My mentor for my MA in American history is not a union member. In fact, he was involved in a lawsuit years ago over the fact that the equivalent of union dues were subtracted from his wages due to the fact that the union negotiated the contracts for all professors, including him, regardless of his position on unions.
He and his compatriots won the lawsuit, and he no longer sees money stolen by the union.
The reason that he won is interesting. Apparently, the court ruled that he did indeed owe the union money for negotiating the contract. However, what the union was taking was the same amount as its regular dues for union members--presumably this includes monies allocated for an assortment of other union functions (e.g. grievances, newsletters, red shirts, etc.).
The court instructed the union to deduct from non-union members' wages only the amount necessary for contract negotiations.
But he pays nothing to the union. Why? Because the union does not want its members to know how much/little is actually required to negotiate their contracts.
Unions are run by crooks, which is why it was so easy for the mafia to infiltrate them decades ago and why unions are among the most ardent supporters of the democratic party.
Just another reason for us to start our own private school. Another reason: People who don't see the importance of education wouldn't pay to have us educate their children.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say about labor unions is generally true but if teachers didn't have a union you could not afford to be an educator.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to try to pinpoint exactly why certain areas are susceptible to mob influence. Black market activities (gambling, drugs, prostitution, loan-sharking at illegal interest rates) are easy enough to figure out, but why unions? Is it illegal to start a new union? (Maybe it is.) But then, does the mob run the Post Office?
ReplyDeleteOne thing might be that unions used to be able to (I don't know if they still do) send goons around and beat the crap out of people, and the government didn't prosecute them. My uncle was part of a construction union when he was younger, and he said one guy's "job" was to go up to sites where non-union guys had gotten the bid, and pick up a 2-by-4 and start wacking the guys on their lunch break.
Guess what? His union ended up getting more contracts.
That may be true, Golf Guy. But we'll never know for sure as long as the teacher unions last. Perhaps I wouldn't have gone into teaching if it didn't pay what it does (or used to). I've been a non-union teacher, and I've made less than the public school people. NEA and MEA leaders need to take an economics class. They have no idea what a market system is. The main reason they support Obama so strongly is because they know he'll support ungodly taxes and send a pittance towards the schools. That's also why they like Jenny G., even though she has failed to live up to her promises. Either way, I don't see why I need a printed red t-shirt to wear on the first day of meetings. What was wrong with wearing a red shirt I already had? It worked the last two times.
ReplyDelete