In light of the passage of a “right-to-work” law in Michigan, Katherine Mangu-Ward of Reason, recalling her own days as an unwilling union member, debates Mark Schmitt of the Roosevelt Institute:
Are Unions Worth It?
10 Responses to Are Unions Worth It?
-
An economist in the Silicon valley, Warren Gibson, recently wrote about union coercion but also the immorality of “right-to-work” laws. It’s worth the read.
-
Tobey says:
The existence of the Labor union should be no more! they have done nothing but slowed down production and stall economic prosperity! THEY MUST GO!!
-
collin says:
In terms of unions values, the one thing most people forgot about the 1950 – 1970 is the unemployment rate was usually below 5%. So unions had more value to employers who were looking for non-wage value adds to keep good workers. (This probably the reason why the rise of benefits and pension at that time.) Since 1974ish, I am estimating the average unemployment rate to be ~6%ish so unions do not have that above value.
Long term without unions, frugal hard working class males can no longer support a family of ~4 – 5 anymore so unions probably did help keep the birth higher several generations ago.
-
Tom Browne says:
No. They’re not.
-
William Dalton says:
Unions will survive in right-to-work states in the North just as they have in the South. Workers may not have to join the Union to enjoy the benefits of collective bargaining, but if they want the other benefits that union membership affords, which may include health insurance as more and more employers choose to drop it as a benefit, they will join.
More generally, a lot of people thought the Church couldn’t survive disestablishment. You mean people can have the benefit of going to worship and taking communion even when they aren’t obliged to pay taxes to support it? Yes, and those churches survive and thrive on voluntary membership and contributions. People put their money where their heart is. If unions give people something to love, they will survive.
-
Fran Macadam says:
Billionaire banksters loathe unions – need anymore be said? Other than they believe they should pay less in both taxes and labor costs – and that a billion guys with one buck are no match for one guy with a billion.
-
Gerard says:
There’s a fundamental assumption that business and our economy is all about profit and anything that impedes this is wrong and harmful. This is especially true since the middlemen, the traders, have become the rulers. The economy is for the people not vice versa. In the last century the wealthiest (the “Robber Barons”) were men who produced steel and oil. Today the wealthiest are men who started hedge funds and web sites.
-
Dimitry Aleksandrovich says:
Labor unions are absolutely essential to stop the dwindling of the American Republic and the ongoing transformation of our nation into a banana republic. I am a social conservative through and though, by American measures I may lean well to the left on economic issues, but as an Orthodox Christian who wishes for a more just, Christian society I cannot think of any more of a conservative position than being pro-labor and fighting to keep the American working class within the ranks of the working class rather than the ranks of the working poor.
-
EliteCommInc. says:
I am a member of a union. i don’t do any work for which I am taxed since 1996. A an employee of a college system I was forced to join a union.
In my view they were worthless to me. The union did not fight for me they instead leveraged any issues I might hav had to better position themselves.
I don’t think unions are bad in themselves. There was a time in the country’s history in which the union actually defended employees of abusive exploitation.
I have no clue why federaland state employees have unions. Except for positioins in which life and limb are at stake, i.e. construction and the like, I haven’t a clue oftheir effectiveness.
But this is absolutely clear to me. Any union which does not hold itself accountable in the financial health of the organizations, whose employees they support has forfeited it’s rights to represent them.
In effect, when GM was in trouble, it should not have been a surprise and the uniuon should have examined what they could have done in safe guarding against employye loss, by adjusting the b enefit expectations as to reflect the issues. The union should know an organizations profit margin, where and what the problems are hindering net growth.
They are stakeholders — in the organization and should be held accountable for profits and losses.
my only union experience was my two week membership in the (old) NFL Players Association in the mid-80′s. I was not very political, but I did have a poli-sci/history degree. as I libertarian, I wondered if the union dues taken out of my paycheck benefited me (I had not made the final roster). the player rep said; “when you signed your contract for the league minimum, where do think that number came from?” do you think management wants to pay you $50,000.00 per year? in fact, there were vets whose contracts were negotiated under the previous CBA; who whose pay was less than $50,000.00. as it turned out, I was released before the regular season, so it was moot. I am still no fan of unions, but if we look to the origins of “organized labor” (turn of the century sweat shops, coal mines, etc.), or look at some of the labor practices outside of the US; I think there is a need for “collective bargaining”. not suggesting unions are pure or infallable, but as long as there is an Old Man Potter, there is a need for the Bailey Building and Loan.