Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Union Membership Down

Wow. Over 15% drop in one year.

Wisconsin union membership declined in 2012 to 11.2 percent of total employees in the state, down from 13.3 percent in 2011, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Wednesday. Wisconsin was lower than the national average of 11.3 percent, which was down from 11.8 percent the previous year. The figures include both public and private union members.

(8) Comments
Posted by Owen at 2047 hrs
Economy + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. Look at what happens when people are allowed to make choices.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 24, 2013 at 0921 hrs


  2. Looks what happens when you make it illegal for some people to join a union and make it very difficult for others to certify as a union.

    That aside, I can’t help but wonder…do those who say it is bad/wrong for labor to organize as a collective (in the form of a union) also think it is bad/wrong for capital to organize as a collective (in the form of a corporation) and/or for people in general to organize as a collective (in the form of a government)?

    Posted by purplepenquin on January 24, 2013 at 1549 hrs


  3. Helps explain the downward spiral of the wages, demand for goods and low growth economy.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 24, 2013 at 1722 hrs


  4. PP:

    People form and invest in corporations voluntarily.  The form and submit to a (representative) government voluntarily.  Now, in Wisconsin and other states, they can volunteer to be a member of a union rather than being forced to pay dues to belong to an organization they may or may not approve of.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 24, 2013 at 2320 hrs


  5. Over the years, governments have granted special privileges to unions. Such as a right to bargain collectively (a “right” which is called price fixing when businesses do it).

    And a right to represent all employees in the bargaining unit,  including those who do not wish to be represented (let alone be forced to pay for that “representation”). What other business (other than government) can charge customers for services they don’t want and never asked for?

    These privileges have granted unions special exemptions from what would otherwise be violations of anti-trust and anti-racketeering laws—at the expense of individual freedoms.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 25, 2013 at 0839 hrs


  6. Nobody is forced to be a member of a union, anymore than they are forced to accept any other workplace requirements. If you don’t wanna follow the rules of the job…be it joining a union or wearing shoes everyday…then find another job. Or would you say someone has a “Right To Work”, even if they want to do so while barefoot?


    Also, a union is still required by law to represent everybody in the collective bargaining unit…regardless if they are paying members or not. What Act 10 did was make it so free-loaders can free-load.

    Posted by purplepenquin on January 25, 2013 at 1734 hrs


  7. Even late I couldn’t let that garbage pass.  Per SCOTUS ruling unions DO NOT have to represent everyone.  They do, indeed, try to get everyone into a “collective bargaining unit” so the better workers will not be allowed to bargain their own, better, compensation.

    And as for “workplace requirement”, well, it’s now now longer a workplace requirement that you join or pay dues to, a union so you really should be okay with that.  Unions no longer even have to say they have to bargain for everyone.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 28, 2013 at 1511 hrs


  8. Being a member of the Union would give you benefits such as protection against unacceptable workplace issues like harassment. Although it has benefits, some unions have rules, rules that are hard to follow. I think workers are wise enough to know what are beneficial for them in long term and as of now; Union is a little bit not in the option.

    Posted by Artur on January 31, 2013 at 1919 hrs


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