Hi Ranty Nation!  Ranty McRantyson har agin!

In Part A of this Back to Basics talk, we dun talked bout sum thangs a union wuz bad fur an whut they wuz gud fur.  Thang is fur y’all to git a full picture, y’all need a bit more infurmation.  An then ah’ll talk bout how unions can help wurkers today an why they’s, overall, a gud thang fur Merica… even the businesses!

Course, them business folk’ll tell you how bad Unions are, that they’s nuttin but trouble, but as y’all probly guessed frum Part A, ah don’t thunk theys really know whut they’s talkin bout.

But Why a Union?

One of the thangs that Pres Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) did wuz git passed the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 an created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The National Labor Relations Act seeks to correct the “inequality of bargaining power” between employers and employees by promoting collective bargaining between trade unions and employers. The law established the National Labor Relations Board to prosecute violations of labor law and to oversee the process by which employees decide whether to be represented by a labor organization. It also established various rules concerning collective bargaining and defined a series of banned unfair labor practices, including interference with the formation or organization of labor unions by employers. The act does not apply to certain workers, including supervisors, agricultural employees, domestic workers, government employees, and independent contractors.

The NLRA was strongly opposed by conservatives and members of the Republican Party…

Now that last part sounds jus like today!

Ah’m gonna jaw more bout this in a future talk, but business folk just want to talk bout the needs of businesses.  Like businesses’re the only thangs that matter.  Problem is that jus ain’t so.  They’s be many differnt “stakeholders” who dun have an interest in whut a business does.

Stakeholders

In economistical talk, they say they’s five primary “stakeholders” wit an interest in the runnin of a business.  These are: (in no particular order)

1. The guvmint (as a representative of society)
2. Employees (managers an not-management workers)
3. Owners (also includes shareholders cuz they also own “shares” of the business)
4. Customers (all customers, whether other businesses or individuals)
5. Suppliers (either businesses or individuals)

Ah might talk more bout others in the future, but ah’m jus gonna talk bout employees right now.  Specifically the “wurkers” (in other wurds, not management).

Employee Power (Or Not)

Do y’all remember the 2 part talk ah gave bout negotiatin?  In it ah splained bout how the folk wit the most power generally won the negotiatin.  So let’s look at how negotiatin goes tween a business an they’s average wurker.

Wurker Askin Fur a Raise

Wurker:  Hey, boss, ah saw in the paper that the company made gud profits this last year an wuz spectin to make even more in this year.  Ah’ve bin wurkin awful hard trying to help make that happen an ah’d like to git a raise!

Boss:  Uh, no.  We don’t give raises cept when we do performance reviews.

Wurker:  That’s whut ah’m talkin bout.  When y’all jus did mah performance review, y’all said ah did a great job!  That wurkers like me were whut make the company great an that wurkers were our company’s greatest assets.  So how bout that raise?

Boss:  Sorry.  We’all didn’t figure on givin y’all raises this year an it ain’t in the budget.

Wurker:  Now wait jus a doggone second har!  Ah saw that management got both raises an bonuses to boot!  Me an the rest of the wurkers dun the wurk that made the stuff that made the company so much profit.  Why can’t ah git sum of them profits fur the wurk ah’ve dun?!?

Boss:  Well, we’all only give raises when y’all git yur performance review.  An that time’s already gone by.  Y’all’ll have to wait til next year’s performance review to be up fur a raise.

Wurker:  So ah’ll git a raise next year?

Boss:  Well, ah didn’t say that, ah jus said that wuz when y’all’d be eligible to git a raise…

Wurker:  Whut the heck?  But ah want, an deserve, a raise now!  Witout wurkers like me, the company wudn’t’ve made so much money!

Boss:  Well, if’n y’all feel that way bout it, y’all can jus go git a differnt job.  It should be “easy” wit all the unemployment out there.  Go on.  Or y’all can stay here, be quiet, an have a job…

Can y’all see the very strong implied threat that if the wurker kept fightin fur a raise, they’d lose they’s job!  This is whut happens when one employee tries to negotiate wit the business.  This happens all the time these days.  Them wurkers basically don’t have much power an usually lose the negotiatin.

A Short History of Unions in the USofA

At the end of this Part B, y’all can watch a gud an detailed show bout the history of the Labor Movement an Unions.  Cuz of that, ah’m jus gonna cover that history short-like.

Mid to Late 1800s (19th Century)

Way back toward the end of the 1800s, thangs were purty bad fur wurkers.  Mainly cuz that wuz the time of the “Robber Barons“.  Now, to be clear, Robber Barons weren’t all bad jus like gud folk ain’t all gud.  But, by regular folk’s reckonin of “fair play” an “whut’s right an whut’s wrong”, they’s were not all that gud.  They “jus” figured they wuz better than wurkin folk an, cuz they wuz better, them Robber Barons deserved not jus they’s “fair share”, but the whole dang pie!

Cuz of this, they didn’t pay they’s wurkers much money at all.  In fact, sum of them paid they’s wurkers, at least in part, in “company money” that cud only be spent in “company stores” at “company prices”.  Now, if’n y’all’re thunkin that them wurkers weren’t gittin very gud deals at them company stores, y’all’d be right!

An that didn’t even begin to cover how dangerous most jobs of the time were.  Even jobs like a seamstress, a job y’all’d thunk’d be purty safe, weren’t.  It weren’t uncommon fur a “sew-er” to run they’s hands through the sewing machine an have to pick the stitches outta they’s hands an then git back to wurk once the bleedin had stopped.  Industrial wurkers had it even wurse.

Early to Mid 1900s (20th Century)

During this time, especially after the “Market Crash of 1929” (whut started The Great Depression), thangs were gittin better fur the wurker.  They’s were beginnin to “organize” (startin unions an forcin “collective bargainin” wit the companies).  On the other hand, sum companies started payin they’s wurkers more on theys own.

Henry Ford

Now folk say Henry Ford wuz the creator of the modern factory… an, fur the most part, they’d be right!  In his book “Today and Tomorrow” (1926), Ford talked bout why he decided to pay his wurkers $5/day (about double whut other auto manufacturers’re payin at the time).  Well, while they’s a lot of gud stuff in that book, I’ll give y’all the quick answer.  At $5/day, his wurkers cud afford to buy the cars they were makin (bout $600 each at the time)!  Through loyalty to Ford Motor Company an the fact it wuz the cheapest car available, ever one of his employees wuz a potential customer.  An it wurked!

Course ol Henry had a lot of flaws as a person an ah’m not gonna git into all of them.  However, ah will say he wuz VERY, violently, anti-union!

Pres FDR

After Pres FDR took office, he saw whut damage The Great Depression wuz havin on regular workin folk.  He saw how the Robber Barons wuz takin advantage of folks hard times to pay them next to nuttin and charge them wurkers all they cud.

He jus thunked that wuz downright wrong.  So he got sum bills passed to help the wurkers out.  An the one that most helped unions wuz the National Labor Relations Act.  This Act instituted the National Labor Relations Board, whut helped folk unionize an kept folk like them Robber Barons honest… well as honest as any of them cud be forced to be!

After WWII

Frum bout 1945 on, unions got regular wurkin folk the ability to negotiate wit the executives in the board rooms an started to git purty close to a “fair share”.  An the “Middle Class” boomed, as did the gud ol USofA.  Remember that “a rising tide raises all boats”?  This lasted fur bout 30-35 years befur the business folk really started puttin the screws on “organized labor” through propaganda programs.

Mid to Late 1900s (20th Century)

Startin in the 1970s, unions started gittin a bad name.  In part becuz they’s leadership wuz gittin corrupt an infiltrated by the “Mob” (in other wurds, the Mafia).  Also, the leadership started to defend folk who weren’t wurth defendin.  Course, that didn’t happen much, but wit the propaganda system “big business” had set up, they made shure ever durned time a union defended sumone who didn’t deserve it got frunt page (newspaper) coverage!

1981 Air Traffic Controller Strike

The final turn of the “pendulum” (that thang that goes back an forth in a grandfather clock) toward “the powerful” headin back frum unions toward big business wuz the 1981 Air Traffic Controller Strike.  Now a lotta folk thunked they wuz jus askin fur too much.  But whut most folks wasn’t bein told wuz that them guvmint air traffic controllers wuz gittin paid bout 20% less than private company air traffic controllers.  An they’s wurkload wuz increasin.  So they had a strike cuz they wanted more pay an fewer hours.

Now y’all gotta keep in mind that bein an air traffic controller is a high stress job.  Y’all have to have the ability to be VERY detail oriented (y’all don’t want planes crashin into each other) AN have to be able to keep yur focus on whut yur doin fur a full 8+ hours.  Talk bout tiring.

Well, since “We, the People” were only gittin one side (the side that said them controllers were jus lazy an greedy sons of guns), we didn’t support them.  Wit the manufactured outrage aginst the controllers buildin, Pres Reagan broke up the union an kicked the controllers out.

The Beginnin of the End fur Unions in Merica

An that wuz the beginnin of the end fur the power of unions har in Merica.  At the time, bout 25+% of jobs were union, whut forced non-union companies to pay more an give better benefits to git gud wurkers to wurk in they’s non-union shops.

Now that Pres Reagan had made it a “gud” thang to bash unions, both businesses an they’s bought an paid fur politicians began passin anti-union laws an regulations.

Early 2000s (21st Century)

Whut started in bout 1980 is in full swing now in 2021.  They’s bout 35 states that either have or are considerin passin “Right to Work” laws.

Now y’all’re probly thunkin, “Ranty, ain’t it gud that folks have ‘Right to Wurk’ laws?”  Well, to unnerstand this better, y’all have to unnerstand how to translate “politician-eze” to regular English.  An it gits tricky when y’all furst git started.

Y’see them politicians an they’s bosses (the rich an big business) are purty smart.  They know that “We, the People” wud git durned angry an vote them outta office if’n they said whut the bills wud really do.  So they decided to dress them bills that wud hurt folk in pretty wurds.

How to Translate “Politician-eze”

Fur example, the “Patriot Act” sounds like sumthin y’all’d hardly be able find a problem wit.  Cuz who wudn’t want to be a “patriot”?  The problem is the “Patriot Act” wuz mostly bout how the guvmint cud git around the US Constitution an spy on Merican citizens!  Them politicians knew we wudn’t support the “Spyin on Mericans Act”, now wud we?

The “Right to Wurk” laws’re the same.  They basically say that if’n y’all wurk in a business that has a union, an even if’n y’all git the benefits of union negotiated contracts, y’all don’t have to join the union.

Why Join a Union, If’n Y’all Have the “Right to Wurk”?

So y’all might be askin, “Well, Ranty, whut’s wrong wit that?  Why do I have to join the union?”

Well, furst, ah’d say, “Cuz it’s the right thang to do to pay fur the benefits y’all’re gittin.  Y’all ain’t sayin y’all want to cheat into sumthin, are y’all?”

An, secund, the only way that unions can negotiate is if they have folk wurkin fur the union.  Y’all know, folk lookin to make sure the company actually does whut the contract says they shud.  An that might mean even hirin high priced lawyers an such.

An then most unions keep “strike funds” on hand so that if’n the wurkers decide to strike (it’s still a votin decision of wurkers, not union leaders), the union can git sum money to the wurkers fur food an such.  It ain’t a lot, but it beats the stuffin outta nuttin!

So if folk can git the benefits of union contracts, but can cheat they’s way outta payin union dues (whut usually ain’t that much compared to how much better union jobs are), then it’ll starve the unions out an they’ll jus close up shop.  Cuz who’ll do all that wurk fur free… so sumone else can git the benefits, but not pay fur them?

The Bottom Line (Unions Edition)

They’s is no doubt that there are, an have been, abuses by union management. Thang is, they pale in comparison to the abuses by employers.

Frum the 1970s to Today

Keep in mind that back in the 1970s, union employment wuz bout 30% of the wurkforce. Other employers had to compete aginst union wages, an benefits, to get gud employees (“a risin tide raises all boats”).  Fur the most part, durin that time, employee wages/benefits rose, in lock-step, wit increases in productivity.  So as productivity went up, so did wages.

In the 1980s, led by Pres Reagan, “union bustin” began in earnest, thru the wearin down of union/employee rights. Rights that them folk in the “labor movement” (remember Labor Day?) fought fur an whut Pres William Howard Taft created the Department of Labor in 1903, fur to help wurkers.

Since the 1980s, union membership has dropped to way under 10% today. Durin that time, wurker productivity (whut gits dun over a certain period of time) has risen by more’n 200% (an many estimates say 250-300%).  On the other hand, wages an benefits fur wurkers’ve only risen by 7-10% (in “constant dollars” (takin inflation into account), dependin on the study)!

Money is Wurk!

The bottom line is that money is work. Y’all wurk an then y’all git paid. If y’all’re wurking, but ain’t gittin a fair wage for the wurk y’all do, then them businesses’re stealin yur wurk an stickin it in they’s pocket.

Unions’re the only way wurkers’ve got to git a fair shot at they’s fair share.  At least the only way that we’all’ve dun figured out so far.

Apple

Take Apple, for example. As much as they’s wurkers’re gittin paid (at least them tech workers), Apple still’s got well over $300 BILLION in CASH. They’s so much money that Apple can’t figure out whut to spend they’s money on!  Ah mean they’s obviously not sharing the wealth wit all they’s wurkers, an not jus in the US.

Now who dun wurked so as Apple cud make them ridiculous profits? They’s wurkers, course. Folk like Steve Jobs (founder), Jonny Ivy (tech guru), an Tim Cook (current CEO) may git the limelight, an they’s dun sum gud in they’s own right, but them Apple wurkers, sweatin long hours outside that thar limelight’re the ones who dun earned it for Apple!

Back when unions dun be strong, a family cud git by wit only one parent workin (unless they both wanted to). Today, now that unions’re weak, even “middle income” families’ve got to have both parents workin to keep they’s heads above water.

It dun seem like the bosses’re the cheerleaders that folks love to watch, but it’s the football players who’re doin all the wurk.  So keep y’all’s eye on the ball an don’t let sum purty language an presentations distract y’all frum where the real wurk is goin on!

Finally, Mah Final Comment on Unions…

So yeah, they be problems wit unions (no organization is purfect), but they’re currently the only way ah know of fur workers to git they’s fair share.

An like Forrest Gump wud say, “That’s all ah’ve got to say bout that!”  At least fur now….

Ranty McRantyson signin off!

PS.  Har’s a video discussin whut happened bout a 100-150 years ago.  Y’all might wanna watch it an see if’n y’all can see any similarities to today: (Warnin: It’s a bit long, but ah thunk y’all’ll find it wurth watchin anyway.)