Quote Originally Posted by Don Corleone
I have a mixed opinion of trade unions. First, let this ardent, dyed in the wool capitalist go on record by saying that no industry or company that has an active union is blameless in it's creation. At some point, they engaged in some unfair labor practice(s) that made their workers feel the need to organize was required.

That being said, I have a big problem with unions because they are a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suppose I run a widget factory. While I offer good benefits, good hours & good wages, I don't follow the best safety practices. My workers are being injured at higher than expected rates. After frequent complaints, they organize to take a unified approach to force me to make the necessary improvements to improve the safety of my factory. I decide to take it to a whole new level and form a safety council comprised of government, worker & management representatives. My company goes from having one of the worst safety records to one of the best.

Does anybody here really think that the union is going to disband? Or is option B, 'look for other problems to solve to justify our existence' going to be the order of the day. This is the problem I have with unions. Well, this, and the fact that they view themselves as the corporations enemy. When you're a hammer, everything tends to look like a nail.
Well put. I love the permanent solution to temporary problem line especially. If a traditionally constituted union does its job well, it obviates the need for itself. Since the leadership would than have to go back into the mines, they seek other reasons to not do so.

My biggest beef is that they tend to get into the "same-old, same-old" rut of opposing management -- trying to claim ever greater proportions of the "pie" until the company's ability to generate profit (it's raison d'etre) is hampered. Unless successful unions become more akin to professional associations that seek to support and self-police their members and encourage development by those members, they run the risk of "succeeding" themselves out of existence.

Seamus