Unions

[Jonathan Buhacoff]

Proposal:

There should not be any laws specifically protecting labor unions, or requiring companies to bargain with them, or allowing labor unions to monopolize employment at a company and force workers to join the union.

Discussion:

The right of workers to form unions is protected by a combination of the right to peaceful association, the right to honest and peaceful communication, the right to peaceful assembly, the right to petition, and the right to consent. This proposal is not intended to negate that in any way. Also, this proposal does is not intended to reject progress made by unions in the past in improving lives and working conditions. This proposal is intended to correct two big issues with the way labor unions function today (in the United States at least) so that even greater benefits can be obtained in the future while protecting everyone’s rights.

First, all special privileges granted to labor unions by law, for example requiring companies to bargain with them must be abolished. Such privileges are a violation of the right to consent of the business owners. If a group of workers decides that they are not going to work for a period of time because they don’t like the working conditions, the business owners must be able to find and hire other workers to replace them so they can continue to operate their business. Not allowing companies to find replacements, or requiring companies to “bargain”, and especially any restrictions on companies closing locations or the entire business due to union activity, are violations of the right to consent and right to association.

Second, labor unions should be petitioning government to enact laws that protect workers instead of having special privileges to bargain with employers. This is because when a law is enacted it protects all workers in a similar situation in the same industry or all industries, which is much better protection than merely bargaining with one company for improvements. Furthermore, petitioning the government doesn’t require special privileges that violate the rights of the business owners.

Leaders of labor unions should not be forced to petition the government — but neither should they be forcing business owners to “bargain” with them. It’s not really bargaining when one side is compelled by the government to give up something they don’t want to give up. However, if the government were to pass a law requiring a higher minimum wage, or requiring proper safety equipment and training, or requiring a minimum break schedule for certain conditions, then it’s not bargaining it’s just the standard that employers must adhere to.

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