How convenient that the current financial crisis provides a perfect opportunity for anti-union corporations to hurl attacks at the whole concept of organized labor. The big US automakers, the big corporations who stand to benefit from denying employees the RIGHT to bargain collectively, and the deaf, dumb, and blind Republicans who spread their nonsense propaganda without even understanding it, are all falling all over themselves to blame the Big 3 automakers' woes on high union wages.
The reality is, American automakers have been having their asses handed to them for 30+ years because of BAD BUSINESS DECISIONS (a Hummer in every driveway!) and poor designs.
I've seen two INCREDIBLY MISLEADING stories on MSNBC recently. And, MSNBC is supposed to be the "liberal" media.
First, I've seen this ludicrous myth thrown around: "Union autoworkers make $70/hr."
This is FUCKING NONSENSE. Even if you said that "including benefits, Union autoworkers make $70/hr.", it would still be fucking nonsense. This is an old myth that's been debunked over and over. Google is your friend if you wanna know the full story. But, the way that anti-union activists arrive at that $70/hr. figure is deceptive and dishonest. They take the hourly wages for all active employees, then add them with the cost of healthcare and retirement benefits for all employees AND RETIREES. Then they divide the total by the number of current ACTIVE employees.
The second deceptive argument against unions was something I saw on MSNBC this morning. The claimed that French Automaker "SmartCar" is able to make their cars by paying an average wage of $15/hr. On the other hand, the average wage for an American, union represented autoworker is $23.50/hr.
Wow. You might think, if we didn't have these greedy unions, GM, Ford and Chrystler could make cars much more cheaply.
What the news report failed to mention is that France has UNIVERSAL, SOCIALIZED healthcare and other services available to all of their citizens. If the US government provided all of these socialized services to US citizens, then the definition of a "living wage" would change and we could live on lower wages.
I've also seen recent arguments to the effect that "Unions were useful in the past, but we don't need them anymore." This is nonsense.
What has changed? What has happened that might cause giant corporations to voluntarily negotiate a fair contract and wage with their employees on an individual basis?
NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
You may have a good, non-union job. And, this may cause you to think, "if I didn't need a union to get a good job, with good benefits, and a good wage, then why does anyone?"
It's a valid question. But, consider this. Some of the things you take for granted about your job, would never have existed without the COLLECTIVE BARGAINING POWER of an organized union. You like your 5 day, 40 hour workweek? Well, thank a union member. You like paid vacation? Thank a union member. You like sick days and FMLA? Well, thank organized labor.
But, most importantly, you like your wages? Consider that Union jobs typically have a huge influence on the prevailing wage of a geographic area. Those union members fighting for a fair wage, walking a picket line, and sacrificing (with their families) in the name of fair treatment, are doing it for you, too. Be thankful that you don't have to make the same sacrifice. And, be thankful that unions fight for fairness and justice for ALL WORKING PEOPLE.
OG&E is non-union. But, the employees of OG&E pay VERY CLOSE ATTENTION when the CWA (Communication Workers of America) is negotiating a new contract with AT&T. They know that what's good for AT&T employees is also good for OG&E employees.
So, if you don't understand why Unions are still necessary in 2008, then do a little research on the organized labor movement. You may be surprised what you find.
