Why are unions not considered human labor monopolies?

Question

Current anti-monopoly laws protect the consumer from anti-competitive business practices of companies, but not from those of unions.

How is it that the law does not judge these two equally with "blind justice?" Are not unions simply human labor monopolies?

Unions represent employees like businesses represent stockholders. The representation in no way dissolves the issue of the monopoly. The unions control companies by demanding that certain employment conditions be met on pain the sudden loss of their entire skilled labor force.

Answer 1

That's a good point, at time unions do have a monopoly on workers, they could be considered a business because they do provide services. The government does have laws though, for example, airline employees must follow strict federal guidelines before they can legally go on strike.

Answer 2

It is, really. The difference is that they have the sympathy of the Democratic party, and vice versa. How many union members do you know who vote anything but Democrat or Green?

But yes, it is a monopoly. If one sort is unfair, then the other is, too. But like other sorts of "monopoly," they are being broken down very effectively by variety and diversity, much of it the result of the Internet and the electronics revolution more generally. Think about it; most unions were developed in the years when you either worked for the union in that town, or you went to another town; you had no other skills you could market, and the town had little or nothing in the way of employment aside from the mill. Also, those mills were dirty and dirtied up their environment, so if you weren't working there, you didn't want to live there.

The cities and towns that grew up around those factories have changed. The factories have been converted to shopping malls and art institutions. Or removed brick by brick and built into the homes of the newcomers since the town got rid of the smokestacks. Those are some of them nice places, but the unions mostly left with the factory.

Except in government employment.

Answer 3

They're not really a monopoly. There are tons of unions that cover tons of companies and public workplaces.

The UAW couldn't shut down the US economy nor the entire auto industry.

The teamsters couldn't necessarily do it either.

The anti-competitive business practices arise from a company having unfair advantage in the marketplace and shutting out other competition.

Even with union, there is competition for labor amongst companies. Don't like one place, you can go do another.

Granted, in some states, Unions to operate somewhat as a monopoly, but that again is localised. In MI, you have be part of the UAW to workin the auto industry. But you could also work in Tenn or other state who's factories are not unionised.

Your logic is flawed.

Answer 4

People aren't working for the unions, they work for a company, and the union represents them. The unions are working for the people. So there is no way for them to have a monopoly, since they aren't actually controlling anyone.