The Link

How Common is Union Busting?

Via Nathan Newman, an organization called American Rights at Work has just released a new report showing how widespread union-busting is among American employers. Some of the findings:



As Nathan says, a majority of American workers would likely join a union if given the option. Most aren't given the option. ARW argues that major changes to labor law are needed to change this—including establishing "card checks" as a process for union organization, whereby a workplace would be unionized if a majority of workers simply signed a card, plus much tougher penalties for any employer that violated labor laws. But there's also something of a catch-22 here: Effective pro-labor legislation will be very difficult to pass in Congress without a strong labor movement agitating for it, but it's hard for the labor movement to become strong so long as the law is biased against unions.

So what to do, what to do? One of my favorite "out of the box" labor proposal comes from Joel Rogers and Richard Freeman, who have argued that "open-source unionism" is the way forward:



I don't really know what the upsides and downsides of this proposal are—it looks like all upside to me, but it's certainly worth debating, rather than waiting around hoping that pro-labor Democrats will ever regain power and fiddle with the law.

I think workers need to unite off the jobsite. Unit beyond one work field or just one type of work. Almost to the point of creating a labor company that just supplies workers.

If you want workers you just pay their price and they handle all the other matters for the workers. Or something similar.

I think Rad or Scorpion can better work on this.

Another large problem is the bad rep that unions get from the companies. Stuff like:
Do you want to pay the union dues?
What do they do for you?
Unions were useful 100 years ago, but not now (THIS IS VERY WIDESPREAD)
Unions are lazy and corrupt

Union busting is too easy, and should be cracked down on more.

Good points, but the NLRB is full of Regan appointees! I filed a NLRB complaint once, as I was given excessive discipline as a union committe person as opposed to a normal employee in the same circumstance, it was really cut and dry, but the guy that took my complaint, hand wrote what I told him, then he walked out to the parking ramp with me and jumped into his non-union made foreign auto.....

Then all they did was direct the complaint back to my union's grievance procedure, and of course I was fired before they ever heard the grievance....all a bunch of crap...

In fact the unions of today, simply hold a person like me back in the workplace, as I tend to over-excell...why should I make the same pay as a slacker?

This is the crux of my issue.

I am Pro-Union, always have been as I grew up in a good Union town.
But unions don't hire or advance by quality or amount of work.
In a Union your stability is based upon how long you have been there!

If you have seniority and you don't do shit, it doesn't matter!
But if you're the new guy that's bustin his ass, you'll still be one of the first laid off.

Unions need to address this, and they don't!


Unfortunately, in companies without a union, nepotism and favoritism are rampant.
In which case once again, how hard you work or the level of your integrity and loyalty simply do not matter.


So, if you're a good guy, shows up to work on time every day, has and keeps a good attitude, is friendly and helpful to everyone, works as hard as two normal people, and doesn't bitch about the 2% pay raise, gets Zip because he doesn't schmooze with the boss's with a pasted on fake smile and a disingenuous interest in everything they like.

A Union isn't a satisfying enough answer, but given a choice, I'd prefer it.
I believe in the near future, as we boomers age, companies are going to have a hard time finding qualified employees.
Then the power will switch back to labor.
Though it won't come without a fight. Management won't just hand over that control because they were asked too.

Growing up in the South, I can not honestly say anything on them. They are rare down here, save for trade unions based in the north.

When I did work with union workers on the job site, they tended to slack off and be lazy because their job was "protected". I hated that attidue about work everytime I encounter it.

for the most part, most union craftspeople are hardworking, very skilled, and highly educated in the trade....

they deserve protection from greedy corporations, that would rather cut corners, ignore safety regulations, etc.

one of the greatest protections I had as a union aluminum worker was the right to refuse unsafe work, I actually seen supervisors expecting people to work around un-guarded pits, hoisting scrap out of the pit, while leaing over a very deep hole in the floor, in the name of production with no fall protection!

You could refuse, and wait for the proper equipment and not worry about being fired...in fact, I was sucessful in getting a supervisor fired for pulling such crap!

Its amazing how many people will just go ahead and do such unsafe tasks as well..

Now I work in the retail field and the store is 100% union....there are alot of advantages, as not having to worry about any last minute schedule changes, etc...

I think that the "union guys are lazy" is a little bit of a generalization. Some union guys are lazy, not all.

Non-union guys are lazy too... by extension, all non-unioners are lazy? Hardly.

Seniority, while having its problems, is also a good way to protect those older workers who may be forced out in a non-union situation for not being easy to screw around.

Unions are easily the best option.

Unions have been given a bad rep in the US so American workers can be exploited. This is part of why workers all across the Western world get a better deal than American workers.

Let's say you have a multi-national corporation (MNC). The MNC needs to lay off workers. Shall they lay off the Americans or the Europeans? Well, a Dutchman gets 3 YEARS severance pay. An American gets 2 weeks. Easy choice - and the American gets the shaft.

I never intended to imply that a Union man is lazy.


Specificially I said that Unions reward with security based upon seniority,
and not by the quality or ability of the individual.


I will also repete myself by stating that I am Pro-Union.
In fact, (IMO) the Democratic party needs to align themselves more as a labor party.

Well if we are drawing sides, I guess I stand alone on the anti-union side.

I would rather just not work for some other bastard, and will only work to improve my family, friends, and community. Unions only push further the idea of Industrialization and its impact.

Dont forget Unions are just a product of Capitalism.

Unions are a product of Capitalism
as
Medicine is a product of sickness.



Check the history of the labor union movement.
You would be surprised at how much in modern society you take for granted
but would not exist had it not been for unions, and those who died insisting on these changes.


It is my belief that if the corporation doesn't have something to keep it in check
it will run strictly on the bottom line.

They literally don't care if you live or die, as long as you don't effect that bottom line!

Sounds kinda familier doesn't it?

I am not sure you understand what I consider is worthy of my attention enough to make such a statement.

What would happen to medicine is you eradicate sickness? It goes away.

So what would the purpose of a Union be, is there is no capitalism?

I am starting to think Unions are a product of Capitalism by plan. If people think they are already in a war, then they will never start the "REAL" war.

You aren't gonna eliminate sickness are ya?
Capitalism isn't going away either!


The rest? The cart is way before the horse here.
Maybe someday a few thousand years from now it would be a good question.
Today? Right now? There's a lot of reality to deal with.



My employeer is a pretty good and decient company.
They offer a pretty good, not top of the line, but pretty good bennifits package.
However, for a company that has increased sales and profits every single year
that they have been in the US, (1968) a company of about 100 employees that clears millions every year, (and no share holders) I consider my 2.2% raise pretty pitiful, and that's the best raise I've gotten in 3 years!

I rather enjoy not having to pay Union Dues, but, I wonder how much I screw myself thinking that way.

As a side note.
This company was in San Francisco until 8 years ago when they moved here,
to eliminate the union.
Every hourly employee was laid off and offered a new job at the new facility.
And though their experience was factored in, they started new. They also had to move at their own expense. Only a few opted to move to another state.

I stay with this company because the bennies are not bad, and the job is about as secure as possible for a trained monkey.

You are right that this question lays way in the future, but the longer we put it off, the longer this future will remain a future.