Right to starve state

I've lived in a "right to work starve" state for 25 years. There are certain advantages of living in one of the Southern States. For instance, it's easier to be poor here than in New York or California, because the low wages keep the cost of housing down. Right to work states are great if you have a business that requires a low wage workforce and no union benefits. The problem for wage earners is that there's no incentive for businesses to think twice about firing their employees at the drop of a hat, unless that employee has a separate contract with the company.

I'm still amazed at the amount of people that I work with and run into who believe that all unions are evil and corrupt and who are happy that there are very few unions around. I was only a member of a union once, about 30 years ago. And while it's true that we didn't make more money than the non union shop, we did make more than non union places outside of our area. Plus the other non-union shop in town did benefit from our union since every time we received a raise or benefit, the non-union shop got a similar one, just to keep their employees from trying to organize a union. And certainly, unions are all good and perfect. I remember when I was a kid, going with my father to the meatcutters union hall every week. He'd pay his $10 dues and get a little stamp for his book. I don't think he ever collected a ton in benefits and I don't believed they helped him that much when he was out of work, but it did prevent his employers from firing him for frivolous reasons. So in that respect, his union did act as a sort of safety valve against managers who wanted to fire people because they had a crony or relative they wanted to help. No question, that if an employer wants to fire an employee, for whatever reason, they can do so, but having a union in place makes them think twice and puts a check on impetuous managers.

One more thing....do you think for one second that without a union, GM would be offering their employees $144,000 to leave? I didn't think so. The company that I've worked for for 15 years has been bought by another company. I'd consider myself lucky if they offered me 1/10th that amount to leave, because they're under no obligation or pressure to do that. Other than "doing what's right."