Obama's Role In The Oil Spill

[KrazyHorse]

True, but workers still need some form of protection. There was a well done documentary called, "Made in L.A." about the brutal and unfair working conditions faced by illegal immigrants in the garment industry in America. Personally I don't know why we bother protecting the working rights of illegal immigrants beyond the kidnappings and lock ins that happen. My point here is not to turn the discussion toward the labor situation for illegal immigrants etc., but more to point out that when there is no regulation companies do turn tyrannical. There must be some form of regulation protecting both workers, and companies from exploiting each other.

To those of you opposed to unions, what other system would you prefer and why?

WTF are you talking about?

Workers have the protection that THEY CAN LEAVE AND FIND ANOTHER JOB.

As far as illegal immigrants (who may well lack this protection):

a) They are unlikely to have a union under any realistic assumptions
b) This union is unlikely to have any power, even if they had a union
c) The best way to protect them would be to give them the freedom to leave their employer without the INS deporting them upon a call from their miffed employer
d) Illegal immigrants still choose to break the law and hazard a dangerous journey in order to be "exploited" in the US

[KrazyHorse]

I love the fact that bipolarbear gets through with agreeing with "unions raise the price of their own members at the expense of those lower on the totem pole" and then asks why I'm against unions, which are needed to protect those at the bottom of that same totem pole...

[Hauldren Collider]

Unions suck.

fixed

Joining a union ****s you in the long term. Just ask the GM employees who had great benefits until union labor costs drove GM into bankruptcy. Oops.

@tebbens: I prefer to be promoted based on merit, and so never have to be ****ed at all by virtue of not being a ****ty employee

[SlowwHand]

He turned down foreign help that was even in the semi-vicinity.
If I'm calling the shots guess what? You want to help? Come running. Help.

[DaShi]

Yup, Bush was a terrible president.

[bipolarbear]

True, but workers still need some form of protection. There was a well done documentary called, "Made in L.A." about the brutal and unfair working conditions faced by illegal immigrants in the garment industry in America. Personally I don't know why we bother protecting the working rights of illegal immigrants beyond the kidnappings and lock ins that happen. My point here is not to turn the discussion toward the labor situation for illegal immigrants etc., but more to point out that when there is no regulation companies do turn tyrannical. There must be some form of regulation protecting both workers, and companies from exploiting each other.

To those of you opposed to unions, what other system would you prefer and why?

WTF are you talking about?

Workers have the protection that THEY CAN LEAVE AND FIND ANOTHER JOB.

As far as illegal immigrants (who may well lack this protection):

a) They are unlikely to have a union under any realistic assumptions
b) This union is unlikely to have any power, even if they had a union
c) The best way to protect them would be to give them the freedom to leave their employer without the INS deporting them upon a call from their miffed employer
d) Illegal immigrants still choose to break the law and hazard a dangerous journey in order to be "exploited" in the US

It's hard to leave when your employer locks you in the building and a massive fire starts. I don't believe that the ability to change jobs gives workers sufficient protection from abuse.

As far as illegal immigrants go, I am trying to only provide an example of what can occur when there is no protection. Clearly it's not the best example because of their illegal status which makes them more prone to exploitation because they fear deportation. Again though, I don't want to get too embroiled in a discussion over the rights of illegal immigrant workers.

I know there are many who believe that in absence of any regulation the market will naturally self adjust and work out its own inequalities etc., but I think that while this is possible it only occurs rarely. Though if you have any examples proving the opposite to be true I would love to hear them. Admittedly I have my own cognitive biases which may be throwing off my understanding.

My original question still stands though. What, if any, other system do you support and why?