U.S. labor unions have been reeling for four decades under mostly conservative leadership that has pushed — and succeeded in several states — to pass anti-union measures.
In Pennsylvania, which remains a union stronghold, a flurry of punches under Gov. Tom Corbett and the Republican majority has kept organized labor on the ropes.
But heavy lobbying from unions has rebuffed nearly every perennial issue — from efforts to privatize liquor stores and the lottery to legislation that would significantly alter future retirement benefits for state workers and public school teachers and would end the automatic deduction of dues from employees' paychecks.
The smallest of changes to the state's prevailing wage law are always met with union resistance, as are attempts to ban so-called project labor agreements.
Unions have been forced to fight maybe harder than ever just to maintain what they have built. But the knock-out blow has yet to connect.
And union leaders say it won't.
Collectively, they say they are stronger than ever — that legislation aimed at diminishing their ranks has increased dialogue between the public and private factions — even if the membership numbers are working against them.
Many business groups say unions still have a big voice — too big — and that more needs to be done to limit the political power they wield to bring down the cost of doing business.
But a lack of consensus over the majority party's priority issues and a gubernatorial election favoring Democrats could be working against that opposition in the business-labor battle.
More coverage:
- Construction apprentices in Pa.
- Construction, public administration are bright spots for Pa. unions
- How Pa. compares
- National rank: Pennsylvania's union members
- Organized labor in Pennsylvania remains united, continues to fend off reform efforts
- Prevailing wage and union power
- Project labor agreements
- Union coverage and membership
- Union vs. non-union salaries
Source: Central Penn Business Journal
No comments:
Post a Comment