With all the chatter this year about saving “our democracy,” why not ask about the supposed democracy of labor unions? Under federal law (the National Labor Relations Act, which would have most likely been declared unconstitutional but for FDR’s threat to pack the Supreme Court), once a union wins an election, it becomes the exclusive bargaining representative of all the workers (including those who wanted no union, or a different one) and remains so indefinitely. Workers can petition for a decertification election, but until such time as that reveals a major issue against remaining with the incumbent union, that union keeps its status.
Unlike with politicians, there are no periodic reelections for unions. Millions of workers who have union representation have never had any chance to voice their preference for continuing with it or dropping it.
In this post, columnist Jeff Jacoby looks at this situation and finds it unsatisfactory.
Here’s a key paragraph:
Given the obstacles to effecting a change, it isn’t surprising that most union members are represented by unions they had no say in choosing. Unions prefer it that way, of course. It reduces pressure on them to produce results for employees. It gives powerful ideological unions more time and money to devote to politics or to pursuing an agenda that has nothing to do with collective bargaining. Even the most conscientious union officers will tend to be less responsive and accountable if they know that workers have to pay dues no matter what.
If we like the idea of democracy, shouldn’t the NLRA be amended or repealed? What I’d give to hear unscripted answers from Trump and Harris on that.