Unions' Undoing

While the impacts of private-sector unions on economic and political activity are mixed, the verdict on public-sector unions is substantially clearer. 

I'll summarize some of the points I've made previously in this blog.

• Unions distort price (and other) signals used by firms to determine how to allocate labor and other resources.
• Unions artificially inflate wages, and therefore costs.
• Inflated wages for union workers often come at the expense of wages for non-union workers.
• Featherbedding also increases costs.
• Union contracts deepen and extend recessions by compelling firms to release workers rather than cut wages when production is reduced.
• Unions contribute a disproportionate amount of funding to political causes and candidates (far and away more funding than corporate donors offer).

A quick glance at the "All Cycles" listing at OpenSecrets' Top Donors page reveals that the top 20 slots are dominated by left-leaning donors, virtually all of which are public sector unions.

I have no particular desire to see private-sector unions quashed.  I detest the negative unintended (and possibly intended) consequences of their activity, but I do think that people working for private employers have the right to organize, so long as they do not force others to join them.

Public-sector unions, however, have essentially no redeeming characteristics.  While the economic damage they can do is limited by the fact that they don't participate in the actual production of goods and services, their political impact overwhelms any goodwill they might incur as a result.  Public-sector unions necessarily tilt leftward.  Once entrenched in a government niche, they operate as de-facto political parties, always aligned with the Democrats.

We the Taxpayers are effectively paying Democrat voters to agitate against Republicans, libertarians and independents.

The Janus union fees case was decided, 5-4, in favor of laborers.  (Think for a moment about that statement's wording.)  Public sector unions cannot compel non-members to pay dues.

The headlines all claim this is a "blow to unions," but what it really is is a blow for freedom.

The 5-4 decision in the case, Janus v. the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, effectively makes the entire U.S. public sector a “right-to-work” zone.

Right on.

The Court appears to be on a streak.  

Supreme Court deals a devastating blow to government unions

OpenSecrets.org Top organization contributors