The economic difficulties facing Detroit auto makers have been to some extent generated by the United Auto Workers. The 240,000 auto workers employed by GM, Ford, and Chrysler have received salaries and benefits that are among the highest of any unionized workers in the United States.
While the auto companies need as much help as they can get in order to survive, the UAW has drawn a line in the sand, stating that it will resist “further concessions.” The unionized auto workers who have receive high salaries, generous benefit packages, and extraordinary pensions should agree to concessions not only to help save the companies that have provided them with comfortable middle class lives, but also to help assure the economic well being of the United States, which would suffer if the big three auto companies went into bankruptcy.
For many years, while winning ever higher wages and benefits for its members, the auto workers’ unions have done very little to help cut costs and increase productivity. Their formula has been a road map leading to disaster.
While the Democratic party is working with union leaders to strengthen the power of organized labor, party leaders should look at how strong unions have brought the US auto industry to the brink of destruction. They may want to re-write their agenda before the country sinks deeper into recession.
Employees of the huge chicken company, Tyson, voted to reject representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. More than two-thirds of the 800-plus hourly production and maintenance workers decided that union representation would not be in their best interest. Organizers have been trying to unionize Tyson’s workers since 1971, when representation by the Amalgamated Meat Cutters was rejected by 78% of the workforce.
Workers have continually rejected offers of union representation because Tyson treats its workers with dignity and pays them a fair and reasonable wage.
It is such events that have driven organized labor to insist that Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which we believe should be called the Forced Choice Act. Under the EFCA, organizers will have an opportunity to coerce and intimidate non-union workers, such as those at Tyson, who want to remain union free. It’s important to note that the workers chose to remain non-union in a free and secret-ballot election, which is a hallmark of our democratic society.
One can only wonder what the fate of Tyson and its workers will be when the EFCA becomes law and union organizers personally pigeon hole workers into signing card checks stating that they want to be represented by a union.
Unions want the Democrats to pass into law the Employee Free Choice Act because union membership has been declining for years. Union leaders believe that the EFCA will guarantee them more union members, more union dues, and greater political clout.
Workers, however, have long recognized that many unions operate for their own self-interest, letting their leaders live like potentates in splendid homes with every amenity known to civilization. In addition, workers realize that unions have become political entities for which Democratic political victories are more important than the welfare of union members.
The time for labor unions is passing. The existence of such entities will soon be an anachronism. Yet, the EFCA, which will surely become law after President Obama takes office, will undoubtedly increase union membership and have a negative affect on Corporate America’s profitability. While unions fight for their survival, believing that the EFCA will breathe new life into their movement, it is essential that Corporate America learn how to further educate its workers to the obvious disadvantage of being unionized.
Though organized labor is a dying institution, one must treat it with the same kind of respect and caution one would call upon when facing a wounded lion. The union movement is not yet dead, and Corporate America must protect itself from its attacks.