Defenders of collective bargaining in the public sector often argue that these rights must be preserved because they sustain unions, which help reduce income inequality. There is a strong case that private sector labor unions help middle and lower income households secure a greater share of economic growth. But the notion the public sector unions are essential to this process is questionable. States without collective bargaining in the public sector--like North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas--all have middle class public servants comparable to those in states with collective bargaining.
In addition, only 20% of the labor force works for government and significant percentage of that figure are not in collective bargaining units (e.g. federal employees).
Union membership in almost all industrialized countries has declined for a variety of reasons. Despite membership decline, unions in others countries have sustained greater wage gains in the private sector. How did they do it with fewer members? Through the use of "extension" practices. These are agreements between union and employer confederations wherein union-management wage agreement then apply to firms and workers that aren't unionized. Therefore, while income inequality has risen in Europe as well as in the US, these practices have slightly blunted it.
It seems that passing "check card"--even if it passed--was unlikely to revive the labor movement in the private sector. Therefore, it is also unlikely that unionization is the route to reducing income inequality. This is then doubly true for unionization in the public sector.
Union membership in almost all industrialized countries has declined for a variety of reasons. Despite membership decline, unions in others countries have sustained greater wage gains in the private sector. How did they do it with fewer members? Through the use of "extension" practices. These are agreements between union and employer confederations wherein union-management wage agreement then apply to firms and workers that aren't unionized. Therefore, while income inequality has risen in Europe as well as in the US, these practices have slightly blunted it.
It seems that passing "check card"--even if it passed--was unlikely to revive the labor movement in the private sector. Therefore, it is also unlikely that unionization is the route to reducing income inequality. This is then doubly true for unionization in the public sector.
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