Over at the LRC blog, a reader writes in to say how Grand Theft Auto 4, currently the best selling video game on the market, contains dialog that compares unions to the mafia. At one point the main character is told: "union's just another word for mafia."
Ultimately the pop culture video game comparison of union bosses to mafia dons is more than mere tongue-and-cheek.
As currently constituted, with their many compulsory unionism special privileges, some union officials run what could be compared to a classic mafia enterprise: the protection racket.
Wikipedia defines a protection racket as follows:
an extortion scheme whereby a powerful entity or individual coerces other less powerful entities or individuals to pay protection money which allegedly serves to purchase "protection" services against various external threats.
In the case of unions, union bosses frequently paint employers to be exploitive and then demand that workers pay money in exchange for "representation." At the same time, in forced-dues states, employees are threatened with the loss of their job if they refuse to pay for the so-called "representation," whether or not the employees want it.
And for another example of how compulsory unionism leads to union officials' involvement in organized crime, watch this video:
Comments
I am never going to fully
I am never going to fully understand why in anyones right mind they would look down on unions. Ok. So in the past we have had bad ones..yes. Just like anything not everyone's going to be perfect. If a unions officers are doing the wrong things I feel the blame is on the union members for voting and keeping them in office. As far as the video games…well guys it’s a video game…!!
Also When it comes to everyone saying right to work states make more jobs.. Well yes they do. A lot of minimum wage jobs with un-skilled workers who don’t ask for anything because they are scared of getting fired. This is not America anymore.. Its just a race to the bottom now..
Re-read the post
Bill-
You should reread what was written in this post. The point is that unions requiring forced dues as a condition of workers keeping their jobs is no different from the extortion rackets that you see on the Sopranos...
Tony Soprano says pay us money or we'll break your legs. Union bosses say pay us money or we'll have you fired. That's not a video game, that is real life.
Imperfect Indeed!
The corruption in organized labor is not merely in its distant past; it’s present, ongoing and growing. There are indictments and convictions of union officials for corruption on a regular basis.
While it is true that all human institutions always fall short of the ideal, labor unions in the United States base their power on injustice. The injustices of monopoly bargaining and compulsory dues and fees are the foundations of union power today.
In my twenty years as a union member, I saw how that kind of power fostered arrogance and hubris in the ranks of the union leadership. When I, as a member, questioned the policies of the union, such as support for abortion, and the political agenda of the radical left, I was attacked personally and told that if I didn’t agree with them, it was up to me to change. I had foolishly believed that I had joined the union to protect my interests on the job, not to change the world into a socialist utopia.
After resigning from the union and trying to exercise my legal right to refrain from financing Big Labor’s political agenda, I was lied to by national union officials for years. Not until the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation assisted me with free legal representation was I able to achieve some degree of justice.
As far as your reference to a race to the bottom goes, it is being led by the John Sweeney and the AFL-CIO through its effort to deny rank and file employees the opportunity to have a secret ballot election when deciding on union representation by promoting the cynically named Employee Free Choice Act. I do not see how workers are benefited by being forced to vote under the watchful eyes of union officials and their employers. You’re right - this isn’t America anymore.
Bismarck
Union Mafia
I enjoy the security of being in one of the biggest unions in the US. However, it does have its drawbacks not because of the organization, but because of the overwhelming need for power and control. Unfortunately, due to cliques and "drinking buddies" the majority are what we call "union mafia". This is due to total control of the department. Promotions are not done fairly. They are given to high ranking "mafia" that even though they do not have the experience, they are given the promotion due to mafia status and status within the "good old buddy"system.