Well, you are probably wondering why I am writing this one.
The reason is, I am disturbed by how some of the union bosses make
millions a year off the contributions of their membership. On top of
this, the union bosses also use the money to fund political campaigns which may
go against the ideology or values of the membership. As such, I write
today's issue on how I would run my own union (if I was a boss of one).
Pay: For one, union bosses should not become
multi-millionaires off the contributions of the union membership. If a
union boss becomes a millionaire, then how do we expect them to keep their own
values and relate to the workers they are supposed to represent. As such,
the top wages of a union boss should be equal to double of the highest take
home pay of a union member. So say, I represent a steel worker who gets
paid from his boss $45,000 a year, and then after taxes takes home $40,000.
As such, my pay as the union boss would be $80,000 a year. If the
highest paid worker should have a pay cut, then so does the union boss so as to
feel the same pain financially (or a semblance of pain) the union workers might
feel. From there the secretaries, the accountants and other union staff have a
pay scale based on whatever the union boss makes and has it fluctuate along
with the bosses as well. As such, the union boss, and the staff have an
incentive to maximize pay of each of their membership so that they themselves
can make more money.
Healthcare and Insurance: If the union membership is going to
be useful and maximize pay, then they may as well provide healthcare and
insurance in various forms to the workers. This allows the businesses the
membership works at to not have to provide such benefits and thus maximizes the
businesses productivity which typically means them hiring more workers which
expands membership, or by them raising wages which enriches the membership.
Support Services: Say members are dealing with financial
issues at home. The union should help them by providing aid in the form
of financial counseling. Also, as the union will typically have lawyers
on staff, or on retainer, these lawyers should be made available to answer any
legal questions and provide any legal aid to members of the union. This
also includes tax help and even help for home issues like substance abuse.
Banking: To ensure that the membership is safe from market
depressions, the union will also act as a credit union. This protects
union membership money as the money is not subject to market influences, and
allows the union to give loans to its membership that are more in line with the
pay the member makes on a daily basis. It also insures that loans are
fairer, and that the union can make a small profit on the side to support its
activities and benefits without asking for additional dues from the membership.
(This means that people outside the union can also bank with the union’s
bank so that again profit can be maximized while ensuring that the union has
money to support its activities.)
Outside revenue: In order to maintain these activities and
collect revenue while ensuring maximum take home pay for the membership,
businesses would be allowed to buy advertising space in union
offices/facilities and the union will allow them to put ads on/in official
emails and correspondence so that the union can profit off the bought
advertising space. This also may include coupons and other discounts
being distributed as well. So by allowing businesses (union and non-union
alike) to advertise with the union, the union can acquire the money it needs to
support itself beyond what can be done solely via member dues.
Restricted spending: The final component of this would
be that money collected will be restricted to union activities and operations.
Political campaigns and donations will be done individually so as to
ensure that the views of each member of the membership can represent themselves
as opposed to the union boss supporting causes the membership may not agree
with.
Conclusion: This is how I would run it. A
union boss has a responsibility to protect and serve its membership. Thus
by providing all these benefits, and removing responsibilities from the
employers, a union came maximize take home pay and thus continue to enrich its
membership.
No comments:
Post a Comment