I am more aware than most of the reasons the Union movement was so popular in the United States around the turn of the century, and through the 40’s and 50’s.  I am also more aware than most of the reasons Union membership has declined so precipitously in recent decades.

Coming from a long line of Coal miners (and still having some relatives in that industry today) I am painfully and personally aware of the working conditions and treatment of workers that lead to Unionization.  The unbridled expansion and growth of the American economy from the end of the War of Northern Agression, and the hard times of the Depression, led to widespread and horrendous abuse and mistreatment of emplyees, and horrible working conditions, in many industries.

A lot of things began to change after World War II.  Criminal takeovers of some Union leadership, the transformation of America into a manufacturing and industrial powerhouse, and the return of millions of war veterans changed the complexion of the workplace.

As the economy grew and changed, the average worker had to become more educated, and technically savvy.  To compete, business had to adopt, and in some cases exceed, Union type benefits.  This led to the decline of the Unions in all but the most menial, and low skilled jobs, or in those industries where they had a death grip, such as the teamsters, and government employees.

Wait!  Government employees?  What’s up with that?  Are they not skilled, technically adept, and educated?  The inital goal of the Government workers unions were (and remain) the retention of Government jobs as career civil service positions, supplanting the old Patronage system of political appointment. 

Unfortunately, as is always the case when a great deal of money, and therfore Power, is at stake; corruption inevitably follows.  And when the onerus demands of the Union become oppressive, and the “return on investment” of the workers in supporting the Union becomes a liability, the Union loses membership.  And with that Membership, goes both Numbers and Money.

In an effort to stem the tide, the Union bosses have joined with the other bastion of corruption in America, the Political Aristocracy.  As the Arab saying goes, the Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend; so the Unions and the political Left work to the same end goal of growing the Unions, and in return, the Unions support the Left - and since many of their end goals are similar, this is also a fairly comfortable marriage of convenience.  The only real disagreement on the end goal, is who will be in charge when all is said and done, but the goal is the same - the complete control of the people and the means of production.  Dress it up in any semantic clothes that you want.

We can see this most evident in Washington State, and on a National Level:

SVC Alumnus has done yoemans work following the HB 2079 scandal here in Washington.  For those unaware, HB 2079 was put forward by the Unions friends on the Left as a way to side step what will surely be an unfavorable Supreme Court ruling that they CANNOT USE AGENCY FEES (monies from non-uinion members that they are REQUIRED to pay the Union in compensation for contract negotiation that the non-union employee benefits from) to support Political spending.  HB 2079 essentially erases the distinction from monies the Union raises for political activities from all other funds collected. 

Nationally, the Employee Free Choice Act  would ELIMINATE the Secret Ballot for votes to Unionize a shop.  Where today, all ballots are secret, under the Act, Union Thugs would be present to see each employee vote, opening the employee up to psychological, and physical, coercion.  If this Act is passed (already in the House, pending in the Senate) and not Vetoed, there would be a wave of unionization unlike anything seen previously.  The economic carnage would be unimagineable, and the political effect profound, and decided left.  America would, in short order, become France, where being just left of center makes you a Right Wing Reactionary, and 35 Hours in the work week is considered akin to being a fuedal serf.

How people can look at Europe, and think that Left wing politics, and powerful, omni-present Unions are a GOOD thing defies logic and common sense.

Most of us in America today (around 85%) are At Will employees.  We are free to quit and move at any time, and we bargain for ourselves in the workplace.  Likewise, our employer can terminate our employment At Will.  In a competetive job market, this system works well, and those that work hard, and improve their job skills, typically advance.  In the world of the Left, and the Unions, Seniority rules, and personal accomplishment and skill means little or nothing.  It is the consistent message of the left, that everyone must be dragged DOWN to the same level, that equality of result is the most important thing.

Except for the Union Bosses, and Political Aristocracy…

NOTE:  For some Fun Facts, check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Union Facts.