Should governmental agencies especially National Security Agencies be allowed to Unionize?

[Winterblues]

Bush* just signed another executive order saying Federal Governmental agencies could not organize. Rachel made a big deal out of this as anti Union but do you think a Union should be able to shut down a Governmental Agency especially one that deals with National Security? Air Traffic Controllers were not even a Governmental Agency but Reagan destroyed that Union because he said they interfered with national Security by shutting down all Air Traffic in the USA. That was an extremely popular decision at the time. Over 70% agreed with it and it helped make him the "folk hero" he supposedly is..Should Governmental Agencies be treated differently than normal Labor?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Yes, they should be able to form unions.

[T Wolf]

2. Absolutely. Workers of all kinds need protection from their bosses. nt

[Winterblues]

3. There is also such a thing as "Tyranny of the Majority"

That is why we have a Constitution, to protect us from the Majority. Would it be a good idea for Governmental agencies to be shut down because of a majority of workers demands against the concerns of the American people

[TahitiNut]

4. When labor is so critical and essential that an interruption is catastrophic ...

... then it's probably a very good idea to pay the workers generously and treat them fairly. Indeed, when the compensation is generous, the "free market" theory tells us we'll get even BETTER workers. Isn't that a good thing for such critical jobs??? For EVERYONE??? I'd gladly give up NFL football and multi-million-dollar salaries to get better teachers, policemen, and fire-fighters.

[T Wolf]

5. Straw man. Unions are (or should be) primarily concerned with the welfare of

their members. They will not willingly destroy an employer because their members would then have NO job.

It does not always play out that way, but more from management's desire to destroy any rights the workers have. From the owners/management perspective, workers can always be replaced. It does not work in the reverse.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Many government workers are allowed to form unions despite the fact that

they are barred by law from striking. The two are not mutually exclusive.

[Bill McBlueState]

8. yup

And having been in such a union, I can say there are plenty of ways to send a message to management without technically going on strike.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. I don't know about your circles, but I don't know a single person,

and I didn't know any at that time, who thought that firing the ATCs was a good thing. They were demanding shorter hours, more staffing and updated equipment and computers. The firing stopped ALL of that. I don't know anyone who thought we were better off with understaffed, overworked controllers using obsolete equipment.

It was NOT a popular decision.

Maybe, if an agency was responsibly run because of worker control, it would ENHANCE security. Can you imagine the FBI guy who tried to report on the suspected terrorists learning to fly being able to go to his shop chief and saying "I went through channels, and management shut me down. This is something we NEED to look into."