I know you aren't all union fans, but things such as improved safety, training, and fair wages are a result of union presence in all businesses--whether or not they employ union employees. Although, yes, unions--as with any organization--look out for their own interests, their interests actually are, believe it or not, their workers--your neighbors, your friends, your family. Add this to tax cuts for those with higher incomes (not including the relative pittance of some of those one-time bonuses, or the meager savings from tax rebates) and previous statewide decimations of union advocacy in both the private and public sectors, and, well, it doesn't look good, really, for the middle class.
By removing the requirement for non-union members to pay for services provided--such as the above-mentioned safety, training, and wages--this Supreme Court decision dramatically reduces the funds for a union to effectively keep those middle-class benefits from deteriorating. It will take money out of the pockets of the workers (thus, the economy will have less flowing into it), and puts it in the hands of the corporate executives and shareholders.
"But isn't that a good thing? That way, shareholders can get more money on their investments, and corporations can put more back into their businesses!"
Um, yeah, but that's not the way it works in the real world. Even while this "trickle-down" theory stemmed recessions under Reagan and GW Bush, income inequality actually worsened. In other words, the rich got richer, and the poor (and middle-class) got poorer.
And that's most of us.
That's already me. From a personal perspective, as a teacher, my union was completely eviscerated in 2010 by the Wisconsin legislature (a post of mine at the time). My wages froze, benefits were reduced (less pension, higher health costs), things such as working calendars and conditions were decided with no educator input, and there were few employee protections (matters are decided by a district-appointed third party). Overall, I lost more than ten percent of my paycheck, and have wages that do not increase unless I petition for it every three years citing additional district-related, but out of the classroom, activities (read: how much extra labor I put in, which really doesn't make it a raise, does it?). And the "savings" to the districts really haven't been put back into the system (districts hold referenda to increase their funding).
I don't mean to complain, I'm just sharing how it really is.
And sadly, for your middle-class neighbors, friends, and family, that's how it also will be.
Well, and likely for you, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment