Unions

[Dr. Shane]

Presently most states have laws that are to the extreame. Either they mandate that all workers employed by a company that is unionized must join the union OR they allow each worker working for such a company to decide whether or not to join the union. The latter is known as "right to work". Some states that mandate workers to join unions actually protect workers from criminal prosecution of crimes committed while on strike.

The problem with the "right to work" is that the union is severely weakened. If the union decides to go on strike, those that are not members of the union will continue to work. The companies can then just hire more workers to replace the ones striking. As a result the wages in "right to work" states are significantly lower than wages in union states.

The problem with empowering unions by requiring mandatory membership is that the unions often look out for their own interest rather than the workers. Unions have driven companies, and in the case of the railroad, industries out of business. When a business goes under jobs are lost. Unions have also driven the price of some products up to the point where American companies cannot compete in a world market. Unions have been known for their corruption and self-interest.

Many industries would like to have their workforce unionized if the unions were reasonable with them. Unions provide trained, reliable, long-term, stable workers. Many industries must spend money training in workers only to have them quit and have to look for more. Many companies must run ads in the newspaper and unemployment offices and conduct interviews to find eligible workers which are often times not qualified. So a union provides some attractive benifits to industry.

A compromise would give workers the right to work without joining the union but those that choose not to join would still have to pay 80% of the union dues. Unions would have to present all company contract offers to the membership for a vote. The union membership would have to approve all political contributions by the union to political campaigns before such contributions were made. The unions should be auditted by an independant firm once a year and the balance sheet made available to the membership ensuring full disclosure of all financial transactions made by the union. Any person convicted of committing a crime while the union is on strike would not recieve the appropriate punishment for the crime but be forbidden from ever being a member of a union in the future.

[there buster]

You consider "right to work" extreme? Wow. It's called liberty.

[Bravus]

The Australian system is definitely 'right to work', in the sense that union membership is voluntary. It seems to work OK, because it means that the unions have to work hard to make themselves attractive to and useful to workers, and actually put the workers' needs and rights first, in order to recruit and retain members. We've seen a general decline in union membership in the past couple of decades anyway, though, partly through worker apathy and partly through concerted efforts on the part of the government. We've also seen abuses by both unions and employers, but in general the system has worked pretty well. Non-unionists still get the benefits of wages and conditions that the union members have paid dues for and striked (struck?) for, but that's part of the liberty Ed talked about.

I may be on the left, but I'm definitely not for compulsory unionism. I'm also not for the abolition or suppression of unions. We're seeing a stronger and stronger trend toward 'negotiations' in which it's the individual worker against the might of the employing corporation... and consequently an on-going trend toward lower wages in general (with some exceptions in industries where workers are in short supply), worse working conditions and even more dangerous working conditions.

[olger]

"More dangerous working conditions." I don't see that in my industry at all. OSHA zealots have continued to impose more & more rules on businesses like mine--some of them causing more problems than they solve.

have a great week,

olger

[Dr. Shane]

I am sympathetic to unions although believe they need to have restrictions placed on them as I listed above. 30 years ago the construction industry where I live was mostly unionized and workers were paid a fair wage, had yearly vacations, health insurance and retirement plans. Since Texas became a right to work state most of our construction jobs are going to immirgrants and the uneducated that will work for low wages, no vacation, no health insurance and no retirment plans. As a result, those of us in management find it very difficult to find skilled labor.