Opinion: 'Right to Work' only works for the rich (Tallahassee Democrat)

Good column. We need more concerted protected activity, standing up against management abuses in corporations, great and small. What do you think?





Opinion: 'Right to Work' only works for the rich
Patrick J. Fowler,
Your Turn Published 2:00 p.m. ET April 6, 2018 | Updated 7:33 p.m. ET April 6, 2018
Tallahassee Democrat

Re: "Opinion: 'Right-to-work' really does work," April 2

In his column, Bob McClure did not just tout the false merits of "right to work" laws. He said the conditions provide a rationale for labor unions no longer existing.

Is that so? Why do workers join together to address compensation, working conditions and the politics that support the rights of owners and executives over those of workers?

Workers are people who depend on payment for their labor power. The payment comes from the owners of the land and buildings, who have access to credit necessary to carry out a business enterprise. The owners promise to pay. Workers promise to go by the rules set by management.

There is no freedom of speech, assembly or redress of grievances in this set of promises. It is not a contract between equals. Capitalism centralizes money and power at the top. In order to affect that in any way, workers must join together.

McClure said even though they are no longer needed, unions cling to their desire to remain relevant. There is certainly reason to question the union hierarchy, but it is not, as he would have it, because the people who support the James Madison Institute have become altruistic or the government is doing a good job seeing U.S. workers are protected and secure.


In the past 60 years since the passage of the Taft/Hartley Act, limiting the actions allowed to unions and giving federal sanction to state "right to work" laws, unionization has been crushed as an effective tool.

Neo-liberals have succeeded in promoting individualism and competition over cooperation and the common good. The effect has been disastrous for the trust and social solidarity needed for democracy to operate.

Both political parties participated and there was no longer an effective force to point out the damage being done. U.S. unions had lost their influence.

Businesses have cut back on benefits and stopped providing pensions. They send jobs overseas and automate more. The "newly created" jobs to replace those lost have not come with the same compensation.

U.S. business invented and exported the "gig economy." It became obvious with the birth of Uber. This business model, as do others today, destroys secure jobs and replaces them with positions that have no rights, no benefits and no real government regulation. It is a scheme that shows the capitalist dream of sucking all the gains to the top.

Florida's workers and economy were said to be flourishing under the right to work standard. But average wages in Florida compare unfavorably with many states, and Rasmussen College reports that, when combined with cost of living, Florida falls to the bottom.

It is possible that better organizing efforts would solve some of the problems for the unions, but for the supporters of capital-over-workers, nothing that gives workers more influence is acceptable.

The United States is a prosperous country. By far, the bulk of gains in wealth since the late '60s have gone to the richest. Workers have been shortchanged and are threatened on all sides.

Workers, unite: Your future and that of your children depend on it.

Patrick J. Fowler is a Tallahassee resident and a reader of books.