I have taken up the hobby of watching old movies on TCM (Turner Classic Movies -I forget people around the world see this and might not have this channel. It is a cable channel that shows commercial free, unedited movies usually from the 1930's to 1960's, and occasionally older movies clear back to first one-reelers from 1912, and a few newer movies). There are a couple of other channels w/old stuff but mainly TCM (wow, sorry so off topic just to set up my viewing habbits.... sorry)
Anyway I really like stuff from early 1930's, when America was dealing with prohibition and the rampant criminal mobs that flooded America. One theme in a lot of these is the small business guy being visited by some thugs to join the local ”Businessman's Protection Society”. These (usually in the movies) ”mom-and-pop” stores were told that they needed to ”join” these organizations to protect themselves from criminals. They had to pony up what was usually a lot of money for them, and if they refused, at first windows were broken and eventually it was legs that got broken or the store burned down. These ”protection” rackets were commonplace back then, until of course in the movie either the FBI, or the ”hero” brought them down. Of course these are movies, but it is hard not to see parallels between these ”rackets” and unions today.
In all fairness, another common movie theme back then was poor/dangerous working conditions for little pay. But, today, if anything, employers deal with outrageous rules sometimes to make conditions safer. In the 50's it seems like gangsters found that they could still extort businesses, but do it legally by forming a ”union”. This is proven by the undeniable fact that many union were, and still are, run by people of ”questionable” character and intentions. What was a great idea at first, asking for a ”living” wage, and safe conditions now results in outrageous labor costs, and a company losing the ability to get rid of bad employees. Many of the companies that have found that the unions have made the cost of labor so high in the US they ship jobs overseas. I think it is great to see a company take a stand, and it is stupid for workers to pick the worst economy in US history, along with huge unemployment. Where do these folks think they will find another job?
Of course ”union leaders” are willing to gamble with their members jobs. As union reps, they are paid from the dues of everyone around the country, so who cares if a couple thousand jobs are lost to ”stand up” for their union rights. You got people literally giving 10+% of their paycheck to support union leaders making hundreds of thousands of dollars/year. It is nothing but old fashioned ”protection”, but instead of breaking a window if the business doesn't pay, the workers will ”strike”. I think you will see more and more companies tell unions to ”get lost”. Hell, why would a company keep factories open when any profits left after paying the extortion, will now be taxed to hell. Why not downsize, save the jobs for people that are just happy to have them. And, open a plant in Mexico where people appreciate being able to feed their kids. This is where America is going. The government is regulating and the unions are extorting, and its just not worth risking money here to try to grow a business. Take the money you would have spent opening a factory and employing 1000 people, and buy a company overseas where making a profit (the ultimate goal of EVERY business) is not a crime.
The scariest part is that the fastest growing sector of Union workers, is GOVERNMENT employees. That means that WE are paying a janitor $27.50/hr, plus another $20/hr in benefits and pension. And when the janitor is caught putting video cameras in the womens bathroom, and smoking crack in the broom closet, he gets paid leave fir fully paid drug treatment, and then gets more paid leave for therapy for his ”personal issues”, and if he is fired, he sues for ”wrongful termination”, and ”settles” out of court because it is cheaper to pay him six figures then pay lawyers to fight him in court.
Why are people so blind to the idea that when a union comes in and increases wages and benefits, its not a ”win” for workers. It means that the added cost of the union will be reflected in the prices of whatever they make. And when the ”union” is representing government employees... you are just increasing the amount of money YOUR children will be on the hook for in higher taxes for life. The ONLY people really seeing the benefit is the union leaders who can now hold ”retreats” with more hookers and booze.
