Private unions have every right to exist, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually beneficial on net.
by Veronique de Rugy
Reason.com
Unions are said to be having a moment. The story goes something like this: Helped by a presidential administration that touts itself as the “most pro-union in history,” labor unions—after decades of decline—are winning big victories against anti-union corporations and extracting impressive concessions for their workers. But is it all true?
There has certainly been a lot of union activity. Last year we witnessed a significant increase in strikes and threats of strikes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country lost 16.6 million labor days to work stoppages last year. You have to go all the way back to 2000 to find this level of union disturbance.
In addition, the United Auto Workers (UAW) reached an agreement with Ford that included wage hikes of 25 percent.