Union Civility And The Right To Work
It’s right there, at the end of a fist and on the soles of heavy boots trampling a tent filled with people. Thus unfolds the latest mob scene of union-sponsored civility, this time in Michigan where in response to newly approved RTW legislation, union thugs stormed an Americans For Prosperity tent and assaulted Fox News contributor Steven Crowder.
language warning:
And what exactly has prompted the outpouring of union civility? Not what most people think, as explained by James Sherk, a senior policy analyst in labor economics at The Heritage Foundation:
Right-to-work laws prevent unions from imposing mandatory fees, giving employees the right to work without paying union dues. Otherwise, right-to-work has no effect on collective bargaining. All other negotiations continue as before. What’s wrong with that?
Unions object that right-to-work is actually “right-to-freeload.” The AFL-CIO argues “unions are forced by law to protect all workers, even those who don’t contribute financially toward the expenses incurred by providing those protections.” They contend they should not have to represent workers who do not pay their “fair share.”
It is a compelling argument, but untrue. The National Labor Relations Act does not mandate unions exclusively represent all employees, but permits them to electively do so. Under the Act, unions can also negotiate “members-only” contracts that only cover dues-paying members. They do not have to represent other employees.
…
Obviously, unions want employees paying dues. Polling shows a quarter of Michigan’s government employees would opt out of unions under a right-to-work law. Losing those members would cost Michigan’s unions more than $100 million annually. That explains their ferocious response at the Michigan Capitol. But financial interests do not justify forcing workers to pay dues for representation that unions aren’t required to provide.
To which The Foundry’s Lachlan Markay aptly notes:
Moreover, the free-rider argument implies that workers’ union dues would go at least predominately toward activities that achieve better compensation or other workplace benefits. But neither is that the case.
In fact, less than a quarter (24.1 percent) of expenditures by Michigan’s 25 largest private sector (or public/private hybrid) union locals go toward actually representing workers, according to those unions’ latest LM-2 filings (obtained via the Labor Department’s website – see spreadsheet below for a more detailed breakdown). The rest goes toward other expenditures, including benefits, political activity, and general overhead.
In the face of that, union bosses and their hack political boosters respond with threats of blood in the streets and civil war.
How’s that rank for a new tone of civility?
We need your help! If you like PunditHouse, please consider donating to us. Even $5 a month can make a difference!
Short URL: https://pundithouse.com/?p=12527
