General

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Caley McKibbin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:28:18 GMT

After stripping away the activities made possible by privileges there is nothing left that a union can pull off. Collective bargaining does not work.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Praetyre — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:43:33 GMT

Professor Block has a paper on this very subject on his website: http://www.walterblock.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/labor_relations_unions.pdf

Short answer: Illegitimate union tactics are picketing (which violates the property rights of the owner of the business) and assault against "scabs" and others trying to pass through to enter the workplace (which are obviously forms of assault and, in some cases, murder), while legitimate union tactics are walkouts and boycotts. Block also stresses his opposition to back-to-work legislation on the grounds of it being an illicit government interference into private contracts.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

limitgov — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:53:26 GMT

Mark B.:

limitgov:

Unions seem as though they could come about in a free market...

but what aspects of them could not?

Unions or labor guilds could and probably would operate to a minor extent in a truly free market, but they would serve a different purpose than what they currently serve in the current situation.

Currently, government coercion empowers unions in two ways. First, the government grants each representative of a bargaining unit the power of being the EXCLUSIVE AGENT for all the workers in the bargaining unit, regardless of the employer's wishes or the wishes of the individual members of the bargaining unit. Second, the government enforces an obligation to bargain in good faith on the employer, forcing the employer to come to an agreement with the union even if the employer has no wish to do so.

In a free market, the employer would be free to either recognize a union as representative of those workers who wish to be represented by the bargaining unit or the employer would be free to refuse to recognize any union at all. Further, even if the employer did recognize the union, he would be free to bargain or refrain from bargaining with the union.

Under such a free market situation, I would imagine very few, probably only 2% or 3% of private sector workers would be organized into bargaining units. Instead, must unions would operate as guilds, directing their represented laborers to their most highly productive and remunerated use.

Can you give me some examples?

I think that would help me understand this better. Thanks

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Mark B. — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:45:20 GMT

limitgov:

Unions seem as though they could come about in a free market...

but what aspects of them could not?

Unions or labor guilds could and probably would operate to a minor extent in a truly free market, but they would serve a different purpose than what they currently serve in the current situation.

Currently, government coercion empowers unions in two ways. First, the government grants each representative of a bargaining unit the power of being the EXCLUSIVE AGENT for all the workers in the bargaining unit, regardless of the employer's wishes or the wishes of the individual members of the bargaining unit. Second, the government enforces an obligation to bargain in good faith on the employer, forcing the employer to come to an agreement with the union even if the employer has no wish to do so.

In a free market, the employer would be free to either recognize a union as representative of those workers who wish to be represented by the bargaining unit or the employer would be free to refuse to recognize any union at all. Further, even if the employer did recognize the union, he would be free to bargain or refrain from bargaining with the union.

Under such a free market situation, I would imagine very few, probably only 2% or 3% of private sector workers would be organized into bargaining units. Instead, must unions would operate as guilds, directing their represented laborers to their most highly productive and remunerated use.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

fakename — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:38:51 GMT

only the violence like beating up scabs or forcible dues.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Stranger — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:38:30 GMT

Their monopolies.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Hard Rain — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:31:49 GMT

Their utilization of government coercion.

Re: What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

Angurse — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:31:22 GMT

State support.

What Aspects of Unions are not Represenative of a Free Market?

limitgov — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:27:59 GMT

Unions seem as though they could come about in a free market...

but what aspects of them could not?