Feeling the Squeeze
Cue up the World’s Smallest Violin™ for the public union workers of the world:
The nation’s labor unions suffered sharp declines in membership last year, led by losses among public sector workers in cash-strapped states, cities, counties and towns.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the unionization rate fell from 11.8 percent to 11.3 percent of all workers, the lowest level since the 1930s.
The first thing that comes to mind is, “Good.” Public sector unions are an unaffordable abomination. I’m usually the last person to start a sentence with “There oughta be a law…” but there really ought to be one against public sector extortion organizations.
If private sector unions are going to survive in this country, they have got to give up this fantasy that their members are best represented by trying to put employers out of business. Otherwise, they too are doomed.
I think Scott Walker had it right when he stopped automatic deductions of union dues. That was one of the things I think they just lost on appeal recently.
It’s elegant in it’s simplicity. You want/have to be part of the Union? Write your check every month and pay for it.
That’s the key to peeling their fingers off the grip they have on government and companies. Guaranteed one of two things happen:
1. Membership vaporizes. No one, in this day and age wants to part with cash without hardcore, tangible benefit.
2. The unions reform and provide services that are beneficial to their members. Or rather, become more representative of the members wishes. They’ll have to in order to retain paying members.
I particularly hate public sector closed shops.
And here in the People’s Republic of New York, we are forced into them…
That’s the one I was thinking about. For a summer job at a state historic site I had to join AFSCME and pay dues, even though at my level I got absolutely no union benefits. Basically I had to pay a kickback to the union for a state job.
Every morning on the way to our (non-union) jobs, we pass a construction site where the unions are picketing because they dare to use non-union labor. I was actually slightly impressed this morning as it was a balmy 11 degrees outside but the faithful union flunkies were busy setting up their (heated) tent and getting ready to inflate “Scabby The Rat” on the sidewalk.
I have to hand it to the site owner/contractor for standing up to these goons – they have a fenced property and guards. A local Quaker meetinghouse under construction is using non-union labor. They had an unfortunate “accident” involving some bolts being cut and the burning of a building crane. “Nice meetinghouse you have there….” Jerks.
Are you sure those picket lines are being manned by union members? It’s increasingly common for unions to hire people to picket for them (minimum wage, no benefits and no union membership, naturally).
Maybe, maybe not. That’s why I used the term “union flunkies”. I don’t think I’ll stop to card them – or the rat!
*Scabby The Rat Update*
As we drove past the site this morning, we noticed that the usual grey Scabby was gone, replaced by an ORANGE Scabby. My husband said, “Look, inflatable rat diversity.”