Every state and the federal government have to deal with union negotiated entitlements that are forcing every state and the federal government out of business. Essentially through negotiated agreements, the states and federal government have granted far too many entitlements, far too high salaries, and far too many regulations preventing the firing of union employees. The union is great if you are in the union, else it is just where the majority of your tax dollars are going. Here is a list of some of the issues:
- Unions negotiate benefits through coercion. They present a list of demands under the understanding that they could have a "work slow down" or a strike if they don't get what they want.
- The result of coercion is outrageous standards of pay, retirement and medical benefits. One good example is union garbage men in the New York City. The current salary for a union New York City garbage man is $144,00.00 per year. Are garbage men really worth that high salary? Most only have a high school diploma, and some never graduated high school, but all you need is a relative in the union. If the city won't give the union the benefits they seek, then your city fills with garbage. I don't know about retirement and medical benefits but I guarantee the retirement benefits and medical benefits far exceed the benefits of the common private blue collar worker.
- Unions have threatened and coerced their way to astronomically high salaries and benefits. These high costs are bankrupting the states and the federal government.
- Unions take workers with little power, group them into a surly arrogant group with too much power.
- Unions prevent the firing of incompetent workers.
- Unions turn getting into the Union into a mafia style "only sponsored family members and friends of union members can join the union". So whomever got in the Union first has all the power and benefits the most.
- Unions encourage mediocrity. A certain level of production is determined for a particular job to be what workers should do. Everyone is prevented from exceeding that level even though they could do far more. Everyone in the Union has the same level of incompetence.
- There is no distinction in Unions of a workers skill. Members of the Union having far different skill levels, get paid the same and get the same benefits. So there is no incentive to do a better job.
- Unions were created during the era of sweatshops and employer abuse of employees. Most business owners, in America at least, realize that an employee properly compensated is a profitable and productive long term employee.
- Union dues must be paid by all union members. Those dues go to pay the salaries of the union bosses and for campaign donations for Democrats. If union bosses want a salary increase or contribute more to a particular Democrat politician, all they have to do is increase the dues paid by the rank and file members.
- Unions are supporters of only the Democratic party. So my taxes pay union members who do not support conservative policies. Why do I need to pay unions when they work against the policies I believe in?
- Unions support the Democratic party because Democrats buy their votes with union supported legislation.
- Obama has had private meetings in the first two years in office with Andy Steyn, Head of the SEIU, at least 22 times. Andy Steyn has visited and chatted with the president more than any other person or organization. It would be nice to know what they are discussing I am sure non-union citizens will not benefit from their talks.
- It is suppose to be illegal for public workers to strike. The Air Traffic Controllers decided to strike under Ronald Reagan. Reagan responded beautifully by locking out striking workers and hiring all new air traffic controllers. The striking Air Traffic Controllers never got their jobs back.
- A strike, especially by public workers, can cause deaths, In NYC in 2011, union workers of the Transportation Department decided a "work slow down" to protest the reduction in benefits and reduction in the number of the Traffic Department employees. One baby and at least two other people died because the streets were left blocked after a strong snowstorm, and emergency vehicles, ambulances and fire trucks, were unable to access large portions of the city. Because Obama strongly supports the unions, Eric Holder, the Attorney General, will not indict the union bosses who called for the slow down. Even though each union boss responsible should be charged with at least three counts of negligent homicide.
- Obama is a supporter of all unions. When his presidency is over I think we will find a lot of pro-union executive decisions. Why do you think he meets with SEIU so much? Why did SEIU contribute $28 million to Obama's campaign?
- The same problems are seen every day in the teachers union. Once tenure was created, teachers, no matter how bad, how incompetent, or inappropriate their behavior, CANNOT BE FIRED. A tenured teacher could sit in their office, do nothing for years, and no one can do anything about it. Tenure protects sloth, incompetence, selfishness, and arrogance. No wonder our schools are so bad.
- One of the major reasons that American car manufacturers have such a tough time competing with the Japanese car manufacturers is their high costs of salaries and benefits for the United Auto Workers. Many countries that compete with the U.S. do not have any established unions, so their manufacturing costs are substantially cheaper. Many manufacturers will expand new facilities off shore because the cost of doing business with the unions is just too high. So in fact unions are responsible for America losing jobs. Some foreign car makers do open facilities in the U.S. but that is primarily fore marketing so they can claim "made in America". Their major production sites are still in non-union countries.
