WHY A UNION? 

     Dr. David M. Baxter, an Evangelical Protestant Minister, delivered the following church sermon several years ago. He had been asked for advice by a group of workers, as to weather or not they should form a union at a shop where they worked.

 As long as there is organized capital, there will be organized labor. And that is as it should be in a democratic society.

     The true union member wants to help not hinder his employer. He realizes that the more successful the business is, the more successful the employee will be…if he receives fair value for his labor, and a fair share of the profits he has helped produce.

     A working man’s life is valuable. Every time the clock ticks, there goes a second off that life. When he sells the hours of his life to make a profit for someone else, he is entitled to all he can get for those precious hours.

     Workers try to get as much as possible for the hours of their lives that they sell to their employers. By himself this is difficult. He can be broken like a stick. But breaking a bundle of sticks is not so easy.

     That is why working people organize unions: to help in getting a share of the profits they bring into a successful business. Unionism has brought about, in addition to reasonable pay, better working conditions, more job security, and more leisure time for workers to enjoy vacation and pension benefits.

     It is an ignorant man who values his life cheaply, sells it cheaply, and works hours to make his employer richer, to the extent that he keeps himself poor.

     Well-paid organized labor is a good thing for any town. The more the worker earns, the more he has to spend. And the more he spends, the better it is for the merchant, the farmer, and everyone else.

The National Labor Relations Act 

Section 7.

“Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other mutual aid or protection…” 

Section 8. (a) “It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer:

(1)   to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 7

(3) by discrimination in regard to hire or tenure of employment to encourage or discourage membership in any labor organization……..”

 Unions:   (The people who brought you the Weekend)

Everything important that working families have won during the last 100 years was won by or with the help of the unions that America's workers formed through struggle. The list is long but includes:  *Overtime pay and protections including the 40-hour workweek and the weekend

    *Medicare and Social Security

    *Workplace safety laws

    *Child labor laws

    *The minimum wage

    *Civil rights

                *Even our new plumbing law that effectively protects the integrity of
                  our trade  was accomplished through our union.

Most importantly, unions are a way that working people win a Voice at Work that brings them better pay and benefits, dignity and respect in the workplace and, put simply, a better work life and more opportunities for their families.

 Freedom to Choose a Union

 December 10, 2003 was International Human Rights Day. The union movement began a campaign that will speak out for the freedom to choose a union.  Workers’ efforts to join unions are backed by national organizations, Democratic presidential candidates and other opinion-leaders who know the barriers workers face when they attempt to form a union—obstacles that include employer harassment, coercion, intimidation and even being fired.

See what the Democratic presidential candidates and other leaders have to say about the freedom to form a union in the United States and learn more about this campaign by clicking on
the link below.
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutunions/voiceatwork/d10.cfm

 

Michigan’s Prevailing Wage Law

 The Michigan Prevailing Wage Act (Public Act 166) was passed in 1965. It’s intent was to protect against the economic power of the government being used to undermine the wage patterns and labor standards of the local community. The Michigan Act mirrors the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 at the federal level. The first prevailing wage law was enacted in 1891 in Kansas. Currently, 31 states have prevailing wage laws in effect. In addition, many municipalities, school boards, universities and other institutions statewide support and utilize prevailing wages on building and construction projects. 

What are prevailing wage rates? Simply stated, they are the average hourly rates of pay provided to different classifications of trades people in a particular locality. The argument that prevailing wage will produce higher cost is flawed in that it implicitly assumes that paying anything more than the lowest possible wage rate will automatically lead to excess costs. There is strong evidence to suggest that there are significant productivity differences between low-wage and high-wage workers. Paying at least the wage rate prevailing in the local area will make it possible to attract better trained and more highly skilled construction workers able to complete the job safely, on time and efficiently. Thus, in evaluating the cost impact of prevailing wage laws, it is necessary to look at the total cost of projects built under their provisions, rather than focusing merely on rates. 

With prevailing wage, construction contractors receive fair treatment in the bid process. It prevents a contractor from winning a construction contract by slashing labor cost below the level needed to properly do the job. The Prevailing Wage Act sets standards that allow established companies in Michigan which pay decent wages and fringe benefits to stay in business and compete on state projects with unscrupulous companies which strive to drive down wages by a variety of games, including importing cheap labor from out of state.

With prevailing wage, contractors are competing on the basis of their skilled efficiency instead of a contest to see which company can slash wages the furthest to come in with the lowest bid. When contractors are competing with their business ability to manage a project, prudent use of equipment, and purchasing power for materials and supplies, this is an example of free enterprise at its best.

There is no compelling evidence to substantiate the claim that prevailing wage causes project costs to double or even increase for that matter. In fact the opposite appears to be true according to an independent study done by Dr. Peter Philips, Professor of Economics at the University of Utah. His conclusion was that Michigan’s Prevailing Wage Law does not increase costs but in fact strongly supports the construction industry by providing excellent healthcare coverage, sound pension programs, favorable wage packages and fully funded training.

Are you aware you may be working on a prevailing wage job? Prevailing wage jobs are any project that has State Of Michigan taxpayer money involved. This includes school projects, hospitals, and some apartments. If you do not receive the prevailing wage on any of these projects call (810) 720-5243.

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