Comments on: Class Wars http://darianworden.com/blog/2010/01/class-wars/ Darian Worden's Blog Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:58:30 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: DarianW http://darianworden.com/blog/2010/01/class-wars/comment-page-1/#comment-1297 DarianW Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:23:34 +0000 http://darianworden.com/blog/?p=1152#comment-1297 Yes, unions might raise prices, but they can help individuals have a bigger say on the conditions of their labor. The solution, as in most cases, would seem to be explicitly anti-authoritarian enterprises that work for liberty. Yes, unions might raise prices, but they can help individuals have a bigger say on the conditions of their labor. The solution, as in most cases, would seem to be explicitly anti-authoritarian enterprises that work for liberty.

]]> By: bile http://darianworden.com/blog/2010/01/class-wars/comment-page-1/#comment-1296 bile Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:21:27 +0000 http://darianworden.com/blog/?p=1152#comment-1296 "any time workers organize they are seeking advantages they don’t deserve at the expense of the general public." To an extent this is true. The "expense to the public" part. Even a voluntary union in a voluntary market can push up prices on lower order goods and/or change the employment structure. A union is going to have more sway then a random group of people and history shows that they can and do throw that weight around. From intimidating scabs or non-union members to exclusive deals with employers or certification agencies. It's no fundamentally different from how voluntary cartels can effect the customer. The solution to any issues that could arise with unions are not different from cartels. Freedom of entry into the field and to compete. The difference though is that at the worker level its far more personal than at the business/manufacturing level. Add in government privilege which likely significantly contributes to the building of hierarchy and corruption within unions connected to the state... theres were you get the distrust and dislike of unions being greater then business unions (cartels). “any time workers organize they are seeking advantages they don’t deserve at the expense of the general public.”

To an extent this is true. The “expense to the public” part. Even a voluntary union in a voluntary market can push up prices on lower order goods and/or change the employment structure. A union is going to have more sway then a random group of people and history shows that they can and do throw that weight around. From intimidating scabs or non-union members to exclusive deals with employers or certification agencies. It’s no fundamentally different from how voluntary cartels can effect the customer.

The solution to any issues that could arise with unions are not different from cartels. Freedom of entry into the field and to compete. The difference though is that at the worker level its far more personal than at the business/manufacturing level. Add in government privilege which likely significantly contributes to the building of hierarchy and corruption within unions connected to the state… theres were you get the distrust and dislike of unions being greater then business unions (cartels).

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