Craig Daily Press / Patrick Wayne Germond: Giving people a choice

Archive for Friday, September 26, 2008

September 26, 2008

Giving people a choice

To the editor:

I'd like to clarify a point in my letter to the editor Thursday. I stated in some areas you have join a union to be a teacher.

In this area, you do not. I stated the following online and I'd like to do it again. In this area we have really good unions. I also talked to people in unions here that do not wish to be a member.

I would like to give everyone the same choice that has made our teachers union above average.

Vote yes on Amendment 47 if you feel this way. Remember, however, it may weaken some unions. It also may make them better and more respondent to its members' wishes. Enjoy the discussion and thank you.

Patrick Wayne Germond

26 September 2008 at 9:57 a.m.

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dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Right to work laws lower wages for everyone. The average worker in a right to work state makes about $5,333 a year less than workers in other states ($35,500 compared with $30,167).[http://www.bls.gov/news.release/annpay.t01.htm] Weekly wages are $72 greater in free-bargaining states than in right to work states ($621 versus $549). Working families in states without right to work laws have higher wages and benefit from healthier tax bases that improve their quality of life.

Federal law already protects workers who don't want to join a union to get or keep their jobs. Supporters claim right to work laws protect employees from being forced to join unions. Don't be fooled-federal law already does this, as well as protecting nonmembers from paying for union activities that violate their religious or political beliefs. This individual freedom argument is a sham.

26 September 2008 at 1:47 p.m.

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Patrick (Anonymous) says…

I don't get? If 47 wont hurt or help why do unions oppose it? Could you give me the law or a place to look it up? Thanks

26 September 2008 at 2:59 p.m.

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dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Patrick, this is the web site that I refered to earlier as you can see is hosted by the AFL-CIO.
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/legislat…
One typical version of a right-to-work law reads “No person may be denied employment, and employers may not be denied the right to employ any person, because of that person's membership or non-membership in any labor organization.” Labor union leaders typically seek the repeal of right-to-work laws because much lower percentages of workers choose to join unions and pay dues in states where such laws are in effect. Defenders of right-to-work laws tend to argue that workers who refuse to join unions mainly do so because they just do not value the collective bargaining services that unions perform and/or because they disagree with the political causes that unions support with their dues money. Opponents of right-to-work laws tend to see refusal to join a union mainly as attempting to be a free rider who enjoys the very real benefits of union representation without having to pay his fair share of the cost. 22 US states have some version of such a law presently in effect. If you wanted to Google “right to work” there is a lot of information out there.