I get why some ppl had a problem w/paying union dues. Writ large, unions do great things. But there ARE problems at many unions. I worked at a public college as an adjunct for several yrs. Unions dues were deducted from my meager paycheck. At first, I didn't mind. /2
But I eventually grew to resent the hell out of it. You see, the union didn't actually represent MY interests. It represented full time/tenure track faculty. The faculty actively undermined the working conditions of adjuncts. They voted against offering benefits & raises. /3
Thus, "my" union was actually not working FOR me, but AGAINST me. To have my $ subsidize a union that harmed me was galling. Additionally, as an adjunct, my pay was pretty low to begin with. Those dues made a difference when it came to paying for childcare. /4
Now- it's fair to respond by saying that this isn't a problem with unions per se but rather that there shld have been a union for adjuncts. Fair enough. And I voted to unionize at another University at which I was adjuncting. (I remain staunchly pro-union). /5
But I think we all know of instances where unions help support workers who are lousy at their jobs- people who should have retired or been fired years ago (plenty of public school teachers sadly fall into this category). And we have all heard about corruption in unions. /6
So- yeah, this is a TERRIBLE decision for unions & part of a right wing assault on unions & the working class. But the result of the decision is that if Unions are to survive, the are going to have to start making a better case for themselves with lots of workers. /7
Unions will need to improve working conditions & pay for their members so that ppl will want to join. They will need to rebuild the union movement. When unions began, they didn't have the requirement of dues & they still did amazing things. It sucks, but it's an opportunity END
