Unionism: POP Quiz

[pause the ‘Born Again American’ video before starting this video]

A few years ago at a community fair I worked a booth where my Local’s President [E. Beaver] and I collected signatures on a giant Post Card. The postcard was meant as a show of support and was to be sent to a post office where postal workers had been exposed to Anthrax and at least one Postal Worker had died from that exposure. While we collected nearly a thousand signatures that afternoon I was amazed at how many people refused to sign just because we were a union and they ‘…did not believe in unions’.
Now this occurred in downtown Indianapolis, on the circle where an overwhelming majority where white collar workers [corporate and government], so it wasn’t a hotbed of union workers, but the response was worrisome when you consider that very few of these people could support their anti-unionism with any real reason beyond the typical stereotypes.
Like the young lady in the above video I could go on endlessly about the positive benefits that not only union workers enjoy, but also the benefits that non-union workers, communities and the country enjoy directly and indirectly because of unions, but let me approach the debate from a different prospective.
Most of those that expressed their non-belief in unions were...
...corporate office workers and by logical conclusion probably came by their beliefs to some extent as a result of the common, but incorrect, assumption that unions are ant-corporation. In today's America the “what is good for business is good for America” philosophy is dominant. This philosophy is further supported by the ‘prosperity gospels’, free marketers and deregulators to the point that the pro-corporate mantra has elevated the status of Capitalism from an economic system to a religious belief. This is further complicated by the complicity of the 'leaders of the ‘religious right’ who have figuratively given the ‘keys to the temple’ to the money changers.
All one has to do is listen to the conservative talk shows and their followers to realize that many of them occasionally speak of free markets, corporations and capitalism as if they’re a soulful, mindful and pristine entity. As is often expressed they apparently can’t separate our form of government from our economic system.
So let’s look at unions from the stand point of what they have in common with the almighty corporations and then lets look at their differences:
Similarities:

1. Corporations are formed in order to pool the resources [capital] of many so as to better utilize those resources on a scale that empowers them in the free market system. Unions are formed in order to pool the resources [skills, sweat, and time] of many so as to better utilize those resources on a scale that empowers them in the labor market portion of the free market system.
2. Corporations are run by their memberships [shareholders] through elections of Boards and Trustees. Unions are run by their memberships who also elect officers to serve on their Executive Boards.
3. Corporations can collect and raise funds from shareholders and revenues for a variety of functions for investments, acquisitions, lobbying and politics. Unions raise funds from their members and fund raisers for investments, lobbying and politics.

Differences:

1. Corporations are also formed and designed to limit the liability and therefore the responsibility of its members where as Unions are formed to share the responsibility and liability of their actions.
2. Very often shareholders in corporations own shares in many corporations. This further reduces their sense of responsibility in the actions of a particular corporation. Union members on the other hand are prohibited from belonging to more than one union. This further increases their sense of responsibility. 
3. The officers who run corporations are elected only by a certain class of shareholders and it isn’t one person one vote. Votes are allocated on the basis of shares owned which often leads to a minority of individuals controlling most of the votes. Unions on the other hand are strictly one person one vote. Members are also granted the same privileges and rights as other members and Executive Board members. In most cases the decision of the membership [by vote] is the final authority.
4. Corporate shareholders usually meet only once a year. Unions hold their meetings as often as once a month.
5. Corporate Boards can allocate, spend and distribute corporate assets at their will without regard to the majority of their shareholders since they only answer to the shareholders who own the majority of shares. In many cases Unions are prohibited from distributing funds without direct approval of their members and often are prohibited from using membership dues to support political or lobbying efforts.
6. Corporate Boards usually start their meetings with the reading of a report or the introduction of their Board. Unions always start their meetings with the pledge and a prayer. They already know their board.
7. Unions usually make monthly charitable donations from their wages directly through their membership dues and often straight out of their pockets. Corporations make their contributions from a profit loss statement so as to reap the tax benefit.
8. Corporations seek the bottom line whereby they outsource and eliminate American jobs without concern for the consequences to the working family. Unions fight for, lobby for and support the preservation of American jobs, union and non-union.

Now ask yourself this: If a corporation is about the bottom line then how is its mere existence better for America if it has no responsibility to America. A healthy business sector is a good thing. Capitalism is a great economic system, but out of control corporations and Capitalism run amuck without restraint from involved shareholders and watchdogs are a threat to our economy not a boon. Just look at what greed, deregulation and unchecked risk have done to our economy in 2008 and 2009.
Is the philosophy of ‘what is good for business is good for America’  true or should it be ‘what is good for the working family is good for America’ more accurate? In answering this question and addressing the belief that unions are anti-corporate look at #2 above under differences. Shareholders have little voice, no liability and less responsibility while investing in many businesses [corporations] where Union members have a greater voice, a greater responsibility and a greater interest in one business. The one that employs them. Why would they be opposed to the welfare of that business?

Glenn Littrell  

Notes: Resources and References:

Five Myths About the Labor Union Movement

Union Values:Made In America