David Sirota: Sure, Bigwigs Want Labor Rights—But Only for Themselves

[marmar]

from In These Times:


Sure, Bigwigs Want Labor Rights—But Only for Themselves
What do Apple, the NCAA and Tennessee Republicans all have in common?

BY DAVID SIROTA


Technology, sports and politics are distinct worlds. They have their own junkies, their own vernaculars and their own peculiar customs. Yet, in recent weeks you may have noticed a common economic argument coming from those worlds’ respective leaders—an argument about who should have a right to engage in collective action and who should not.

In Silicon Valley, this argument was expressed in a flood of old emails from top executives at major companies such as Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe. As reported by my PandoDaily colleague Mark Ames, the correspondence released in court proceedings shows those executives agreeing to avoid hiring away employees from one another.

Remember, many of the companies these executives represent are hostile to the ideas of worker solidarity, collective bargaining and unionization. Yet, their emails assert that CEOs’ collective decision to ignore anti-trust statutes and distort the labor market should be considered perfectly acceptable. Why? Because, of course, their cartel's anti-competitive structure probably saved those executives money by driving down workers’ wages.

.......(snip).......

Then there is the political arena, where Tennessee's Republican elected officials threatened collective action against the right of their constituents to form a union. Indeed, back in February, GOP legislators suggested that proposed tax incentives for Volkswagen might be revoked if the company allowed its employees to join the United Auto Workers. This week, a local Nashville television station subsequently uncovered confidential documents showing anti-union Republican Gov. Bill Haslam appearing to make the incentive package contingent on the company halting the labor organizing drive in its midst. .....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://inthesetimes.com/article/16515/labor_head_honcho_both_ways_david_sirota

[DireStrike]

1. "Atlas Shrugged" is about the right to strike

...but only for the super smart awesome people who are actually important in society.

If Rand had bothered to think that through, perhaps she would see why everyone needs the right to strike.

[Laelth]

2. k&r for the truth, however depressing it may be. n/t

-Laelth