The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 2 of 7)

No, union work rules , and employees' willingness to accept them, are the problem. While I can only speculate, I would offer that pilots and other airline employees would actually be paid more if the airlines had to compete for their services, as is the case in nearly every other private industry. But the unions and airline management have exploited the natural human desire for security, hence the seniority system (not that even it is a guarantee -- just ask all those former Eastern and Pan Am pilots.) But to paraphrase Franklin, those who would give up the freedom to work where they would be best treated for a little employment security deserve neither such freedom or security.

p>Cordially, br> -- Paul DeSisto br> Cedar Grove, NJ /p> p> Michael Craig replies: br> Paul: Thanks for your careful and analytical response. Even when readers disagree, I appreciate that they consider the subject matter and my treatment worthy of discussion (though it would have been nice if you at least told me how clever my joke about United owing caterers $18 million was). /p>

On the issues about the free market, let me start by clarifying my opinion, which I naturally consider "The Truth." I think the efficient economic operation of the marketplace generally leads to the best businesses, the happiest consumers, and the best solutions to society's problems. Generally. Someone who is 100% to the market as a solution would oppose safety regulations for airlines ("How much business will an unsafe airline be able to do after crashing a few planes?"), collective bargaining laws, unions in general, or bankruptcy protection from creditors. So my "free market" is, admittedly, a little convoluted. I simply think there are a few needs that don't get addressed in the best fashion by the profit motive, but the attempt to succeed in business usually works.

When I said the free market led to this result and is also the solution, I meant: (a) United is unable, without the intervention of the bankruptcy laws, to become profitable; (b) the Southwests and JetBlues of the world really can't -- and may not even want to -- replace United in the market; and (c) even if United disappears (as a real free marketer would say is the proper result), with air travel a necessity and no one to fill the need, it's a pretty reasonable compromise to have the bankruptcy court wipe the slate clean and give the market another chance.

I'd hesitate to blame the unions, other than the fact that they helped the employees get more money -- and paying them more money than Southwest's employees are paid seems to be a significant factor. These employees made concessions worth billions in exchange for the stock, and offered to give up more to help United get loan guarantees from the Air Transportation Stabilization Board. And that's the point I wanted to make: the employees are only the bad guys because they negotiated for, and got, more money than the employees of the low-cost careers. I'd have done the same in their position.

p> NOT A LOTT LEFT

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