. If a non-citizen uses taxpayer services send the bill to their country. We do not owe non-citizens an education or health services. "Charity starts in the home!" Remember that saying?

The majority of my employees are movers and shakers. I have two women who have worked for me for most of the 30 years as secretaries. I have taken care of them to ensure they have a nest egg to take care of them in their later years. I as well as my employees have to take classes BI-annually (Every two years) to stay current in our profession. All of my employees must pay for their own classes and license fees. These classes cost in the thousands, and take them away from their friends and families for three weeks out of the year. (One week in the summer and two in the winter.) I do give them zero interest loans to help. By law I do not have to do this. It would be illegal to hire them if they were not current with their license's and classes.

On the insurance issue for my employees, My employees are not destitute or dying because they must contribute to their health care. Actually I feel that they respect it more. My floor manager lives next to a Federal Employee. They have 100% coverage. My floor manager and I have talked about the abuse this man and his family have for their health care plan. The Father Demanded an X-Ray on his son's hand when the Doctor indicated it was nothing more than a sprained finger. The father got his X-Ray and the Doctor was correct in his diagnosis. It indeed was a sprained finger. Having to pay a co-pay, deductible, or prescription service stops abuse of this service. If it costs, you respect it more than something just handed to you.

One thing many people do not understand. Healthcare is not a right. So the people carrying those signs that read "Health Care is a RIGHT!" are clueless. Congress in the 1960's voted that emergency services could not be denied. No where is it mentioned in the "U.S. Constitution" or in the "Bill of Rights" about it being a right. Health care is a perk offered by an employer. No different than a "Stock Option" or a "Matching Retirement Plan". An employer can be sent to jail for not honoring an employees "Civil Rights" An employer can not be sent to jail for not funding health insurance for his/her employees. If so, I would be in jail for not funding health insurance for the first six years I was in business. (Whew!) My business would have never survived if I did.

My company could not afford to pay 100% of all my employees' families medical costs. I would have to raise the cost of our services to the point my clients (Customers) would go somewhere else. This is no different in the Supermarket arena. Higher priced stores soon go under when places like Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Smart -n- Final, 99cent only, and Costco move in to the neighborhood.

I would not be happy being a UFCW worker. My intention in life was to advance as far as I could. I could not work where someone told me how much I am worth and how much I should be paid for my labors. Neither would any of my employees. I worked hard to get to where I am in life. Some of my employees have left me and started their own companies. They leave with my blessings. Some have come back. I welcome them when they do. Not every one is cut out the same way.

Many Union Managers make six digit salaries. Is this not taking monies from the workers? I know the employees of the Union have to pay into their medical and dental account. How can these actions be OK when leaders of large corporations are heckled for salaries with much more responsibility?

I know the majority of you do not want to go beyond scanning items into a computer terminal, or stocking shelves. That is not a crime. Times are changing you may not have the opportunity to do that job much longer. You will have to re-train yourself for another job. Self-check out stands are coming is the near future. "Home Depot" already has them. How many tellers were laid off due to the ATM Machine? The railroad needed stokers for their trains and one brakeman for each car along with the Engineer. It took sometimes over 20 people to have a train go from place "A" to place "B". Now only one man runs a train. Maybe two.

In Japan I saw a robot that stocked shelves and took inventory. This machine worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It may be coming here. (No it did not get a Christmas Bonus for putting in 24-hour days!) Everyone says Japanese and European cars are better than U.S. Built cars. Look at "Consumer Reports". Why are Union Worker built cars not as well built as cars built on foreign soil. Do you see anymore U.S. built electronics? Would you buy them to save the American Worker even though the cost would be much higher due to higher wages paid to Union Workers? The $250 TV may cost over $600 if it were totally built in the U.S. No you Union workers are proud you bought your TV for $20 less than your friend at Costco! Did you think of the Union worker that did not build that TV? Did you gloat thinking about your savings? Did you tell everyone you knew?

When I was watching the News Last night, workers were told they could call a "Hot Line" that would take them to the "War Room"! What in God's name is that? When I looked up the Union site; there it was right on top! "War Room" (213) 487-7070 War Room ext.9! I looked up over 40 Locals! Half of them had the term War Room somewhere in their pages. How sad. There is not one of my employees that can not go to his/her supervisor with a complaint or question. I have handled personally many complaints from the janitors of my business to the Floor managers. The door to my managers as well as MY DOOR is always open! When I said I had over 150 employees I should have said close to 200 is the more realistic figure, and no one is at war with anybody under my employment.

It is funny. Before the strike I was friends with many of the Albertson's employees. Now I am hated for trying to keep my life normal. There are items that only Albertson's sells. Would any of the Albertson's Union Employees come to my calling when I get License hikes or unfair fines from the Government? I do not think so!

When Albertson's employees life was normal 80% of them drove Japanese, European, or Saturn cars. (Hmmm Non-Union made cars?) What are they telling their brothers and sisters that are UAW? Now that they are not working they are telling me to shop Non-Union Stores like "Trader-Joe's", Northgate" or "Sam's Club". (Hmmm? Non-Union Stores?) Shoot yourself in the other foot! I have no Stater Brother's in my area so I guess it would be hard to go there. But I do have a Wal-Mart, Trader-Joe's, Northgate, and a Target!!

Thank you for your time
Michael V.

(hey, and so am i, technically, but not really)

You're a small business, not a very large one, so your priorities are different. You rely a lot more on workers being smart, being team players, and so forth. A large corporation is more motivated to create a "factory-like" environment where people are more replaceable. (Bad analogy - some factories aren't very factory-like anymore.)

Just because you're doing business your way doesn't mean that everyone's like you.

If your workers vote down a union, you're lucky. You've probably created an environment where they can't get a majority to go along. I'll assume, it's because you're a decent guy, and not because you have undocumented workers who are cowed by threats of deportation. If a union can organize, it's because there's something wrong, not because they are powerful. People in America view the Union as the organization of last resort. Before they unionize, they make worker organizations composed of the workers.

Odds are, if you ever did get a worker organization in your small business, they wouldn't change the compensation system. They'd probably just use it to discuss issues like the health plan, work conditions, safety, and that kind of thing. Maybe they'd be forming because they have a complaint with a specific manager (say, for example, the lazy son of the owner who doesn't do any work :-) ok, so you don't have one of those... they're out there). More rarely, worker organizations form because some workers want to get rid of another worker - a slacker - who screws up the workplace.

Co-ops and collectives do this all the time. They fire their own coworkers.

I think the main reason why health care costs are rising has nothing to do with undocumented workers (who tend to be young, and can get care in Tijuana) or excessive x-rays (they're pretty cheap, besides, all HMO doctors order extra tests and visits for CYA and to make money they use to provide care when the HMO says no to some aspect of treatment). More and more, it's because there are uninsured people not contributing, and soon, it'll be because people will slowly opt-out of insurance due to rising costs and this "pay your share" scheme that companies are introducing everywhere. The entire system depends on wide participation to spread the costs out over as many people as possible. There are 40 million people without insurance, and the number will grow.

BTW - some of your employees don't like you as much as you'd like to think. Oh well. That's life. We've all been programmed to be a little antagonistic to the boss. Good for you for trying so hard. That's all anyone can do.