Open_Veins_8 OP t1_j06l1al wrote on December 14, 2022 at 1:12 PM

In just one year, 270 stores have unionized across the country and many workers see this as a testament to the power of grassroots organizing.

drxdrg08 t1_j08izjg wrote on December 14, 2022 at 8:57 PM

Like everything else, unions have upsides and downsides.

One of the largest downsides is that there are no checks and balances that prevent union request from damaging the business, all the way up to going out of business.

Metalworkers have all but been eliminated. That business is now in Asia and Russia.

Autoworkers allowed the Japanese to take a huge chunk of the market.

There are many examples where short term gains for the union lead to long term losses for the union and the business.

neverdowrong t1_j08mje4 wrote on December 14, 2022 at 9:20 PM

A good union and a good company would recognize they have a mutual interest in making sure the company is as profitable and competitive as possible without sacrificing the quality of the product or the working conditions. Unfortunately, many companies are so greedy that they aren’t willing to compromise. And some unions are so focused on maintaining the status quo that they fail to recognize the value of an active, engaged rank-and-file membership that is contributing ideas that make the company and the union stronger.

drxdrg08 t1_j08qno1 wrote on December 14, 2022 at 9:46 PM

> Unfortunately, many companies are so greedy that they aren’t willing to compromise.

The same can be said about unions. Greed is just human nature, and there are humans on the company side and the union side.

> A good union and a good company would recognize they have a mutual interest

Not going happen. Human nature is unchangeable, short of evolutionary changes, and that takes millions of years.

Where do unions work well? Germany? What are they doing differently? Well, they don't have company level unions for one. They are per industry.

Super_C_Complex t1_j0965lt wrote on December 14, 2022 at 11:33 PM

> Autoworkers allowed the Japanese to take a huge chunk of the market

Except Japanese employees were more productive in the 70s and built a reputation for well priced quality. Now Japanese cars are made in the US.

> Metalworkers have all but been eliminated. That business is now in Asia and Russia

Counterpoint. Arc furnaces are more versatile, cheaper, and efficient than large blast furnaces and the demand for structural steel has diminished due to suburbanization. There's still significant metallurgy in the US is just smaller scale.