VIEWPOINT
By ERIC BROWN
It is clear that a majority of people do not understand the relationship and structure of unions. If you have an interest in a better understanding, please read on.
Every single citizen of the United States of America is a member of the greatest union ever conceived. Our dues are the taxes we pay. If we do not pay our dues/taxes the organization cannot pay its obligations. The structure and relationship of our various levels of government are like, similar but not identical to, the structure and relationship of organized labor.
The federal government is like the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, the AFL-CIO. State governments are like state federations of labor. County governments are like central labor councils. All of these organizations are political. The purpose of the AFL-CIO, and its sub-groups, is to bring together all labor organizations to speak with one voice on all things concerning workers. The AFL-CIO does not dictate policy to its members. Quite the contrary. The organizations that choose to join the AFL-CIO decide policy and the officers of the AFL-CIO act on that policy.
The real day-to-day work of labor unions, as it relates to members, is done by the many different national, international unions, organizations and guilds. Currently, the AFL-CIO website lists approximately 57 member organizations. Again, not all labor organizations are, nor are they compelled to be, members of the AFL-CIO. While union members may be members of the AFL-CIO, they generally refer to themselves as members of their local unions.
Local unions are like municipal governments. Local unions administer contracts, police jurisdiction, collect dues, settle disputes between members and other things related to each organization's constitution. Not all labor organizations have the same structure or constitution, but generally local unions are not micromanaged by their parent organizations. Local unions are the closest example of real democracy where each member gets an opportunity to voice his or her opinion and vote. In almost every form of government in this country the only vote we get is for those who vote in our place.
For more in-depth information, go to http://aflcio.org or select any of the organizations listed at http://aflcio.org/aboutus/unions.
Eric J. Brown is past president of the St. Joseph Valley Building and Construction Trades Council and past vice president of the North Central Indiana AFL. He lives in South Bend.
| Weston Joined: Mar 12 2008 Posts: 867 | Posted: Mar 10 2011 8:40 am Subject: Re: Local unions offer closest exampl ... Eric To draw a analogy between our constitutional government and the american labor unions is really stretching the truth. Our Government has a set of checks and balances lacking in the unions. Unions have almost dictatorial rule over the locals. Unions financing the elections of the very politicians they negotiate wages and work rules with. The Union, Politician relationship is great for the for the unions, but it is nearly bankrupting many states. The unions have created a work environment that has made it imposable for many manufactures continue operate in this country. All one has to ask is why has the foreign automobile companies been so successful in this country, could it be that they are non-union. For way to long the unions have helped elect the very people that sets their wages, and have forced workers to join there union and pay dues weather they wanted to or not. The unions have flourished in this country because of the strong armed tactics, deception and ties with organized crime. The leaders of these unions give themselves enormous salaries, along with expense accounts, cars,planes and other expensive fringe benefits. The tax payers of this country are sick and tired of being forced sacrifice to pay for the high wages and benefits the unions demand and get from the politicians they own. ****************************************************************************** |
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