I generally receive a number of responses to my newsletters, and it's always a pleasure to hear from those of you who write.  My article last week concerning unions garnered more than double the responses of any other I've written.

It's a passionate topic for many...

I'm grateful for all who wrote...and I'm grateful that it was overwhelmingly positive.  I had a couple of readers question one point I made and I want to expound upon it here:

I made a small parenthetical comment toward the end of my article that good workers generally prefer to work in nonunion environments.  That is not to say, of course, that all union workers are bad.  There are some excellent workers in unions, no doubt.  But if a good worker is given his or her druthers, they'll usually choose nonunion.  Here's why:

1. In a nonunion shop, workers have the opportunity to enjoy independent upward mobility and merit raises.  Typically they can be eligible for promotions on their own and get raises based on their performance-at least this is true in the healthiest business cultures.  In a union, the workers' future is tied to a collective.  Usually everyone gets the same raise no matter the quality of work they do.  And promotion is more often negotiated, and sometimes discouraged, by the union depending on what is politically advantageous at the time.
    
2. Good workers, too, often have to witness bad workers being protected by the union.  The stark unfairness and damage to morale is maddening.
    
3. Further, good workers are often despised, isolated and made the targets of unions. One former union member, in response to my newsletter last week, wrote that he was reprimanded by the union for making them look bad and ruining the great reputation of the person who had his position before him, by doing the same work in 30% less time.  This is not uncommon.  (By the way, the man he replaced retired at 49 years of age with full pay and benefits.)
    
4. There are exceptions of course, but union environments are usually more adversarial than nonunion.  Unions often find it beneficial to create, foster and encourage an "us against them" mentality with management.  Good workers just want to work and they grow weary of the constant battles after a while.  They would also prefer to work in positive and cohesive environments. 
    
5. Finally, good workers have to give away their hard earned money in dues to an organization that, by and large, does them few favors.