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Subject:Re: What am I worth? From:"Eric L. Dunn" <edunn -at- TRANSPORT -dot- BOMBARDIER -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:27:10 -0500
Closed Shop: "You must be in the Union."
Closed Shop: "You can choose not to be in the union but still must pay
dues."
Closed Shop; "You don't have to join or pay, but Bob wants to talk to you
out back."
My terminology may be wrong (so please excuse me) but to me it's all the
same. It's a strange form of democracy these unions use to represent the
interests of their "members". I would like to know why it is so unfortunate
that closed shops are illegal (even if in practice they still exist). Any
group should stand on its' merits and advantages offered to its' members.
No person should be forced to belong (or pay dues). Freedom of association
includes the freedom from association.
My opinion that "open shops are very rare things." is just that an opinion.
But taken in the context of my opening, I have yet to talk to a friend,
acquaintance, or contact who has worked in a unionised setting where the
choice was truly open.
If you believe your association gives good value for money then by all
means promote it. You have the right to your beliefs, convictions, and to
choose the groups with which you associate. But don't ever suggest anyone
must be a member.
The only exception I can think of (right now) is professional associations
to protect the publics' safety (Order of Engineers, Medical Associations).
Eric L. Dunn
At 12:25 PM 3/3/99 -0500, Eric L. Dunn wrote:
>The first thing all unions do create a
>closed shop where you must be a member of the right union to work there.
>Open shops are very rare things.
Er...um...closed shops have for some decades been (unfortunately...)
illegal in the US.
(And I am very curious about the statistical basis for the statement that
"open shops are very rare things.")
Perhaps you are thinking of "union shops," in which workers need not join
the union but must nonetheless (if I remember correctly) pay union dues--a
practice I imagine you would find no less onerous than a closed shop.
Richard Yanowitz, NYC
ryanowitz -at- bigfoot -dot- com
