Here's a story from the Cincinnatti Enquirer about a worker who profits because of his company's efforts to keep unions out. He doesn't want to pay a cent for union benefits since Toyota is already forced by the competition to match union wages. He runs an anti-union website, which I'm sure doesn't hurt his chances to get promotions and other perks from Toyota.
Not every American is as fortunate as this guy, who has his bosses paying him and his co-workers better simply to make unions less attractive. Other industries like high-tech which have never had strong unions don't have the same luxuries like the Dilberts at IBM.
Toyota runs best without UAW backseat driver
PETER BRONSON
"The media tries to portray it like it's big, bad Toyota preventing the union," Howard recently said after he finished a shift painting cars. "No, it's people like me."
http://zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/...
"The media tries to portray it like it's big, bad Toyota preventing the union," Howard said after he finished a shift painting cars last week. "No, it's people like me."
He's winning. So is Toyota. Last year it passed GM in sales for the first time. And Toyota wages have now passed UAW wages for the first time - $30 an hour to $27 (including bonuses).
"When I tell people where I work, they say, 'You guys have got it made,'" said Howard, a former tax examiner who been with Toyota 17 years. With bonuses and overtime, "Making $70,000 is very common," he said. "A lot make $90,000 to $100,000 a year."
Fewer than 20 percent would vote to join the UAW, he said. "Hard-core, dead-set against it, I'd say 40 percent or more."
"The UAW knows they do not have and will never have the votes to win an election," says Howard's co-worker Marvin Robbins. "So they want to take the rights of the workers away and not have an election."
If you think that we all need to have the same opportunities as this guy to choose or refuse a union, then support labor reform in 2008.
If you think our employers would pay us better not out of their generous nature, but because they have to compete against union wages and benefits benefits, then support labor reform in 2008.
Make the Republicans talk about the lack of penalties for violating the National Labor Relations Act, support the Employee Free Choice Act which is stalled in the Senate due to technical changes to union election procedures. If the Senate can't pass that, they should support the enforcement of current law.
My group, Agilepeople.org, advocates for labor rights not just for unions, but for everyone. Sign our petition at: www.agilepeople.org