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Is being anti-union part of conservative dogma? I don't think it is. The union local that represents me is wall to wall conservatives.
Are you saying that to be a union members disqualifies one from being a conservative? If so I am sure you would surprise a hell of a lot of union members.
As far as being an apologist, I don't accept that moniker. I think America enjoys a middle class because of the union movement not become of the largesse of corporate America.
Let's don't kid ourselves.Corporate America would be very happy to have us living in slums and our children wearing rags in the winter snows. History has proven that from the founding of the union movement when union founders were targeted for murder by the auto and mining companies.
What confounds me about union issues on FR is the frequent claim that union workers are over paid. At what point is a person over paid? Is it when someone makes more per hour than the person posting; is it when a lineman makes twenty four dollars an hour or is it when Michael Isner makes over two hundred million dollars in a year?
Furthermore, the claim that union workers are lazy is one that I haven't been able to confirm. In my sixth decade I have worked both union and non-union jobs. I found the union workers more willing to ridicule a slacker than I found in the non-union sector. There is much I haven't seen but much of what we see is viewed through perspective.

Is being anti-union part of conservative dogma? I don't think it is.

I don't think it is either.

I support what unions were started for - workers organizing to ensure they were treated fairly and with respect against management who used blacklisting to force workers into near slavery.

I do not support unions which try to peddle power and influence to keep union jobs alive regardless of the impact on the workers' jobs. Does that happen? I don't know based on true evidence, but I suspect it does, and human nature would suggest it does regularly.

Shalom.

"Corporate America would be very happy to have us living in slums and our children wearing rags in the winter snows. History has proven that from the founding of the union movement when union founders were targeted for murder by the auto and mining companies."

Oh yeah, those evil corporations that only are propped up by that evil capatilist economic system. They are only out to make money off the backs of the little guy and steal the little guys money. Yeah, the owners of these evil corporations would love to see us all so poor that we would not be able to afford their products so they could join us in the poor house!

The inception must have been necessary, I mean it wasn't like the auto workers were being paid a great wage that attracted many people. It's not like it was the first industry that paid $5 a day. It wasn't as if Henry wanted to make sure that his product was affordable to his own workers.

"What confounds me about union issues on FR is the frequent claim that union workers are over paid. At what point is a person over paid? Is it when someone makes more per hour than the person posting; is it when a lineman makes twenty four dollars an hour or is it when Michael Isner makes over two hundred million dollars in a year?"

A person is overpaid when the market is held hostage and free competition is not allowed. The market would not bear paying a person $24 to start for turning a screw. The difference in the two positions you use as an example is that Disney is free to hire anyone they would like for less than two hundred million a year, but the union member can not be replaced for someone at less than $24 an hour.

How do you determine the value of labor? I define it by the fruit produced. In other words, the most productive labor is the most valuable labor. The productivity of labor is determined by it's ability to use all tools, capitol and technologies most efficiently. The value of labor only changes when some other advance is allowed to increase its output. The value of labor has only increased because of inventive individuals and other individual willing to invest their money in those investments. Imagine, how much steel could a blacksmith produce in the colonial days and compare that with the current output of a smelter. The labor didn't change to become efficient, the technology did.

Unions fight efficiency, therefore inherintly they bring harm to the value of labor, yet they are allowed to hold the producers hostage and receive blackmail payments in the form of falsly inflated wages.

I agree with your post that there are good and bad workers involved in unions. This country would be in much worse shape if we didn't have unions! We'd all be working for minimum wage and living three families under one roof. Are the high tech people, teachers, doctors and lawyers the only ones that are allowed to make a comfortable wage? The Republican party has numerous union supporters who go against the dictates of their own party by supporting the Republican party. Do you want to drive away those voters with constant union bashing? It seems to me that some posters get out their steel-tipped boots every time someone posts anything vaguely receptive to unions.

Yes, flame away. GO ahead and tell me that my post is the least credible post on FR. Engage in personal attacks and get it out of your system.

Instead of comparing productivity of a union shop with productivity in Mexico, I suggest you compare productivity between union and non-union shops within the US.

You mentioned the $24/hr lineman, so what you have to do is compare that lineman to one that works for Century Tel, who is not union. Don't forget that the non-union employee can be re-assigned as needed.

Steelcase has been mentioned on this thread. Compare them to Anderson Hickey who is non-union and doing well with no need to move to Mexico.

Compare Carrier AC's unionized operation in Texas to Goodman Mfg's non-union AC plant in Texas.

I've got to tell you that in 30 years I have been on the floor of uncountable mfgs in the US and I certainly know the difference between the productivity of union and non-union shops.