Compulsory Unionism: The New Slavery

CharlotteUSAThe map above reveals the US states without compulsory unionism in dark blue, vs. the states requiring compulsory unionism in light blue. Here are some economic comparisons between the two groups:

* Among America's 22 RTW states (including Florida, Georgia and Texas), nonfarm private-sector employment grew 3.7 percent from 1999 to 2009, while it shrank 2.8 percent among America's 28 forced-union states (e.g. California, Illinois and New York).

* During those 10 years, real personal income rose 28.3 percent in RTW states and sank 14.7 percent in forced-union states.

* In 2009, cost-of-living-adjusted, per-capita, disposable, personal income was $35,543 in RTW states versus $33,389 in forced-union states. Americans in RTW states enjoyed more freedom, plus a $2,154 premium.

Notwithstanding that RTW states are comparatively prosperous engines of job growth, the case for RTW is not merely economic - but moral.

"Government has granted union officials the unprecedented power to force individual employees to pay up or be fired and to coerce workers into subsidizing union speech," says the National Right to Work Committee's Patrick Semmens. "This fundamental violation of individual liberty - an infringement on freedom of speech and freedom of association - finally would end with passage of the NRTWA."

"Compulsory unionism ... should not be lawful under a free government or tolerated by a free people," Donald R. Richberg argued in his 1972 book, "Compulsory Unionism: The New Slavery." _WATimes

Compulsory unionism is driving states such as Illinois, California, New Jersey, and New York into bankruptcy. Particularly generous pensions, benefits, and wages to government sector unions is creating an exponential increase in state and municipal government debt -- with inevitable collapse to come, unless drastic measures are taken.

It is necessary to understand that in the minds of modern leftist activists and politicians, labour unions are a revolutionary force for the "progressive" cause. Even if union contracts result in the bankruptcy of corporations, states, and cities, the revolutionary nature of the unions is reason enough to press them forward against all reason and logic.

This desperate compulsion on the part of wealthy and powerful activists, activist networks, and politicians helps to explain their commitment to labour unions -- that and the hundreds of millions of US$ that labour unions feed into the activist and political network every year, and the rather forceful "get out the vote" efforts which incorporate dead and otherwise illegal voters whenever necessary, or votes come up a little short.

If union thugs remind you of mobsters, there must be a good reason. Think about it, perhaps it will come to you.