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Old 11-01-2005, 08:29 PM
Hamish McBagpipe Hamish McBagpipe is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 305
Default Re: \"Unions are Evil\"

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Imagine an electricians union. They screen who can get in...

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This is what many people fail to realize. Skilled trades unions such as electricians, operating engineers, carpenters, etc. are only protecting their own trade. Traditionally, a skilled trade union has been able to keep the standards of the industry high. Increasingly, however, the US government has introduced legislation trumping a skilled trade union's power over its own trade. When they have done this the training and education of new members, safety standards, and workmanship have declined.

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So where do unskilled unions come from? They offer no unique skillset, no benefits to the employer. Is it government protection that prevents the employer from simply replacing workers who demand more money without cause? Why would any business owner agree to support a union when a new workforce can be trained within a week?

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We're not asking for the owner to support the union, believe me. Successor rights legislation prevent a company from just closing for a day and reopening under a new name in order to bust the union. This legislation prevents mass labour unrest.

The employees demand, through the union, a wage increase. What's to prevent the company from firing them all? Nothing really. The bargaining process is set up by legislation to stop one party or the other acting too hastily but once the process is exhausted a company can lock out its employees and hire new ones depending on local anti-scab legislation.

Any group of employees, skilled or unskilled, can democratically form a union in order to collectively negotiate better wages and benefits because on their own, as you say, they have no power, the company has it all. Without a union there is pitifully little legislation protecting workers. You seem to suggest that employees should be discarded at whim. I believe that in the lop-sided employee-employer relationship, especially when the only thing that the employee has is his time in, collective action is the only way to at least have some small chance at leveling the playing field.

In solidarity, Hamish.
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