Re: Pen-l's Dannin writes!

[knowware@xxxxxxxx (Tom Walker)]

Ellen Dannin wrote,

> Suppose you were an employer whose employees were represented by a
> union. Now suppose that the labor laws you bargain under state that
> when the parties reach an impasse, you, the employer, get to impose
> your final offer. What would you do?
 -- snip --
> The best that unions can do under this system is make concessions in an
> effort to show that the parties are not at an impasse.

Ellen's article raises important questions about labor laws in the U.S. but
it also begs important questions about union strategy in the face of those
labor laws. I can think of at least two alternatives to making concessions:
civil disobedience and organizing for insurrection. Admittedly, neither of
these is easy or guarantees a favourable collective agreement. But doesn't
compliance with bad law invite more of the same?


Regards,

Tom Walker
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