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. **
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