Unions... the thought or intent was good, and initially they helped more than hurt, but eventually things went south as usually happens when power is wielded by a few and backed up by threats.
Unions, rather then help represent workers of a company, eventually hold it hostage with their demands. This hurts the company's ability to flourish, compete and grow.
Let's ask ourselves, why did we need unions during the industrial revolution? and do we still need them today?
1. The fact that unions were ever thought to have been needed suggests the lack of competition at the time. This is often a side effect of over bearing government regulation. There aren't too many jobs in America today where if you quit, you can't find another doing the same thing (Competition for workers drives wages and benefits up)
2. Worker's used to work for one company their whole career. They were loyal to a fault. This is no longer the case today.
3. It was harder to move across the country or world back then. Also Society was less racially diverse (in dispersion) back then. People would not leave their town or side of town because all the immigrants from XYZ country lived there and they would face far more challenge moving to another city than today.
4. Social pressure and media coverage (social media and other).
Most companies would find it hard to survive if their workers were starving because of lack of pay. The same can be said if their factory was grossly unsafe, or if they were being a-holes to their employees in any way. The way we are connected today would expose abhorrent behavior to the world in minutes and people would start to threaten boycotts ETC.
5. We live in a much different world today. Unions, if they were ever really needed, are not anymore. Yet they exist. Teachers somehow cannot be fired for doing shoddy jobs, yet their wages aren't great (is that a good thing?).
6. Registered Nurses go to a junior college for 3 years and start at $100/hr here in northern CA. Meanwhile half of the citizens in this country cannot afford health insurance (They are part of what is driving up the price. Is that a good thing?).
7. Fireman work 3 days a week and are averaging $150k salaries where I live. They still march in protests every few years around here because they aren't able to feed their family whilst living in their frat house making $75 per hour. (I don't want to minimize what fireman do for us. They are heroes who put their life in danger, though they die less often than minors and factory workers who earn far less). The unions have extorted the cities that employ them. (is this a good thing?)
8. Police unions protect bad cops in many cases. Factory and other manufacturing jobs have gone oversees because of the overbearing demands from unions.
9. Unions demand dues, yet often push laws through that the workers don't even agree with ethically or politically.
10. Unions buy and sell politicians with their donations and favors. It's a quid pro quo that has gone on for over 100 years.
What is the upside of unions in the context of 2018? Do we need them? Are they more harm than good?
Unions, rather then help represent workers of a company, eventually hold it hostage with their demands. This hurts the company's ability to flourish, compete and grow.
Let's ask ourselves, why did we need unions during the industrial revolution? and do we still need them today?
1. The fact that unions were ever thought to have been needed suggests the lack of competition at the time. This is often a side effect of over bearing government regulation. There aren't too many jobs in America today where if you quit, you can't find another doing the same thing (Competition for workers drives wages and benefits up)
2. Worker's used to work for one company their whole career. They were loyal to a fault. This is no longer the case today.
3. It was harder to move across the country or world back then. Also Society was less racially diverse (in dispersion) back then. People would not leave their town or side of town because all the immigrants from XYZ country lived there and they would face far more challenge moving to another city than today.
4. Social pressure and media coverage (social media and other). Most companies would find it hard to survive if their workers were starving because of lack of pay. The same can be said if their factory was grossly unsafe, or if they were being a-holes to their employees in any way. The way we are connected today would expose abhorrent behavior to the world in minutes and people would start to threaten boycotts ETC.
5. We live in a much different world today. Unions, if they were ever really needed, are not anymore. Yet they exist. Teachers somehow cannot be fired for doing shoddy jobs, yet their wages aren't great (is that a good thing?).
6. Registered Nurses go to a junior college for 3 years and start at $100/hr here in northern CA. Meanwhile half of the citizens in this country cannot afford health insurance (They are part of what is driving up the price. Is that a good thing?).
7. Fireman work 3 days a week and are averaging $150k salaries where I live. They still march in protests every few years around here because they aren't able to feed their family whilst living in their frat house making $75 per hour. (I don't want to minimize what fireman do for us. They are heroes who put their life in danger, though they die less often than minors and factory workers who earn far less). The unions have extorted the cities that employ them. (is this a good thing?)
8. Police unions protect bad cops in many cases. Factory and other manufacturing jobs have gone oversees because of the overbearing demands from unions.
9. Unions demand dues, yet often push laws through that the workers don't even agree with ethically or politically.
10. Unions buy and sell politicians with their donations and favors. It's a quid pro quo that has gone on for over 100 years.
What is the upside of unions in the context of 2018? Do we need them? Are they more harm than good?