the attributes of industry are neither here nor there when it comes to assessing the worth of unions any more that the attributes of roses or porcupines are relevant to the value of unions.
I do believe, if we take a look and describe what we see, that indeed "the attributes of industry," and those of the market place, are very relevant to the "worth" or "value of unions."
There would be no unions if there was not a need they fill for their members.
What you don't like about unions is that they're about as good at what they do as most industries are at what they do. They're mediocre and that's normal
You've worked in government and that's what your experience is about. Government unions are, as I said, problematical, because they're not subject to market feedback because the employer is not subject to it either.
Unions de-certify.
Sure they do. When hell freezes over.
morningsun.net
newstandardnews.net
bizjournals.com
pushormitchell.com
Union Decertification A Popular Option
Published on Monday, August 11, 2003
Just as employees can choose to have a union act as their exclusive bargaining agent, they can also choose to get rid of it. The B.C. Labour Relations Code contains the rules governing decertification for bargaining units within the provincial jurisdiction.
Decertification applications are quite common in British Columbia. The Labour Relations Board receives well over one hundred such applications every year. And the Board?s statistics indicate, roughly, that for every two union certifications there is one decertification.
lists.iww.org
Earlier this year, 62.7% of mechanics and utility workers at United Airline=
s
signed cards to decertify their current bargaining agent, the International
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). The National
Mediation Board will hold a representational election June 12-July 14, 2003=
.
......[elipsis]..........
The AMFA is an independent union not affiliated with the AFL-CIO. AMFA
represents over 12,000 mechanics and utility workers at Northwest Airlines,
Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Trans Air, Mesaba, Horizon an=
d
Atlantic Coast Air. In 30 years, the AMFA has never accepted concessions,
give-backs or two-tier pay scales.
While the IAM was once one of the largest unions to represent workers in
aviation, AMFA now represents mechanics and utility workers at more airline=
s
than the IAM. Currently, mechanics and utility workers are organizing
decertification drives at every major airline in the country. The AMFA=B9s
goal is to represent all airline mechanics and utility workers in the Unite=
d
States.
I could post a zillion more things of this nature, decertification and loss of union membership is a very hot topic.
They compete - they raid each other. Memberships switch to other unions.<
Which only changes the name on the door.
Well I can't really say anything to that, can I? I think what that means is, "You're wrong. So there!"
I think you are challenging chimerae. Outside of government union membership in the US has been declining ever since the 1950's.
Unions are a logical outcome of modern society which believes in the primacy of self rule and reason.
I don't question the basis for the rise of unions. What I argued is that unions have become so full of themselves that they are no longer the solution but rather part of the problem. We need to move on to the post-union workplace.
I'm not talking about the rise of unions. I'm saying that they are one of the logical results you get as a result of reason and democracy. Civil societies have organized interest groups and among them will be unions.
What you haven't taken up, and it's extremely important, is the effect of lack of market constraints on government and its unions. The greater world of business and unions is basically self limiting, but government and government unions are not |
