Power and Privilege

309 Pages·2009·18.85 MB·English

by  Morgan O. Reynolds

AND
PRIVIlEGE

AND
PRIVILEGE
laborUnionsinAmerica
Morgan O.Revnolds
A Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Book
I.
UNIVERSE BOOKS
New York
Publishedin the UnitedStatesofAmericain 1984
by Universe Books
381 Park AvenueSouth, New York, N.Y. 10016
r&. 1984by Morgano. Reynolds
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublication
maybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,or
transmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording, orotherwise,
withoutpriorpermissionofthepublishers.
84 85 86 87 88 / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PrintedintheUnitedStates
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Reynolds, Morgan0.,1942
Powerandprivilege.
"AManhattan Institutefor PolicyResearchbook."
Bibliography: p.
Includesindex.
1.Trade-unions-UnitedStates. I. Title.
HD6508.R44 1984 331.88'0973 83-18194
ISBN0-87663-438-2
TomyDad,
agoodunionman,
andmyMom,
whosometimesdisagrees

Contents
ForewordbyDavidR.Henderson 11
Acknowledgments 15
Preface 17
ThePlanoftheBook 19
1 TheEnduringControversyoverLaborUnions 21
UnionsandtheIntellectuals23 / TheNew
Agnosticism28
2 TheEconomicNatureofUnionism 31
UnionActivities-APositiveView 35 / Union
PurposesandActivities-ADissentingView43 /
Strikes47 / WeighingtheProsand Cons54
3 TheMythologyofUnionism 56
"Unionsprotectworkersfromemployers'sup~rior
bargainingpower" 59 / "Highlivingstandardsin
theU.S. areduetoastrongunionmovement" 62 /
"Theenemyisthecompany"65 / "Thestrikeis
thebasisofunionpower" 67 / "Unionsprotect
workersagainsttheabuseofmanagerialauthority"
67
4 TheNewRationaleforUnionism 69
UnionsasCollectiveVoice71 / Productivity73 /
EconomicEquality74 / DemocracyandCorruption
75 / TheDeficiencies77 / ProductivityAgain83 /
EarningsDifferences88 / UnionAutocracy90
5 OldUnionismandGovernmentalSupport 92
TheBackground94/ TheNorris-LaGuardia
Act97 / TheWagnerAct 105 / TheEffectsof
Norris-LaGuardiaandWagner lID/Whythe
LegislationPassed123 I Conclusion 131
6 FederalRegulationofWages 133
TheDavis-BaconAct 134/TheWalsh-HealeyAct
139/ TheFairLaborStandardsAct 142
7 EconomicEffectsofUnionism 145
UnionPay 146/ UnionPricing, SickIndustries,
andRevitalization ISO/FringeBenefits 155 /
ImpactonNationalIncome 157 / Labor'sShare
158 / DistributingtheBurden 162/Unemployment
164
8 NewUnionisminthePublicSector 173
ExplainingtheGrowth 174/ TheGeneralIssue
175 / PayinthePublicSector183 / FederalWages
andSalaries 187 / StateandLocalWagesand
Salaries 191 / OtherBenefits193 / WorkRules
195 / StrikesbyPublicEmployees 195 / Voter
Backlash197
9 InflationandUnionism 199
Inflation: MadeinWashington201 / FiscalPolicy:
MadeinWashington203 / UnionInnocence205 /
UnionGuilt209 / InSum212
10 ContradictionsofUnionism 215
UnionThought216 / Discrimination220/Plant
Closings223 / PensionFunds226 / Union
Corruption228 / Right-to-WorkLaws236 /
PoliticalStability242
11 Capitalism,Socialism,andUnionism 245
TheEmotionalNeedfor Unions-246 / Economic
SystemsandUnionism248 / SomethingOld: Jobs
asProperty251 / SomethingNew: Industrial
Democracy254/ TheFuture258 / TheWayOut:
RestoreEqualitybeforetheLaw263
AppendixTablesA-I-A-5 267
Notes 276
Index 302
Tables and Figures
Table
4-1 TwoViewsofTradeUnionism 76
5-1 ReportedWorkStoppagesintheUnitedStates,
SelectedYears,1922-81 113
5-2 NumberofNationalUnionsOriginatedandDissolved,
byDecade,1830-1979 114
5-3 MembershipandNationalStaffofTenLargestUnions,
1979 119
7-1 RelationshipBetweenMotorVehicleandAll-
ManufacturingEmployeeCompensationforWage
Earners 153
7-2 RelationshipBetweenSteelandAll-Manufacturing
EmployeeCompensationforWageEarners 154
8-1 RatioofGovernmentWagesandSalariesperFull-Time
EmployeetoFull-TimeWagesandSalariesinthe
Private,NonagriculturalSector,1950-81 184
8-2 PercentageChangeinAverageHourlyWages,Postal
EmployeesandManufacturingEmployees,1960-74 188
8-3 AnnualTurnoverRatesinPostal,Federal,and
ManufacturingEmployment 189
8-4 WorkStoppagesandDaysIdle,AllLevelsof
CJovernment,1950-80 196
9-1 PriceLevel,FederalSpending,Output,andMoney
Supply,1967-81 204
10-1 StateswithRight-to-WorkLaws 238
A-I LaborUnionandEmployeeAssociationMembership,
1950-78 267
A-2 MembershipinLargeUnions,1968-80 268
A-3 NationalUnions-NumberandMembers,byIndustry,
1970and1978 270
A-4 LaborUnionMembership-TotalandPercentageof
NonagriculturalEmployment,byStates,1964-78 272
A-5 WorkStoppagesbyState,1978and1979 274
Figure
5-1 UnionMembership,1900-51 115
5-2 UnionMembershipasaShareoftheCivilianLaborForce 116