Labor unions and the right wing?

Question

I understand that conservative values include localized control and individual responsibility, so why do many people who identify as conservative or coming from the right wing oppose labor unions? When workers organize, they are taking control of their own lives on a basic community level. Please help me understand this philosophy.

Answer 1

The right wing's opposition to labor unions boils down to class conflict. Labor unions give power to workers, they are able to organize and demand stuff like higher wages, more benefits, shorter work days, and safer and cleaner working conditions. Many of the norms in the workplace we take for granted today - the eight hour workday, the minimum wage, the five day work week, and so on - only exist because of labor union struggles in the 19th and early 20th century.

Because unions give such power to workers, they are opposed by pro-business interests on the right. With unions, the resources of an economy become more evenly distributed throughout society, as workers who weren't making much money at their jobs get better wages. The American middle class expanded rapidly during the '50s and '60s because of unions. This means that business owners get less profit (which is only made by having workers manufacture goods and provide services in the first place). Hence, there has always been strong opposition from the right against allowing workers to unionize - less money for the rich! Ever since Ronald Reagan's anti-union tactics in the 1980s cut the legal protections that enabled workers to unionize, there has been less union activity in the US, a growing income gap as more people are either rich or poor, and deteriorating workplace conditions. So, despite everything you hear from the right, we are far from being a classless society, and the right's continued opposition to unionization only proves this condition.

Answer 2

While unions may have done some good, having workers avoid exploitation, they have helped workers exploit employers. Over time, unions have accummulated more and more power, in some industries to the point of being untouchable.
Unions have the power to impede a company's ability to compete and thrive. A firm might be in desperate trouble, yet its unions may be unwilling to bend or compromise in order to help the company survive. Many employers find themselves left very inflexible when they have union contracts to abide by, this causes many to have to simply terminate workers or declare for bankruptcy or worse.

Some more problems with unions:
-Anti-competitiveness. Unions raised their wages substantially above the wages paid to nonunion workers. Therefore, many union-made products have become so expensive that sales were lost to less expensive foreign competitors and nonunion producers.
-A decline in the value of merit. In many union settings, workers can't advance much or at all on their merits, but must generally progress within the limits defined by union contracts. Employers may have trouble weeding out ineffective employees if they belong to unions. In theory, at least, unionized workers might become so comfortable and protected that they lose the incentive to work hard for their employer. And outstanding employees might lose their get-up-and-go if there's no incentive to excel -- or worse, if they're pressured by the union to not go the extra mile.

Answer 3

You know the answer. Plain & simple economics. Why is my area #1 in best places to live, we have new companies moving in all the time. They come from union states & setup down paying more than most of our workers made before. They bring some of their non union employees who buy houses & drive our economy.
Unions have priced employees right out of jobs. No one is going to buy the $500,000 car that union employees were making so they went foreign. Better to keep the jobs here & let workers earn the pay & raises, thus not negotiating a raise. It is all about money & having a good life. I love my beautiful city with musuems, pro sports, 8 universites within an hours drive, nice restuarants & great shopping. What a country!

Answer 4

They are kind of promoting the Karl Marx's famous quote "workers of the world unite". Conservatives care about workers but they see unions as an impediment to the prosperity of businesses. We live in a capitalist society and we want to make corporations powerful and with little interference from its workers. They see unions as a threat to capitalism and corporations.

Answer 5

Conservatives don't generally like labour unions because they feel unions overinflate wages and costs to the employer and tamper with the natural "laissez-faire" economy.

This is not my view, however as I am in a labour union and believe strongly in what they stand for.

Answer 6

"frightening" is how there's a central authority entity, the national exertions kinfolk Board, with a funds of $6.2 billion funds whose sole purpose for all times is for unions which make up in simple terms 11.2% of all jobs in the U. S.! "frightening" is how the traditional public sector unions % the very people who will promise them those very pay will strengthen and reward whilst decrying the "specific pursuits" of the main suitable! Unions ought to stay in the indoors maximum sector if the staff want their shops to be... yet please do no longer deliver your thugs to have a "little chat" with me for asserting this!

Answer 7

because they are taught that capitalism in it's purest form is the best form of government and everything would be great if it weren't for these pesky "socialists", which really, unions are somewhat socialist in nature.

anything that stands up against business and could possibly hinder business is bad... in their minds...

I don't exactly agree with it, but that seems to be what they believe...

Answer 8

labor unions are big buisness & support the democratic party. regardless of there members ideals

Answer 9

and if you don't agree with them or vote wit dem ... Tony will break youse legs

Answer 10

here is why

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AldF9i58i1sEo561R.HaKD7sy6IX?qid=20061214104131AAKbMcQ

a question i asked earlier