Why do we need unions?

This morning I read through Tom Craft’s story in our local Sun ThisWeek and I was intrigued by his claim that he can better tap into the union vote because his father was a union machine operator.  In the early 70’s I worked for Toro Manufacturing as a machine operator and I belonged to the union.  I was a young reformist myself at the time and willingly asserted that Unions were a poor substitute for bad management.  Of course in those days management salaries and labor salaries were far more equitable than now.  Today a CEO can earn in one hour what the average employee earns in an entire month.

That was also before President Reagan plunged our air traffic control system into complete chaos by busting the air traffic controllers union; real income has been dropping ever since.  I’ve had the rare privilege of observing an air traffic control room and I went to school with three of the former air traffic controllers.  It’s a very demanding job.

During the time I was at Toro there was a union work stoppage and I experienced the anxiety of potential job loss and conflict with those who crossed union lines.  I am pleased that I chose to support the union and relieved that I didn’t lose my job but the issues here are very real.  Today the future of unions is more uncertain than ever with Right to Work laws encouraging people to cross union lines without ever becoming a member.  Here in Minnesota the issue has focused around home day care.  Right to Work laws are like giving people the right to opt out of paying taxes and receive all the same benefits.  Of course the very wealthy do just that by lobbying the government for tax breaks and incentives.  The corporate exploitation of labor is worse than ever and unions are the only substitute we have.  Unions produce competitive products by increasing productivity.  Investing in people produces true capital growth, and economic prosperity, unlike the kind of mortgage derivatives rich people invest in.