Results of a recent Rasmussen poll found that 9% of nonunion workers were interested in joining a union. For public school grads, that means that 81% have no such interest. In fact, maybe that means that 9% are public school grads who didn’t learn to read on their own. (Just 9% of Non-Union Workers Want to Join Union - Rasmussen Reports™)
In the 1950s some 1/3 of all private-sector workers belonged to a union. Now only 7.6% of nongovernment workers belong to one. From 1997to 2004, private sector employment grew from 66.1 to 103.6 million, but union membership declined from 14.3 to 8.2 million. (AEAweb: Annual Meeting Papers)
At the same time, unionization of government jobs is five times higher (Union Members Summary) . Could it be that the concern of private companies for profits, and maximizing shareholder value, and workers choosing opportunity over job security explain the disparity? Or, in more loaded terminology, choosing capitalism over socialism.
Getting a lecture on math from someone who can't subtract. That's pricless. Newsflash: 100 minus nine is 91, not 81.
And the rate of unionization has declined because many states passed laws (right to free ride provisions) over that span which effectively outlawed labor unions.
Touche on the math.
But you lose on the precipitous drop in union membership, as your indication that workers would choose to work in union-free worksites prove my point , not yours.
And, if you cannot show said laws "which effectively outlawed labor unions.' then the only honorable thing for you to do is admit you are wrong. Waiting.
Or- would you like to claim what is regularly the left-wing fall-back position, as stated in my "Liberal Libretto:"
Rule 3. Always assure the opposition that you know what is better for the proletariat, even if there are polls that claim the opposite.
a. Assure the compliant that you are only looking out for their best interests, as in “look, it’s not about me…”
b. Claim the public has been ‘brainwashed,’ and politicians bought.
Math mistakes happen. My tone was only because of the snarky tone you took re: my education (which was a mix of public and private, depending on the level). Can we just agree in the future to treat each other in a more respectful manner?
Workers aren't making a choice to work in union-free worksites. They don't get a choice. Right-to-work laws effectively outlaw labor unions. They don't do so in practice, but they have the practical effect of doing so. If all workers are entitled to the benefits of the union's collective bargaining even if they aren't a member, no individual has the incentive to join the union. The result is that even though workers would be able to increase their bargaining power by unionization, no individual has the incentive to do so, creating a collective action problem.