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This is basic economics. The rise of income and wealth inequality is directly tied to the weakening of collective bargaining, corporate consolidation and globa

This is basic economics. The rise of income and wealth inequality is directly tied to the weakening of collective bargaining, corporate consolidation and globalization. Source: https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/labor-unions-and-the-us-economy#:~:text=Over%20the%20subsequent%20decades%2C%20union,20%20percent%20of%20total%20income https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/labor-unions.... Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests.

lotsoweiners 3y ago
Cool. How do I start a unionize my family and how do I get my wife on board.
- m463 3y ago
  Watch out, I would try to union bust all teenagers. I guess it might be ok since parents have seniority.
marcusverus 3y ago
> The rise of income and wealth inequality is directly tied to the weakening of collective bargaining That would make sense, but the data in the article do not seem to be cooperating. 1917-1950: Union membership up 3X. Top 1% share of income reduced by 2/3rds. Looks like a causal relationship! 1950-1980: Union membership is reduced by 1/2. Top 1% share of income... is reduced by 8/10ths? Huh. 1980-2020: Union membership is reduced by 1/2. Top 1% share of income goes up 10X. Basically the opposite of the previous period.
- washadjeffmad 3y ago
  When the geese come in, you can buy these little concrete coyotes that keep them from colonizing everything and crapping everywhere. In general, it takes just a year or two until they completely avoid the area, and it lasts for about a (goose) generation. I'm sure there's a parallel in there about beating back the rentseekers and vulture capitalists.
constantcrying 3y ago
>Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. This is only true if you yourself do not possess greater bargaining power by having certain rare skills, that are in demand. Which is why the report shows that higher educated people benefit far less.
- rightbyte 3y ago
  Lawers are unionized but just name it something else. Etc.
  - constantcrying 3y ago
    I think our are taking about a professional organization. Those do not perform the same function unions do. The point of unions is to gain bargaining power against massive corporations. If you are self employed, part of a small company or easily replaceable (which is the case for most lawyers), because your professional is only a tiny part of the company a union does nothing for you. Professional associations exist for different reasons and have different goals.
  - jnwatson 3y ago
    Lawyers essentially have a guild. They set up systems like the Bar to prevent outsiders from plying their trade. It has similar functions as a union but predates it by several centuries.
- bwestergard 3y ago
  At some point, higher individual compensation doesn't matter much if everyone else in your community is overworked and underpaid. I think many Dutch or French software developers are living better lives than developers in California, all things considered.
  - constantcrying 3y ago
    >At some point, higher individual compensation doesn't matter much if everyone else in your community is overworked and underpaid. I think that totally depends on the individual and their circumstances. >I think many Dutch or French software developers are living better lives than developers in California, all things considered. European developers generally earn much less than Americans, especially after taxes you can get to a 2x difference with comparable cost of living depending on area. In generally wages in Europe are much more even, here in Germany you have a heavily bracketed income tax system, even significant increases in wage usually become much smaller if you consider the additional taxes.
3seashells 3y ago
[dead]
dantheman 3y ago
The majority of unionized workers in the united states are government employees. The union protects the incompetent, shields them from responsibilities, and argues against the public interest. Public sector unions are corruption and a plot against the citizenry.
- magnetowasright 3y ago
  Being that powerful, think of what unions could do for everyone else! Hell yeah!
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
randomdata 3y ago
> Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. The problem is just like you said, though: Wealth inequality weakens collective bargaining. A union only holds power by being able to force a stoppage of work, but workers can only afford to stop work if they are rich. Without the arrow of wealth inequality reversing, unions will continue to falter anywhere the workers are poor. That's just basic economics. However, figuring out how to reverse said arrow is extremely complex economics. If we knew how, we'd have done it already.
dkjaudyeqooe 3y ago
> Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. This isn't true, and is often undesirable since unions serve workers, not customers. Competition is what keeps corporations in check, and is most likely to benefit everyone. Of course unions are important to workers and also have their part to play.
- fakedang 3y ago
  The restaurant industry is an extremely competitive industry, yet I don't see their employees at the large enjoying any sort of prosperity. Competition helps customers. Unionization helps workers. Both should happen in tandem, not exclusively.

lotsoweiners 3y ago

Cool. How do I start a unionize my family and how do I get my wife on board.

m463 3y ago
Watch out, I would try to union bust all teenagers. I guess it might be ok since parents have seniority.

marcusverus 3y ago

> The rise of income and wealth inequality is directly tied to the weakening of collective bargaining That would make sense, but the data in the article do not seem to be cooperating. 1917-1950: Union membership up 3X. Top 1% share of income reduced by 2/3rds. Looks like a causal relationship! 1950-1980: Union membership is reduced by 1/2. Top 1% share of income... is reduced by 8/10ths? Huh. 1980-2020: Union membership is reduced by 1/2. Top 1% share of income goes up 10X. Basically the opposite of the previous period.

washadjeffmad 3y ago
When the geese come in, you can buy these little concrete coyotes that keep them from colonizing everything and crapping everywhere. In general, it takes just a year or two until they completely avoid the area, and it lasts for about a (goose) generation. I'm sure there's a parallel in there about beating back the rentseekers and vulture capitalists.

constantcrying 3y ago

>Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. This is only true if you yourself do not possess greater bargaining power by having certain rare skills, that are in demand. Which is why the report shows that higher educated people benefit far less.

rightbyte 3y ago
Lawers are unionized but just name it something else. Etc.
- constantcrying 3y ago
  I think our are taking about a professional organization. Those do not perform the same function unions do. The point of unions is to gain bargaining power against massive corporations. If you are self employed, part of a small company or easily replaceable (which is the case for most lawyers), because your professional is only a tiny part of the company a union does nothing for you. Professional associations exist for different reasons and have different goals.
- jnwatson 3y ago
  Lawyers essentially have a guild. They set up systems like the Bar to prevent outsiders from plying their trade. It has similar functions as a union but predates it by several centuries.
bwestergard 3y ago
At some point, higher individual compensation doesn't matter much if everyone else in your community is overworked and underpaid. I think many Dutch or French software developers are living better lives than developers in California, all things considered.
- constantcrying 3y ago
  >At some point, higher individual compensation doesn't matter much if everyone else in your community is overworked and underpaid. I think that totally depends on the individual and their circumstances. >I think many Dutch or French software developers are living better lives than developers in California, all things considered. European developers generally earn much less than Americans, especially after taxes you can get to a 2x difference with comparable cost of living depending on area. In generally wages in Europe are much more even, here in Germany you have a heavily bracketed income tax system, even significant increases in wage usually become much smaller if you consider the additional taxes.

3seashells 3y ago

[dead]

dantheman 3y ago

The majority of unionized workers in the united states are government employees. The union protects the incompetent, shields them from responsibilities, and argues against the public interest. Public sector unions are corruption and a plot against the citizenry.

magnetowasright 3y ago
Being that powerful, think of what unions could do for everyone else! Hell yeah!
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

randomdata 3y ago

> Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. The problem is just like you said, though: Wealth inequality weakens collective bargaining. A union only holds power by being able to force a stoppage of work, but workers can only afford to stop work if they are rich. Without the arrow of wealth inequality reversing, unions will continue to falter anywhere the workers are poor. That's just basic economics. However, figuring out how to reverse said arrow is extremely complex economics. If we knew how, we'd have done it already.

dkjaudyeqooe 3y ago

> Unionized workers are the only real backstop against corporate interests. This isn't true, and is often undesirable since unions serve workers, not customers. Competition is what keeps corporations in check, and is most likely to benefit everyone. Of course unions are important to workers and also have their part to play.

fakedang 3y ago
The restaurant industry is an extremely competitive industry, yet I don't see their employees at the large enjoying any sort of prosperity. Competition helps customers. Unionization helps workers. Both should happen in tandem, not exclusively.