One might wonder why workers would not want to be in a union. MAGAs often rant about personal freedom. They argue that union shops require you to pay union dues whether you want their representation or not. It also means that your co-workers are setting your wages, which might seem like some communist scheme.
America's economic system is rigged at every step to maximize profits to capitalists, and to exploit the labor from the proletariat who are deluded into thinking " wrongly, that they too are capitalists. Perhaps the best description of how American workers are exploited by "the rigged system" is Dean Baker's book "Rigged." http://deanbaker.net/images/stories/documents/Rigged.pdf
A simpler description can be found in the 1950s hit song by Tennessee Ernie Ford - "16 Tons." The song is insightful for pointing out that you load 16 tons of coal your whole life because you are indentured by America's Capitalist system - "another day older and deeper in debt."
Workers can rant all they want about freedom to change jobs, but the system really limits that mythical freedom. My MIT colleague Ed Schein has pointed out, job mobility is very often retarded by "career anchors" especially ties to the community and marketable skills. Many communities in America are one-industry towns. Finding a higher-paying job similar to the one you have now often demands relocation (pulling kids out of school, selling your mortgaged house, quitting the church, social clubs, etc.). It also means risking job loss if the change does not work out. People living P2P normally lack the means to seek a better-paying job than loading the proverbial 16 tons.
And Thom has pointed out that the lack of a national health insurance system also ties people at all levels to their jobs, or throws them to the wolves if they have very minimal or no coverage through their low wage work. It is another argument why strong unions can be critical for the health and safety of workers and their families.
Big business has been a net loser because it fails to accept Medicare for All, which would reduce their responsibiulity for fringe benefits. One of the reasons businesses offshored was because cost of health care, and other benefits like mandatory workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, etc. are not part of the cost of goods manufactured in most foreign countries.
Unions haven't done themselves any favors by opposing Medicare for All.
Mr. Solomon, when Jennifer Granholm was governor of Michigan she travelled to Japan and met with the directors of the Japanese auto companies. She invited them to build factories in the area around Detroit because there already exist experienced, trained, highly skilled auto workers in that area.
She pointed out that such a move would open up an even less expensive, more profitable way to market autos in north America because the companies would save money on worker training and company supply chains. The Japanese replied that they had plans to expand in North America.
But they intended to go to Windsor, Ontario, across the river from Detroit, because all citizens in Ontario have government health care. So it would not be necessary for the companies to bargain with the unions over health care provisions; thus, taking a powerful bargaining chip away from the unions. Nor would the companies, obviously, be required to pay for health care once they were located there. The issue would disappear. I know about Granholm's trip because I was chair of my county Democratic party and the Governor told me personally, about what the Japanese had said to her.
I had also been a UAW member in Michigan and I do not know if the official position of the union was to oppose "Medicare care for all." But I was not an official in the union and, like other rank and file members, I knew virtually nothing about what went on in the collective bargaining contract negotiations. The union might very well have been opposed to "Medicare for all" so they could use health care as a bargaining chip in those negotiations.
"Reflecting the divide is Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a centrist Democrat who opposed single-payer during her 2018 campaign but has since vaguely said she supports the idea “in concept.”
"Compounding this ambivalence inside the state is labor’s ties to health care. Leaders of the AFL-CIO, the Michigan Education Association, the United Auto Workers, and Teamsters serve on the board ofBlue Cross Blue Shield, the state’s largest insurance company. Whitmer’s own father, Richard Whitmer, was the longtime president of Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the company was among the top donors to her gubernatorial campaign."
Mr. Solomon, years ago while I was attending a conference at Columbia U. there were representatives attending who were officials of the New Democratic Party [NDP] from Alberta. They pointed out that "single payer" came to Canada first from the provinces and was eventually adopted over all of the country. It was their opinion that if we in the U.S. ever did get single payer; it would come first from some states.
I was subsequently surprised to learn from my own experience that South Dakota had a form of single payer. But it was, at that time, the best kept secret in America, outside of the state. Each resident of South Dakota had an "SD" number back then. This was many years before the ACA. I am fairly certain the toxic right wing in South Dakota has already quietly dismantled that program.
Also, a physician friend informed me that Louisiana under Huey Long had single payer and it worked fine for years. This is undoubtedly part of the reason Long was labelled a Communist and so hated by the Washington Establishment. Obviously, neither of these programs in South Dakota or Louisiana caught on and swept the country, as those NDP members at the Columbia conference suggested.
After learning these things I looked into the possibility of several states, eg. California, Washington, Oregon forming some kind of multi-state entity to provide universal health care in those states. But a National Education Association [NEA] official assured me that such a multi-state entity would not be legal. Not being an attorney, I do not know how to evaluate this negative claim. I do know that the NEA has been an extremely conservative union. The AFT is much more militant. That high level NEA official might simply have been fobbing me off, hoping I drop the idea.
But instead, I went to some of my Native American (2 lawyers and a judge) friends and asked them if several recognized tribes would possibly be interested in such a scheme. Alas the Native communities are far too divided culturally and politically.
BTW I tried to find the copyright for "16 Tons" as a theme for a book.
It's in dispute. Merle Travis recorded it before Tennessee Ernie.
Throughout Appalachia miners weren't actually paid -- they got scrip-- the companies owned the homes they lived in, and the scrip was redeemable only at the company owned store.
Thank you, Captain my Captain for the information on this important things we need to know about Unionization. I admire how really smart you are Captain on all subjects. We need to understand the reason Unions are good for the workers especially. They want to bust up the Unions, so people have no say so in anything including their on safety. Thanks, again, Captain of all trades.
BTW, I am in favor of "Employee-Owned" businesses, although the one my wife works for seems to be structured like a Corporation. At least they "share" some of the profits.
Ok here's my comment. Why has it now become so hard to get to comment? I subscribe, wouldn't be reading if I hadn't paid. Then I find I must check my email FAST. The Hartman Report is not the only one that does this. Anyone explain?
One might wonder why workers would not want to be in a union. MAGAs often rant about personal freedom. They argue that union shops require you to pay union dues whether you want their representation or not. It also means that your co-workers are setting your wages, which might seem like some communist scheme.
America's economic system is rigged at every step to maximize profits to capitalists, and to exploit the labor from the proletariat who are deluded into thinking " wrongly, that they too are capitalists. Perhaps the best description of how American workers are exploited by "the rigged system" is Dean Baker's book "Rigged." http://deanbaker.net/images/stories/documents/Rigged.pdf
A simpler description can be found in the 1950s hit song by Tennessee Ernie Ford - "16 Tons." The song is insightful for pointing out that you load 16 tons of coal your whole life because you are indentured by America's Capitalist system - "another day older and deeper in debt."
Workers can rant all they want about freedom to change jobs, but the system really limits that mythical freedom. My MIT colleague Ed Schein has pointed out, job mobility is very often retarded by "career anchors" especially ties to the community and marketable skills. Many communities in America are one-industry towns. Finding a higher-paying job similar to the one you have now often demands relocation (pulling kids out of school, selling your mortgaged house, quitting the church, social clubs, etc.). It also means risking job loss if the change does not work out. People living P2P normally lack the means to seek a better-paying job than loading the proverbial 16 tons.
And Thom has pointed out that the lack of a national health insurance system also ties people at all levels to their jobs, or throws them to the wolves if they have very minimal or no coverage through their low wage work. It is another argument why strong unions can be critical for the health and safety of workers and their families.
Big business has been a net loser because it fails to accept Medicare for All, which would reduce their responsibiulity for fringe benefits. One of the reasons businesses offshored was because cost of health care, and other benefits like mandatory workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, etc. are not part of the cost of goods manufactured in most foreign countries.
Unions haven't done themselves any favors by opposing Medicare for All.
Mr. Solomon, when Jennifer Granholm was governor of Michigan she travelled to Japan and met with the directors of the Japanese auto companies. She invited them to build factories in the area around Detroit because there already exist experienced, trained, highly skilled auto workers in that area.
She pointed out that such a move would open up an even less expensive, more profitable way to market autos in north America because the companies would save money on worker training and company supply chains. The Japanese replied that they had plans to expand in North America.
But they intended to go to Windsor, Ontario, across the river from Detroit, because all citizens in Ontario have government health care. So it would not be necessary for the companies to bargain with the unions over health care provisions; thus, taking a powerful bargaining chip away from the unions. Nor would the companies, obviously, be required to pay for health care once they were located there. The issue would disappear. I know about Granholm's trip because I was chair of my county Democratic party and the Governor told me personally, about what the Japanese had said to her.
I had also been a UAW member in Michigan and I do not know if the official position of the union was to oppose "Medicare care for all." But I was not an official in the union and, like other rank and file members, I knew virtually nothing about what went on in the collective bargaining contract negotiations. The union might very well have been opposed to "Medicare for all" so they could use health care as a bargaining chip in those negotiations.
That was a long time in the past.
C'EST LA VIE
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/18/medicare-for-all-labor-union-115873
"Reflecting the divide is Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a centrist Democrat who opposed single-payer during her 2018 campaign but has since vaguely said she supports the idea “in concept.”
"Compounding this ambivalence inside the state is labor’s ties to health care. Leaders of the AFL-CIO, the Michigan Education Association, the United Auto Workers, and Teamsters serve on the board ofBlue Cross Blue Shield, the state’s largest insurance company. Whitmer’s own father, Richard Whitmer, was the longtime president of Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the company was among the top donors to her gubernatorial campaign."
Mr. Solomon, years ago while I was attending a conference at Columbia U. there were representatives attending who were officials of the New Democratic Party [NDP] from Alberta. They pointed out that "single payer" came to Canada first from the provinces and was eventually adopted over all of the country. It was their opinion that if we in the U.S. ever did get single payer; it would come first from some states.
I was subsequently surprised to learn from my own experience that South Dakota had a form of single payer. But it was, at that time, the best kept secret in America, outside of the state. Each resident of South Dakota had an "SD" number back then. This was many years before the ACA. I am fairly certain the toxic right wing in South Dakota has already quietly dismantled that program.
Also, a physician friend informed me that Louisiana under Huey Long had single payer and it worked fine for years. This is undoubtedly part of the reason Long was labelled a Communist and so hated by the Washington Establishment. Obviously, neither of these programs in South Dakota or Louisiana caught on and swept the country, as those NDP members at the Columbia conference suggested.
After learning these things I looked into the possibility of several states, eg. California, Washington, Oregon forming some kind of multi-state entity to provide universal health care in those states. But a National Education Association [NEA] official assured me that such a multi-state entity would not be legal. Not being an attorney, I do not know how to evaluate this negative claim. I do know that the NEA has been an extremely conservative union. The AFT is much more militant. That high level NEA official might simply have been fobbing me off, hoping I drop the idea.
But instead, I went to some of my Native American (2 lawyers and a judge) friends and asked them if several recognized tribes would possibly be interested in such a scheme. Alas the Native communities are far too divided culturally and politically.
BTW I tried to find the copyright for "16 Tons" as a theme for a book.
It's in dispute. Merle Travis recorded it before Tennessee Ernie.
Throughout Appalachia miners weren't actually paid -- they got scrip-- the companies owned the homes they lived in, and the scrip was redeemable only at the company owned store.
Musk and Bezos may end collective bargaining. https://prospect.org/labor/2025-02-05-musk-bezos-war-collective-bargaining/
Meanwhile Trump wages a 24/7 war on the NLRB. Trump fired one of its board members, leaving it without the quorum it needs to function.
At my old agency, DOL, we had jurisdiction over labor/management standards, son of Taft Hartley. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/olms
Thank you, Captain my Captain for the information on this important things we need to know about Unionization. I admire how really smart you are Captain on all subjects. We need to understand the reason Unions are good for the workers especially. They want to bust up the Unions, so people have no say so in anything including their on safety. Thanks, again, Captain of all trades.
How many "Bosses" do we need?
None.
Then how can you have Unions?
BTW, I am in favor of "Employee-Owned" businesses, although the one my wife works for seems to be structured like a Corporation. At least they "share" some of the profits.
In a perfect world, we'd be self reliant.
However, not a perfect world. Therefore employees have rights... in most places. .
Thom, I want to know if your books are in local libraries.
Ok here's my comment. Why has it now become so hard to get to comment? I subscribe, wouldn't be reading if I hadn't paid. Then I find I must check my email FAST. The Hartman Report is not the only one that does this. Anyone explain?