Adventures in Union Marketing
The Asbestos Workers Union (didn’t realize there was such a thing) is taking the shock-and-awe approach to raising awareness for its services by erecting a couple of coffins on Flushing Avenue this morning. Evidently, there’s some contractor or another with headquarters inside the Navy Yard that has yet to see the wisdom of paying top…
The Asbestos Workers Union (didn’t realize there was such a thing) is taking the shock-and-awe approach to raising awareness for its services by erecting a couple of coffins on Flushing Avenue this morning. Evidently, there’s some contractor or another with headquarters inside the Navy Yard that has yet to see the wisdom of paying top dollar for their services. For a view inside the coffins, click through to the jump. Update: A reader sent in a scan of one of the flyers that the protesters are now handing out. You can view it here.
“By the way, I’d be the first to suggest that labor unions are in need of stronger regulation.”
This conversation isn’t even about unions any more. And I disagree that they need to be more regulated. I just don’t think they should be protected. Different concepts.
“I have spent over a decade negotiating on behalf of management against labor unions.”
Is this like when someone is about to tell a racist joke and says don’t worry I have lots of black friends?
“However, looking at the larger picture, I have no doubt that the current model for US engagement in international trade is pure suicide for the US, orchestrated by corporations and facilitated by Congress all in the name of the almighty dollar.”
…..yawn….. emotional populist nonsense.
“I havent proposed stopping trade, only making it fair.”
A completely meaningless statement.
“The only reason we let our markets get flooded by goods procuced by cheap labor at the expense of domestically produced goods is because our own companies operating overseas have a tremendous lobby in Washington.”
Wrong. We do it because trade, on the whole, greatly benefits us. Again, we need to help people who get dislocated, but trade is hugely positive to us all.
“We dont allow it to happen out of some notion that it makes sense for our country, because it doesnt.”
That’s just wrong, plain and simple. If we got rid of our trading relationships our economy would be crippled. You need to be able to separate the emotional issue of individual dislocation from the cumulative effect on us all – and you need to understand how critical trade is to millions of existing jobs.
“Some caps are necessary, unless we want to continue along the current path of destroying our middle class.”
Creative destruction, my friend. Embrace it or get out of the way. Your middle class doesn’t exist any more.
OK, Guvna’s post is very long so I’ll respond in parts.
“looking at the big picture, the fact remains that attempting to make US salaries as low as third world countries where the manufacturing has been moved to does not create a robust american middle class. Our standard and cost of living is much higher and reflects what you’d expect a mature industrialized country to look like in comparison to these so-called emerging countries.”
Salaries only drop where we don’t have a comparative advantage, like manufacturing. They rise elsewhere. Our overall standard of living has actually increased dramatically with increased trade. “Protecting” the middle class concept you have (backwards-looking, not wanting to change) will destroy it. Your middle class has already changed and will continue to do so. See my prior posts about how to think about helping out those who get squeezed out.
Anyone who’s had these discussions before have seen the same arguments on both side. However, looking at the big picture, the fact remains that attempting to make US salaries as low as third world countries where the manufacturing has been moved to does not create a robust american middle class. Our standard and cost of living is much higher and reflects what you’d expect a mature industrialized country to look like in comparison to these so-called emerging countries.
I havent proposed stopping trade, only making it fair. The only reason we let our markets get flooded by goods procuced by cheap labor at the expense of domestically produced goods is because our own companies operating overseas have a tremendous lobby in Washington. We dont allow it to happen out of some notion that it makes sense for our country, because it doesnt. Some caps are necessary, unless we want to continue along the current path of destroying our middle class.
By the way, I’d be the first to suggest that labor unions are in need of stronger regulation. I have spent over a decade negotiating on behalf of management against labor unions. However, looking at the larger picture, I have no doubt that the current model for US engagement in international trade is pure suicide for the US, orchestrated by corporations and facilitated by Congress all in the name of the almighty dollar.
As long as our standard and cost of living is higher than the places where our companies move manufacturing to (or allow foreign companies to flood our markets), we shall continue to witness the death of our middle class.
people tout the idea that we can just move on to manufacture other things. Well, I suggest that whatever we decide to manufacture domestically will eventually be made cheaper overseas, so the same process will bear itself out until and unless we do something different with our trade policy. Its nice to make laods of friends by creating jobs overseas, but to do so in denial about its effect on our own middle class is reckless. There has to be some balance and control. Why do other countries cap our exports? Think about it.
my Japanese TV is made in Korea.
Benson for mayor!!
JB;
Unfortunately nothing has been implemented on a major scale. THIS is an area for real social reform, not another entitlement program.
The US is still the world’s leader in business startups.
In other news, the US has dropped to 15th place around the world for fast internet service.
Here’s the story…
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aShA_ZpBnvD4
Cool. Thanks, guys. It does seem like a better, more reality based conversation to have. Are there examples of successful retraining of workers out there? Is there a model that could be duplicated?