What does everyone think about Unions? Do they provide unfair advantage to employees, enabling them to keep their jobs in spite of being lazy? Do they handcuff businesses from making decisions that would allow them to survive(firing employees)?

Do they offer the only avenue of representation for the working class? Are attacks on unions actually an attack on the middle class?

I never got around to responding to your minimum wage thread. What I was going to say is that If the U.S. government mandated such an increase, it would cripple U.S. companies which are competing in a world economy. Many industries have already moved overseas to take advantage of cheaper labor. Increasing minimum wage would only make it worse and would lead to the elimination of many jobs. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but the truth is that the bottom line is all that matters for corporations.

However, obviously a minimum wage offers some protection for our low-skilled workers and the government must be involved to some degree. But too much government intervention can be bad for business which ultimately hurts workers. I think the key is finding that line of minimum interference, enough to protect the unskilled workers, but not so much as to send companies elsewhere to do business.

I don't like unions generally, although they probably do protect the blue collar worker from being unfairly exploited in some cases. The problem is when the union's demands are actually bad for the company to the point that the company either has to lay off workers or take their business elsewhere.

Many years ago, I was a reporter for a newspaper in a rural county in Maryland that was famous for spending the lowest amount per pupil in the state. (It was also the poorest county in the state). I sat in on negotiations between the school district and union reps which were pretty ugly. At the time I was much more sympathetic with the school superintendent than I was towards the guy representing the teacher's union. And to this day I'm convinced that teacher's unions are a big part of the reason why our public education system is so mediocre. The union makes it difficult for schools to hire and fire based on performance, allowing card-carrying mediocre teachers to remain employed because it's so difficult to fire them. But, of course, another reason why our schools are mediocre is because of "no child left behind" and other top-down government mandates.

And to this day I'm convinced that teacher's unions are a big part of the reason why our public education system is so mediocre.

I agree, work performance should not be protected by unions. As long as the weighting system used to rate work performance is fair, people should be rewarded and punished accordingly. I think that's a reason to modify unions, but not dismantle them.

What I was going to say is that If the U.S. government mandated such an increase, it would cripple U.S. companies which are competing in a world economy.

I agree, it's a big problem. One necessary consequence is that income will steadily fall behind inflation for the working class. Spending power will continue to shrink until our wages are similar to wages around the world. If we're to have a world economy, wages will eventually blend into something more uniform, won't they? Excluding other localized factors like oil in the mideast and locations of silicon valleys.

One we have Free Trade, there's nothing to stop wages from homogenizing.

Interbane wrote:What does everyone think about Unions? Do they provide unfair advantage to employees, enabling them to keep their jobs in spite of being lazy? Do they handcuff businesses from making decisions that would allow them to survive(firing employees)?

My view is that if they'd only been allowed to handcuff businesses (in every sense) we'd be much better off! But the fact is, the handcuffs, beatings and bullets have been directed on behalf of these businesses that most are apparently concerned might now at the height of their dominance be suffering from some kind of unfair restrictions. Well I'm against the next war but it would be a test to say it if when it comes it comes to the Cayman Islands. That's where the most dangerous enemies of the USA congregate in name. So of course it won't happen. whew!

Do they offer the only avenue of representation for the working class? Are attacks on unions actually an attack on the middle class?

Yes, attacks on unions are attacks against the middle class. The middle class has declined as the upper class has flourished these last 40+ years.

Before the rise of trade unions, society was highly stratified, with those in the lower income brackets virtually consigned to second class citizens status. Unions were a major factor in building the sort of middle class, egalitarian society were take for granted today- which is again slipping away beneath our feet, due to the decline in worker's rights, of union representation, and because of the voracious demands and consumption of the uber class.

Your scribbler has had the experience of being an employer and an employee, of being a business owner, and of being a member of a big, militant trade union at various times. My observation has been that one will see far more altruism, and prosocial attitudes and behaviors in a union environment, than in a business setting. The former was heavy on rights and ethics, the latter heavy on making a buck- at whatever cost.

I think the time will come when the loss of worker representation will be keenly regretted, and young people today will have to re-fight many of the battles of the early 20th century to regain their rights as citizens.

They recently closed a prison where I live which sadly was the best paying job within twenty miles. The union fought hard to keep it open despite the fact that the prison was running in the red.

I don't think unions are the problem as much as is uncreative elected officials who do nothing but apply for grants and ask for higher taxes when the going gets tough.