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Its not about the income only
I will not argue about the value or lack of value as far as Unions are concerned vis a vis income.
What I will address is that unions helped advance workplace safety as well as work hours.
Every one like the 40 hour work week with weekends off? Thank the unions, in a large part, for that.
Having been a card carrying member of the United Mine Workers I can guarantee you the UMW had a huge part in improving mine workers safety. Now I will also know that folks like John L. Lewis may have been more interested in power than the worker but there is also no dispute that he helped improve mine health and safety.
We can talk about Haymarket Square and other abuses by industry just like we can talk about the problems w/ unions (see coal miners strike in 1978/1979).
But there is also no dispute that organized labor has helped improve the livelihood of all American workers. Do we need it as much today? I don't know as we move from production to service industries that we do and they still have a place. Perhaps like the 40 hour work week we may end up seeing the unions lead the way in helping to solve the health care mess we are in.
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"Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves." TSGT Oddball, Tank Commander
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