March 16, 2011

A Principled Examination of Union Busting

Public sector unions, in my eyes, are often the epitome of corruption, and one of the prime examples of big special interests twisting government for its own ends, rather than looking out for the people in general.

I found this to be a treatise worth reading:

"A Principled Examination of Union Busting"

Bill Frezza argues that, "Civil rights comprise a 'broad range of privileges and rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and subsequent amendments and laws that guarantee fundamental freedoms to all individuals.' The key to this definition is that civil rights are recognized as belonging to individuals, not corporations. One of the tenets of a civil right is that the exercise of one person's civil rights must never impinge on another's. Thus I can enjoy the right of free speech but I cannot have a 'right' to make you shut up if I don't like what you're saying. True civil rights never conflict.

"Corporations are not people and cannot properly be said to have civil rights. On the other hand corporations, including unions, can and do have economic privileges granted to them by both the federal and state legislatures. Under our Federalist system of government these privileges may vary from state to state but in no case are they supposed to violate anyone's civil rights. Outside of that exactly which privileges a corporation or a union enjoys is a matter for the voters to decide."

But just as telling to me, Libertarian that I am, is that one of the worse infringements that Unions impose is coercion of the individual, often depriving individuals of their right to free association or, specially, the right NOT to associate. Read the article.

Posted by khiggins at March 16, 2011 10:29 AM