Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
"Is Organized Labor a Decaying Business Model?"
"Is Organized Labor a Decaying Business Model?"
The answer is not a definitive yes or no, but rather yes and no.
The book, “Is Organized Labor A Decaying Business Model?” examines the organized labor business model from economic and political influences of labor unions, relative to the domestic and global economy.
If organized labor continues in the same manner it has for the last century, then the probability of relevant existence in the next century is very slim, and labor will become the one-century wonder.
Unions must accept the new paradigm, which is the nature of work is changing, and will continue to evolve.
The economic forces of globalization are a major contributor to this evolution, as is the shift towards an internet based information society. The traditional blue collar labor business model is being replaced with robotics, technology, outsourcing, and globalization.
Big labor is big business, but still stuck in the last century! Unions have failed to accept that the nature of work has changed.
Business as usual, usually means that you are out of business. Market forces are forcing economic changes, and unless labor adapts quickly, it will become irrelevant in the global market.
Virtually every product and most services can be performed offshore in low wage countries, or outsourced to lower wage states, using eager low-wage non-union workers.
The internet and technology, has created the global 24-hour workday. When it is night in the western hemisphere, it is day in the eastern hemisphere and workers can perform back office functions in the east, ready for the workers in the west the next business day.
Telephone communications is seamlessly transferring calls to worldwide call centers, where cheerful representatives, will answer your concerns in the language you have chosen. “For English press one, for Spanish press two, and for other languages, please press three,” is the globalized method for customer service communications.
American companies can make candles in China, and sell them in Chicago, cheaper than making candles in Chicago and selling them in Chicago. These same companies can make candles in China and sell them in China, and internationally, even cheaper and for a greater profit, than selling the same candles in Chicago.
To an extent, labor unions are to blame. They have priced labor above economic returns. This oversight is a significant contributor to the decline of the organized labor business model.
"If organized labor continues to do what it has always done, it will continue to get less than it has always got." -Anonymous-
For more information: http://www.outskirtspress.com/chrismosquera
© 2009 Chris Mosquera. All Rights Reserved.
Email: chrismosquera@gmail.com
Your comments are welcome.....
The answer is not a definitive yes or no, but rather yes and no.
The book, “Is Organized Labor A Decaying Business Model?” examines the organized labor business model from economic and political influences of labor unions, relative to the domestic and global economy.
If organized labor continues in the same manner it has for the last century, then the probability of relevant existence in the next century is very slim, and labor will become the one-century wonder.
Unions must accept the new paradigm, which is the nature of work is changing, and will continue to evolve.
The economic forces of globalization are a major contributor to this evolution, as is the shift towards an internet based information society. The traditional blue collar labor business model is being replaced with robotics, technology, outsourcing, and globalization.
Big labor is big business, but still stuck in the last century! Unions have failed to accept that the nature of work has changed.
Business as usual, usually means that you are out of business. Market forces are forcing economic changes, and unless labor adapts quickly, it will become irrelevant in the global market.
Virtually every product and most services can be performed offshore in low wage countries, or outsourced to lower wage states, using eager low-wage non-union workers.
The internet and technology, has created the global 24-hour workday. When it is night in the western hemisphere, it is day in the eastern hemisphere and workers can perform back office functions in the east, ready for the workers in the west the next business day.
Telephone communications is seamlessly transferring calls to worldwide call centers, where cheerful representatives, will answer your concerns in the language you have chosen. “For English press one, for Spanish press two, and for other languages, please press three,” is the globalized method for customer service communications.
American companies can make candles in China, and sell them in Chicago, cheaper than making candles in Chicago and selling them in Chicago. These same companies can make candles in China and sell them in China, and internationally, even cheaper and for a greater profit, than selling the same candles in Chicago.
To an extent, labor unions are to blame. They have priced labor above economic returns. This oversight is a significant contributor to the decline of the organized labor business model.
"If organized labor continues to do what it has always done, it will continue to get less than it has always got." -Anonymous-
For more information: http://www.outskirtspress.com/chrismosquera
© 2009 Chris Mosquera. All Rights Reserved.
Email: chrismosquera@gmail.com
Your comments are welcome.....
UNIONS: THIS IS THE BUSINESS THEY HAVE CHOSEN!
UNIONS: THIS IS THE BUSINESS THEY HAVE CHOSEN!
In order to economically survive, unions must consolidate and they must move out of their traditional markets. It is the same for businesses and corporate America. In the modern global economy, business as usual, usually means you are out of business.
Small (Tiny) unions do not have the financial ability to play big time politics and cannot afford to hire expensive lobbyists. They also do not have the clout with employers that a major brand union has.
If I was an employer and the ‘International Toothpick Workers Union’ shows up on my door, and said they were going to unionize my factory or truck drivers, I would laugh at them. My lawyers would eat them for lunch.
However if the IBT (Teamsters) came calling, I would take notice. I would hire the best Labor Relations Consulting firm (read: union-busters) and the best labor lawyers I could afford.
The Teamsters do not play. They have a major brand. They have a reputation for breaking knee caps. Think 'Jimmy Hoffa' also think gangsters and the mob.
The Teamsters have the money and political ability to cause my business a real hardship, and could cut off my suppliers or retail outlets or whatever pressure they could use. They could create a "Corporate Campaign."
A "Corporate Campaign" is basically business blackmail. The union spreads the word not to do business with my company because I treat my employees like dirt, or whatever smear tactic they can find. They contact the press and spread rumors.
They contact the IRS and say I am cheating on my payroll taxes. They contact the local health department and say I do not have clean bathrooms. They spread rumors in the community or my church that I eat small children, or use any negative publicity they can. The objective in a Corporate Campaign is to make the employer look very ugly so it hurts business.
Then the Big Brand Union says they cam make all this go away when I sign a five year contract and agree to all sorts of archaic work rules and pay my workers $60,000 per year for 30 hour work weeks, and hire ten more workers than I need.
It is the same tactic the mob uses to get store owners to pay "protection money." It is strong arm tactics. Agree to the union's demands and the problems go away. Fail to agree and the Big Brand Union will hurt the company socially, economically and politically.
It is a very effective tactic, and is legal (sort off). It is also very hard to prove legally that a Corporate Campaign is blackmail. The Big Brand Union have lawyers also, who are very good at this stuff.
The Itsy Bitsy Union (Tiny) does not have the muscle to pull this off, and will loose most organizing efforts. This is specially true when they are up against the real union buster pros like Big Anti-Union lawyers and professional labor consulting firms.
Unions also go outside of their core expertise, because it is good for their business. The Steelworkers Union organizes nurses. The Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) organizes municipal government workers, etc...
Just like corporate America. They buy or build businesses outside of their core competencies, because they must expand to survive.
This is not personal. It is just good business.
Remember, organized labor is BIG business.
It was once a social movement, but those days have long past.
It is a very profitable business. Combined, organized labor unions earn upwards of $10 BILLION per year on membership dues alone. That is a nice size industry, that produces absolutely nothing, and has low overhead.
Are unions undemocratic? “You betcha” they are not democratic. It is the ‘Godfather’ business model. The basic hierarchy of unions and union organizing are based on top down control. The union members are just the meal ticket. The income sources for labor unions are dues and fees collected from rank and file members. The real goals of Big Brand Unions are political influence, power and money.
Remember, organized labor is all about business, money, power and control.
UNIONS: THIS IS THE BUSINESS THEY HAVE CHOSEN!
Think about these things please....
Comments are always welcome....
** For more information about the business of organized labor, please read: “Is Organized Labor A Decaying Business Model?” Available: http://www.outskirtspress.com/chrismosquera or on line from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com. **
In order to economically survive, unions must consolidate and they must move out of their traditional markets. It is the same for businesses and corporate America. In the modern global economy, business as usual, usually means you are out of business.
Small (Tiny) unions do not have the financial ability to play big time politics and cannot afford to hire expensive lobbyists. They also do not have the clout with employers that a major brand union has.
If I was an employer and the ‘International Toothpick Workers Union’ shows up on my door, and said they were going to unionize my factory or truck drivers, I would laugh at them. My lawyers would eat them for lunch.
However if the IBT (Teamsters) came calling, I would take notice. I would hire the best Labor Relations Consulting firm (read: union-busters) and the best labor lawyers I could afford.
The Teamsters do not play. They have a major brand. They have a reputation for breaking knee caps. Think 'Jimmy Hoffa' also think gangsters and the mob.
The Teamsters have the money and political ability to cause my business a real hardship, and could cut off my suppliers or retail outlets or whatever pressure they could use. They could create a "Corporate Campaign."
A "Corporate Campaign" is basically business blackmail. The union spreads the word not to do business with my company because I treat my employees like dirt, or whatever smear tactic they can find. They contact the press and spread rumors.
They contact the IRS and say I am cheating on my payroll taxes. They contact the local health department and say I do not have clean bathrooms. They spread rumors in the community or my church that I eat small children, or use any negative publicity they can. The objective in a Corporate Campaign is to make the employer look very ugly so it hurts business.
Then the Big Brand Union says they cam make all this go away when I sign a five year contract and agree to all sorts of archaic work rules and pay my workers $60,000 per year for 30 hour work weeks, and hire ten more workers than I need.
It is the same tactic the mob uses to get store owners to pay "protection money." It is strong arm tactics. Agree to the union's demands and the problems go away. Fail to agree and the Big Brand Union will hurt the company socially, economically and politically.
It is a very effective tactic, and is legal (sort off). It is also very hard to prove legally that a Corporate Campaign is blackmail. The Big Brand Union have lawyers also, who are very good at this stuff.
The Itsy Bitsy Union (Tiny) does not have the muscle to pull this off, and will loose most organizing efforts. This is specially true when they are up against the real union buster pros like Big Anti-Union lawyers and professional labor consulting firms.
Unions also go outside of their core expertise, because it is good for their business. The Steelworkers Union organizes nurses. The Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) organizes municipal government workers, etc...
Just like corporate America. They buy or build businesses outside of their core competencies, because they must expand to survive.
This is not personal. It is just good business.
Remember, organized labor is BIG business.
It was once a social movement, but those days have long past.
It is a very profitable business. Combined, organized labor unions earn upwards of $10 BILLION per year on membership dues alone. That is a nice size industry, that produces absolutely nothing, and has low overhead.
Are unions undemocratic? “You betcha” they are not democratic. It is the ‘Godfather’ business model. The basic hierarchy of unions and union organizing are based on top down control. The union members are just the meal ticket. The income sources for labor unions are dues and fees collected from rank and file members. The real goals of Big Brand Unions are political influence, power and money.
Remember, organized labor is all about business, money, power and control.
UNIONS: THIS IS THE BUSINESS THEY HAVE CHOSEN!
Think about these things please....
Comments are always welcome....
** For more information about the business of organized labor, please read: “Is Organized Labor A Decaying Business Model?” Available: http://www.outskirtspress.com/chrismosquera or on line from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com. **
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