AUT: unions as temp agencies

["ROWAN WILSON" <Ajxrw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi
An article in a recent issue of the Economist (June 12th '99) talked
of the new turn of the AFL-CIO in Silicon Valley, in the face of
increasingly flexible labor markets. The Economist asks: "How can
unions represent people who might be changing job any day? And how
can they recruit people who fear that a reputation for bolshiness
could stop them from getting another job?" Answer: by becoming even
more like middle management.
Amy Dean, leader of a local branch of the AFL-CIO, has set up a
temping agency, Together@Work, planning to pay better and provide
benefits, pensions and training; in other words, to provide more
stability for people. Apparently, Dean would like this to become the
norm for the union movement. The Economist liken the move to the
craft unions of the 19th century which "proved so good at providing
[benefits] that they controlled the supply of workers".
This means that it is in the union's interests to throw lazy
workers of their books.
Does anyone know anymore anout this and the consequences?
Cheers
Rowan


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