UAW Strike at GM

[balrog666]

Yes, I agree that unions had a purpose and accomplished important things in the last 100 years. Furthermore, those achievements have spilled over into the entire economy, resulting in better and safer working conditions for all workers, reduced abuses of workers, and standards that companies must adhere to by custom and law.

But, in the last fifty years, they are nothing but bad for everyone involved, most particularly their membership. With the help of asinine labor laws, they eliminate competition, raise costs, bribe congressmen, abet the mafia, and abuse employers to the point of bankruptcy.

Without their labor-relations monopoly and the paycheck deduction, none of them would survive and, even with those immoral advantages, most of them are barely hanging on.

 

[jimbob]

I think I agree in part with what you are saying, especially as I don't have knowledge of the US unions (except that the teamsters doesn't have too savoury a reputation).

What prevents companies in the west from abusing their economic power, as in the 1920's? Is it now an appropriate* level of labour laws?


*to be defined and argued over, but in principle...

 

[balrog666]

I think I agree in part with what you are saying, especially as I don't have knowledge of the US unions (except that the teamsters doesn't have too savoury a reputation).

What prevents companies in the west from abusing their economic power, as in the 1920's? Is it now an appropriate* level of labour laws?


*to be defined and argued over, but in principle...

Seeing the Teamsters on a picket line carrying baseball bats should tell you everything you need to know about them.

I had family and friends in the steelworkers union and have many known more in the UAW.
Some of the more stupid steelworkers really believed they could own the steel industry if they just stayed out on strike a few more years.
But, in general, the only thing most union members hate worse than the union is the toady true believers and crooks who get appointed as the shop stewards.

Other than public employees, unions these days tend to go after unskilled positions including grocery clerks, cashiers, bag boys, dish washers, and maids to control entire workforces in otherwise immune industries. That can't be a good thing for anyone.