Jun 22 2008
Unions Trying to Horn in on North Carolina’s Fortunes
North Carolina was rated by Forbes Magazine in 2007 as the best state for business. Things have been very successful here. The state economy has grown by leaps and bounds. The population is exploding and the state is amass with wealth. Things are good and the reason for that is that the government of North Carolina has gone out of its way to bend over backwards to create a business friendly environment in the state and attract industry. They have succeeded in doing so for a few different reasons.
The state government loves corporate welfare. I am not a big fan of that. I believe there are better ways to bring industry that is less wasteful than using taxpayer dollars, but nonetheless it’s worked for them. Another reason is the growth of industry has attracted workers from all over the U.S. expanding the pool of an educated work force in the state. And another reason for the increase in jobs is that North Carolina is a more profitable state to do business in because of cheaper labor costs. In translation, that means no unions. Hence, it’s not a surprise that the Marxist AFL-CIO and company are seething at the money they aren’t getting out of this cash cow.
North Carolina has one of the most restrictive laws against collective bargaining by public employees in the country.
But a labor coalition is making a concerted effort to change that.
Leading the drive is the 2 million-member Service Employees International Union, the nation’s fastest-growing union. This spring, the State Employees Association of North Carolina — the major advocacy group for state workers — voted to affiliate with the SEIU.
Also pushing to change the collective bargaining law are the N.C. Association of Educators, the AFL-CIO and the Teamsters and the American Federation of Teachers.
To gain clout in the legislature, the SEIU has been plowing money into Tar Heel political campaigns.
But the drive also has powerful opposition. Business groups fear it will lead to a more powerful labor movement in the state. State and local government officials warn it will lead to work disruptions, drawn-out negotiations, time-consuming grievance procedures and higher taxes.
Business groups are correct. Unions are a major pain in the ass for everyone. There was a time when this country needed collective bargaining and the power of the unions. Prior to the 1930s working conditions in this country were very poor, but those time have changed. We have the 40 work week today and the fringe benefits, and OSHA safety criteria, etc. Unions served their purpose and seek continued existence only to stuff lots of dollars into the pockets of the guys at the top to the detriment of the little guy they claim to be protecting at the bottom.
North Carolina has a good thing going for it and the state legislature realizes that. Why on Earth would they want to ruin that by allowing greedy, wealth-sucking parasites like the SEIU and the AFL-CIO in the fray? If you want to see North Carolina’s future under a union influenced lobby in Raleigh then take a look at Pennsylvania and the extinction of the steel industry. Look at Michigan and the implosion of the auto industry. Take a gander over to Ohio and notice the disappearance of the manufacturers. Greedy unions took it too far and played a major role in this desolation. There is a reason that part of the country is now called the Rust Belt.
Sure, America was doing great back in the 1950’s when close to a third of the work force was unionized and the top income tax rate topped 80%. The reason for that was we had no competition. Europe was still in shambles following World War II. Japan was still in the dark ages and most of the rest of the world was still living in third world conditions. That hasn’t been the case over the last few decades. The rest of the world has become more competitive with better products and cheaper labor and lower costs of doing business. The U.S. has the second highest Corporate Income Tax rate in the world. The labor unions still live with a 1950’s mind set in a 21st century global economy. Simply stated, it doesn’t work.
The North Carolina state legislature seems to understand this and there is no indication that they intend to bow to anything the labor unions throw at their feet. They are squarely in the pockets of big business. That also can have its negative side, but for now it’s the right direction for the state.
You have got to be kidding! Can you say Jim Crow!?
How is this relevant to Jim Crow?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This has nothing to do with the land of corporate stupid. This is an issue with Public Employees. The idea that a law can be passed that allows unions whilst specifically denying the right to unionize from anyone who happens to collect a paycheck from a government is absurd.
The reason my pay and benefits are commensurate with local unions is because my employer wants to keep me happy enough so as not to try to unionize my office.
There is no option for that with public employees. Therefore, we’ve got cops, firefighters and EMS workers making less than the folks who are on welfare.
That’s gotta change and it’s time we recognize it.
I don’t think you’ll find many folks who’d disagree with better pay for our public saftey personnel. I also doubt you’d find a group of taxpayers who wouldn’t get into a protest group and shout “rabble, rabble, rabble” at the thought of a $.04 property tax rate hike to increase said pay.
How do you want it?????
Aaron, I am aware of your position on this as we have had this discussion before and I agree with you that the Concord city police are underpaid, but I still stand by my position.
Unions destroy. I hail from the Rust Belt and I have witnessed this first hand. They are like a colony of fire ants that fan out and devour everything in their path leaving nothing but a city that is a shell of its former self.
The free market can fix the situation at your old police job. People who are unhappy with the pay and benefits will quit as you did. As the turnover becomes too much a burden to bear the city council will realize they need to make the job more attractive to retain the best and brightest.
The turnover has been at about 25% of sworn staff per annum for almost 15 years.
Exactly when will City Council Realize this?
Perhaps it’s on their 2025 budget agenda?
The city council is much more adept at building greeway’s and new convention centers than paying attention to LEO salaries. Meanwhile, our bottling plant employees are being gunned down for 400 bucks.
Politicians have a well defined acceptible level of crime. That level is just below the rate that would make the average citizen get off the couch and go to a city council meeting. Funny thing is, most would rather go to their own mothers funeral than a city council meeting thusly, the rate can be rather high.
I was a rookie and was useless. I quit just about 6 months after the job became second nature to me. I don’t feel comfortable with a department made up of a majority of rookies who can’t deal with the stresses they face.
This is one of those areas where I have to use years of experience rather than political platforms and party line rhetoric.
The simple fact is that there are no departments in this state that are commensurate with the national average. Secondly, the national average is about 20% lower than what it needs to be based on the seperation of the qualifications and job functions as opposed to private sector jobs.
Local and State governments have routinely refused to make Public Safety a priority in exchange for choo-choo trains and tea-pot museums. Nothing on the horizon shows that changing one iota.
I’m all for solutions and this is the only one I can see that will solve things.
As a right to work state, the governments would be free to contract out whatever services they want to. I’ve been shouting about the city workers who do jobs that contractors do in the private industry. Just write one check to the the contractor a year versus deal with the liability of keeping hundreds of employees in house.
You can’t privatize Law Enforcement due to constituional restrictions. You can partly contract EMS service in some states and Fire Service is either volunteer or professional.
These are the three areas that are actual needs. I can drill a well for my water and there’s millions of trash companies out there who’ll haul whatever I got for a fee. I’ve never understood why any city is in the electrical business and I’m employed and don’t need welfare, medicaid or bus services. I need experienced police and firefighters to keep the robbers away and put my Bar-B-Que fires out…