Some good thoughts here.
Let's look at the source of Unions and why.
Big business was not aware or even cared about this source of workers they abused in many ways.
It took unions and work strikes to bring these businesses around to paying fair wages that would allow families to survive.
As far as foreighn products are concerned---this is one area that I think the Federal gov. should be in charge of. Tariffs would/will protect American business.
In the interest of economy, we should do what is necessary to protect american business---these measures would in turn protect the american worker--and that in turn makes for a better economy.
Blessings
When the Economy is good wages raise. Workers are scarce, benefits and wages go up to get people to work for them.
Also people with capital take a risk in building new business, and create jobs. They see oppertunity in creating the better mouse trap and need people to make, sell, and service that item. They invest in this new company thinking it will be a better return on their time and money than what they are doing now (oppertunity cost)
When the Economy is bad wages go down. In the case of horrid conditions during the industrial revolution and people migrated to cities looking for work the number of workers were greater than the jobs available and you have a who will work for less compititionthat drove wages lower, and to make a living long hours were needed. I am not saying that Unions were not needed, I just think they have gone too far, much like congress.
The Unions go after more and more driving up the cost of the good made, delivered, or service and that mean less and less of that product wanted.
Congress gets ellected to make laws and some of these morons, that know nothing of different industries think they are an expert and write laws and regulations controlling the business.
This is why our economy is Down now. Too many rules, too many taxes, fees, fines, and regulations to follow.
William, I find it funny that you demonize big business. When it is those companies that provide jobs to most unions and those unions have become parasites on big business. There was in the 40's and 50's a symbiotic relationship between labor, managment, government, and Capital.
But government and labor have become parasites on Capital. With The government demanding more and more in the form of Taxes and Labor wanting more and more of the profits that they feel they should be part of but are not willing to risk capital or share in the costs. The small minded try to play one group against another. Look at Obama saying Big Insurance, Big health care, and the Millions and Millions in "profits" When in fact it is not huge profits. They are lookig at how much comes in pre tax, and 2-3% of that is profit. When you are talking Billions and Billions of Dollars paid in and only millions as profit that does not sound too bad. Of that 2-3% taxes are double paid on them. Once as profits of the company and again as the shareholders take those profits. Not to mention all the hidden taxes for the workers. For every $ that are taken out of your pay check the company has to double it ot the government. At some point the cost of Labor, taxes out weight the return on Capital and either the company looks to change technoligy as in Robots, change costs in the forms of labor or raw materials, or close and move the factory off shore.
Unfortunatly Unions, Government and the Enviromental whack jobs are moving more and more jobs out of the country.
Creating fewer and fewer jobs for those same Unions, and taxes for the government, that will suck a company dry if given 1/2 a chance.
The Unions are not about the worker they are about the Union and will do what they can to protect the Union.
The Teamsters tried to Unionize our plant 10 years ago. I found it strange that they Union was allowed to lie to the workers but Managment was not allowed to talk to the workers. When most of the people in our plant looked at it they would loose pay and benefits if they went to the Union and voted it down. I still do not undestand what the Teamsters has to do with building Boilers and why they wanted to have other than drivers in their union. Other than being able to get thier hands on the Pension and 401K funds and skim 20% managment fee off the top. Giving the Union managment $ and taking from the workers in Dues and fees.
At one company BBQ the President was handing out attendance bonus to the guys on the line.
One guy had not been absent for 20 years. The line managers had to go find him at his work station to get his $5,500 in cash and two additional week vacation voucher. When he showed up he said "thanks ,can I go back to work? I'm backed up" He has a dedication to his job, wants to do a good job and serve the customers, the company tried to promote him a few times but he turned it down as he was doing what he liked doing at the plant. He was a motivated person and that was rewarded. If the plant was union he would have been scoffed at for making the others look bad. Others would have wanted 80 or 90% of the bonus for showing up that percentage. Or the worst part of collectiveism, everybody should have gotten a bonus for doing what is average. Cream will rise sludge will settle. Unions treat the two alike, So why be cream when you get the paid the same to be sludge?
