Are unions the reason for the bad economy?

Question

I'm a Democrat and I believe they are partly to blame. BTW, I'm also a member of the UAW (I'm a secretary for a state agency). . . what in the world does that have to do with "Auto Workers" I might ask? I'm a union member because I have to be not by choice. And the only thing that union has done for me is make my paycheck smaller by the amount of dues that is deducted each payday.

I believe the unions are as corrupt as the politicians running the country.

For the person who questions whether I'm a Democrat - read some of my answers to other questions and that should clear it up for you. It is not true that "only" Republicans are anti-union. I'm proof of that whether you want to believe it or not.

Answer 1

Just My Opinion.
The Unions served a very good purpose at one time and were needed. But like a lot of large money organizations over years, corruption, power, and outside influences came into play. Whether they are to blame for the economy, that is a hard call. People should get paid a reasonable wage and health coverage. But I did have a hard time with the whining in OH as the retired GM workers had to start paying something like $25 a month for family coverage on their health. NCR retires at that time were stuck paying around $500. It was a little hard to cry for them. Unfortunately the unions & the companies didn't plan ahead and start cutting back at points in the economy for newer people coming in to the work force. That is where the Union really missed the target. The companies probably would have still sent jobs overseas anyway - how else are they going to pay 26 Billion dollars to a CEO. Years ago the CEO didn't make such a rediculas salary % difference from the base employees. How obsurd that has become.

As the 70's rolled in, union membership did start down and states such as Virginia passed laws like 'Right to Work' which basically meant you didn't have to join the union working in VA. So Department Stores with unions and such in VA were not getting the members because no one wanted to give up their money. I remember when the Union tried to organize a Savings & Loan in Washington, DC. What did we want them in there for? To take our money, cut back the tuition reimbursement we were getting at 100% for everything including books, and several other things that would have been cut back from what the company was already giving us. Needless to say, they didn't get in. I'm not against unions, like I said they had and have their place but there are areas that just do not make sense any more.

Answer 2

Labor Unions are perceived to be bad due to measures like strike or threat of strike [ often used to achieve their objectives] which may bring industry to a standstill. However,they are not particularly bad, for a number of reasons; apart from engaging in collective bargaining with employers and government to ensure that workers are paid reasonable remuneration for their labor, they also organize refreshment courses/workshops to upgrade the skills of their members. These help to make them more productive which add up to the national output of the economy. Quite apart,they play an important role by contributing their quotas through publications among others to some social and economic policies of the government to make them efficient and practicable.

Answer 3

The unions represent the workers. The republicans represent the CEOs and big business. When the republicans are in power, the govt and the unions clash. When the democrats are in power there is harmony between the unions and the govt and you see economic prosperity like we had under Clinton.

Reagan and now Bush Jr have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that tax cuts for the rich do NOT "trickle down" and benefit the working man/woman. But they continue to insist that they do.

Look at the current economy, YOU are paying $3 a gallon for gas EXXON MOBILE is making more profit per quarter than any company ever has ever in history. The republicans have stacked things in favor of the super rich, like they always do. And if you think the rich need help making money, keep on listening to Rush and Joe.

Answer 4

What is the view like with your head so far up there? The stock market is the thing ruining this country...... Not unions. Our country is being sold on the open market to foreign investors who could care less if Americans have a good life or not. In fact most of them WANT to take our country down a notch or two because they view us as arrogant and decadent.

Companies and Corporations are owned by investors. Investors are only interested in one thing..... bigger profits. When it's controlling interest is in the hands of investors from other countries, things move out of the country. If you want to make things better for Americans, then American's need to scrape their money together and buy back America from the foreign investors.

Answer 5

No!
Unions made the economy great! In the inception of Unions they helped poverty stricken people finally get fair wages. My gr- grandfather was a tailor and he could barely support a family with both him and his wife and some of the children working 16 hrs a day , 7 days a week. Unions made it easier for the average worker to make a living, shorter hrs. a day off. Child labor laws.
Unions made it possible to collect if a worker was injured on the job. My grandfather died because of his job and my grandmother and 3 of the children had to go to work to support the family as my grandfather received nothing for the injuries he sustained on the job.
However the unions went to far, they then started collecting money and graft , gave nothing in return. This was the downfall for the American worker.

Answer 6

Unions did get a little too powerful, but that doesn't mean they aren't a necessity, and haven't resulted in a lot of great good. In that the big businesses reacted to unions by sending jobs overseas? There's a connection there. But wouldn't big business have sent jobs overseas ANYWAY? Even without unions, would American workers accept as little as some Indian or Chinese workers do?

Answer 7

Unions are bad, but they're not the ones pushing jobs overseas. Unions are mainly a Yankee thing. Down here in the South only a few industries have them. If it was just the unions, most of those jobs would've ended up down here. They didn't. No, I'd say union or not, Americans can't compete with people willing to work for $2 or less per hour without being 10x more productive. We're not.

Answer 8

Unions can be a good thing. laborers do need to be protected. the problem is that unions have gotten too far out of hand. unions are supposed to work FOR the laborers as a liason between upper management and the men sweeping floors. because unionized actions have consequences dictating economic production, it is in the best interest of the country's ability to sustain economic balance to politically intervene.

so in essence, unions tend to be inherently flawed. the power struggle is a triangle between government, upper management, and unions. because of this, unions have become nothing more than political lobbyists, because the only thing that can dictate union influence is government. consequently, wealthy upper management and self intrested unions find themselves both trying to cater to political functions. somewhere along the line, the working man was left out.

it is absurd that we FORCE workers to join unions against their better judgement. unions, as a beaurocratic entity, can misappropriate financial allocations paid by the LABORERS, just as well as any government agency that is paid by taxpayers. why oh why, do we force workers to fund lobbying entities, like unions, that overtly lobby for social interests in conflict with individual convictions?

unions should be optional for workers within the field. unions should be banished from political lobbying.

Answer 9

It is the greed of the bottom liners and the refusal of the Republican Party to set up universal health care that drives jobs overseas.

Big Business has been calling for universal health care because it is good for the health of the economy.

Europe has much stronger Unions, but they have universal health care.

Unions are responsible for the expansion of the Middle Class and the larger the Middle Class the better the economy.

Answer 10

YES

As workers left the Union the quality and training started declining. It is a slow domino theory disaster.

Trade Unions are over 1000 years old training new workers providing skilled Sword Makers to Electricians and Airplane mechanics.

Pointing a blaming finger is as unqualified as mail order brain surgeons.

Go big Red Go