I have been critical of Union intimidation since I was a teenager growing up in the union stronghold of Coos Bay, Oregon. In those days the Longshoremen and the unions that controlled the saw mills were all powerful. Unions enforce a type of conformity I really dislike. For the same reason I refused to join a fraternity in collage.
While in Junior High and High school in the 1960's I worked part time after school and on Saturdays as a "stockboy" at a Sprouse Reitz variety story that was under the control of the Retail Clerks Union. As a non union employee I could bring merchandise out of the stock room but not put it on display. One Christmas Eve while the store was full of customers the head of the local union came in and made us close down the store because the Union contract required that we close at 5 pm. Give me a break, I wanted to go home too, but I learned at an early age from my parents that the customer comes first. Needless to say this caused an unhappy Christmas eve for employees and management.
In high school when I express my view of Unions I was told by a student that if I didn't keep my mouth shut the union members of our community would boycott my parents sewing and fabric store. I wasn't intimidated! When the clerks of the local Safeway went on strike they had a camera to take picture of people who crossed the picket line as a from of intimidation. I made sure to go into Safeway each day of the strike (it was next door to Sprouse Reitz) even if I didn't need something.
I believe that non public employees have the right to organize and join unions but it should be voluntary. No one should be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. That's why I have supported Right to Work laws for the last 50 years. Way to go Michigan!
