Jan 10 2009
The Power of the Union
Once upon a time, greedy, self-centered people hired others to work for their businesses. They paid them poor wages, made them put in long hours and providing working conditions that were harsh and unsafe. If the workers did not like it they could quit and join the ranks of the unemployed. Since there were so many people leaving the farms to find work in the cities or arriving off the foreign boats hoping to have a new life in America, the chances of finding a better job with better conditions was not too good. An idea arose. If the workers banded together and formed a union, they could insist on better pay and improved working conditions. Over the next few decades, they did just that. The power of the unions led to an improved life for many American workers.
As time passed, the unions became more powerful. Many of them were taken over by less than savory characters. Strong-arm tactics tried to force everyone to join the union. Union dues increased. Many were denied jobs because they did not like the union. It almost seemed that the union replaced the greedy, self-centered business owners of the early and previous centuries.
When new companies didn’t unionize, the unions tried to get employees to start a union. Sometimes they succeeded. Sometimes they failed. The workers had the benefit of a secret ballot. Today, the union is working to have the right of a secret ballot removed. It seems like another strong-arm tactic to force individuals to conform to their standards. Makes me wonder!
I am not naive enough to think that there are no longer any greedy, self-centered people that own businesses. But I wonder, if the workers didn’t have to pay such high union dues, would they need a raise? If companies didn’t have to pay wages that exceed the value of the job and were able to fire or release bad or unnecessary employees, would so many businesses fail? Sometimes I wonder, if the expenses of the car companies (courtesy of the unions) weren’t so high and they could sell their cars for less, would the car companies need a bail-out? It almost seems now that the power of the unions is working against a better life in America!
