[ Education union resistance to laptop distribution to all kids..]
> > >Stupid is as union does....
> >
> > Sorry Mike we don't agree on this one. The vast
> majority of
> > scientists in this country are Union, and even the
> doctors are
> > organizing now.... Every right you have in the
> workplace was won
> > for all workers by the effort of Union labor.
[...]
> Unions once were an effective means of collective
> bargaining, and may
> still play a part in some professions, however any
> profession that is
> based on knowledge and intelligence has no rational
> need, IMNSHO, for a
> union unless there evolves some sort of monopoly
> buyer of professional
> labor. Unions were needed when there were only three
> steel companies,
> one oil company, three car companies, etc, and
> anyone who worked in
> those industries was dependent on those companies
> for their living. If
> these conditions are not met, then it is the union
> that is trying to
> manipulate and extort the market.
But what if the *companies* collude (or compete)to reduce conditions? Then there will be no real alternatives; people would be forced to accept lower conditions. After all, if a company can reduce its overhead by reducing conditions, others might try to follow suit. In such a case labour needs representation, as much as any other interest group (including employers) does.
> The ABA, the AMA,
> the NEA and others
> are IMHO manipulative, extortionary unions that
> should have anti-trust
> actions taken against THEM.
Ok, but a right to representation is still important.
[...]
> Stockholders will thus maintain pressure on
> management to prevent
> excessive union concessions.
But for the same reasons, they are likely to do it to
conditions for *non-unionised* labour..
So what do employees do then?
Mike