The Case Against Public Sector Unionism and Collective Bargaining

This is a rather long but fairly complete analysis of the effects of unions on the public sector. The SEIU (a public union) has significant influence in the current Obama administration and, Andy Stern, president of SEIU, (see previous blog), is becoming one of the most powerful men in our country.

By making the union a full and equal partner at the bargaining table, compulsory public-sector bargaining laws deprive the public of its right to participate in policy making. This point was emphasized in a U.S. District Court opinion which upheld the constitutionality of a North Carolina law declaring public-sector union contracts to be void. The Court said:

Moreover, to the extent that public employees gain power through recognition and collective bargaining, other interest groups with a right to a voice in the running of the government may be left out of vital political decisions. Thus the granting of collective bargaining rights to public employees involves important matters fundamental to our democratic form of government. The setting of goals and making policy decisions are rights inuring to each citizen. All citizens have the right to associate in groups to advocate their special interests to the government. It is something entirely different to grant any one interest group special status and access to the decision-making process.


The Case Against Public Sector Unionism and Collective Bargaining