Leo’s arguments are confusing because the first part of the interview discusses private sector unions, who would benefit from working on unionized renewable energy projects (assuming renewable energy continues to take off, and I hope it does). Private sector unions are fine, unless they cause their employer to go out of business (GM, Chrysler, almost Ford, airlines, etc.)...then everyone loses.
In his last answer, Leo Gerard disingenuously conflates the Wisconsin attack on public sector workers as an attack on private sector unions. Public sector union members have nothing to do with renewable energy projects, and certainly don’t wire electricity or fix plumbing for a living. “Republican governors, legislators and their billionaire financiers” (Koch brothers?) are not trying to strip *private* sector unions of their collective bargaining privileges, they are trying to strip public sector unions of their privileges because the system is very corrupt.
Public sector unions are a completely different story than private sector unions because they collectively bargain with the government, i.e. indirectly the taxpayers. Unions force members to pay dues, then those dues go to lobbying legislators who in turn grant their union supporters guaranteed pensions (after 20-30 years of service) and full health benefits (for the entire family) at very little, or almost no cost, to the unionized employee. Who pays for those pensions and health benefits? Taxpayers. So who is getting ripped off by the system? Taxpayers, including the taxpayers employed in private sector unions.
The other Republican “assault” on unions are right-to-work bills. But I struggle to see a problem with this…people should be free to opt out of their unions and still keep their job as electricians, plumbers and DMV workers. Unions should not be allowed to bully their members into paying their union dues, which the unions then use to fund Democrat politicians, who in turn grant sweet benefits at taxpayer expense.
Thank you FDR for warning us against public sector unions in 1937. Sadly people don’t remember that speech.
