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Unions and increasing the minimum wage. It used to work, until we intentionally broke the system.

• umvi 8y ago
  > It used to work For at least half of the 20th century, unions had out of control corruption and cronyism. The biggest unions (Teamsters, etc) were totally controlled by organized crime. Unions solve a few problems but introduce many others. Unions are also subject to the Shirky Principle[1] [1] https://kk.org/thetechnium/the-shirky-prin/ https://kk.org/thetechnium/the-shirky-prin/
  • deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  • AstralStorm 8y ago
    So, are we better off without them on median? If not, then apparently they were superior to current situation, no matter their flaws. If you are proposing a superior solution, you are supposed to show it is superior. If it is neutral, you should also show it actually is neutral and not inferior. I'd say that unions provide a controllable and governance alternative to employer wild west. If they are corrupt and crony, this is seen and can be fixed. Markets are not as easily controllable, even with laws.
    • umvi 8y ago
      It's hard to say if we are better off with out them. I wasn't alive during the first half of the 20th century, but my grandpa was and he is vehemently against unions, having worked in them for 20+ years. I am cautiously optimistic that unions can be a net good, but I'm also worried there aren't enough checks to balance them.
    • GFischer 8y ago
      My country (Uruguay) has strong, very often out-of-control unions. I don't think they're a solution. I've seen good union leaders, but most of them were corrupt and actively harmed the workers they purported to defend (when they weren't embezzling - and Argentina is even worse).