The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Feeding the Crocodile

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It has long been obvious that among the greatest enemies of capitalism are the alleged capitalists. Corporate America is one of the least constant defenders of the market economy, ever ready to sell out the system. Businessmen constantly request subsidies and bail-outs, as we have seen in recent months. Similarly, some companies may be preparing to back organized labor's "card check" bill, which would allow union acitivists to initimidate their way to victory without a secret ballot election.

The measure actually is in political trouble, since the vast majority of union members support letting workers vote. Moderate Democrats on Capitol Hill don't want to appear to be in Big Labor's hip pocket, no matter what President Obama or Speaker Pelosi want. But now several large businesses may be ready to feed the crocodile, apparently in hopes that it will be satiated. Reports the Wall Street Journal:

Three big retailers are expected to back an alternative proposal next week on a hotly contested bill that would make it easier to unionize workplaces, a move some experts said would bolster the legislation's chance of passage.

Costco Wholesale Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Whole Foods Market Inc. are supporting the alternative proposal, according to someone familiar with the effort. Ray Krupin, a management labor lawyer in Washington said the most likely compromise would allow employees to unionize if 70% of them sign union-authorization cards, as opposed to 50% as currently proposed in the Employee Free Choice Act.

On Saturday, a person close to the discussions denied that the proposal backed by the three companies included a plan to let unions organize workers if 70% sign cards.

It's unclear whether the proposal addresses a thorny section of the bill that would have a government arbitrator draw up a contract if unions and companies can't agree to terms within 120 days.

"We have had conversations with like-minded companies and are open to exploring alternative solutions to the legislation as it is currently written," said Deb Trevino, a spokeswoman for Starbucks.

Libba Letton, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods, said, "We've been having conversations with other companies that have the same outlook that we do. We've been talking to them about finding fair alternatives."

A Costco representative couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

A person close to the companies said the proposal will be fair to all sides.

Of course: "fair to all sides." As Washington defines fair.

In fact, the measure is no compromise: labor activists admit that they have to surpass the 70 percent level to have a 50/50 shot at winning an election. These companies would sacrifice workers' rights for a mess of pottage. And capitulating to labor activists who have developed an entire agenda for politicizing the economy would be well-nigh suicidal.

As Lenin reportedly said: "The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them." Yet again one has to wonder: can capitalism survive the capitalists?

(Hat tip to Brian Faughnan at RedState.)

View all comments (14) | Leave a comment

jharp| 3.22.09 @ 10:46AM

By Doug Bandow on 3.22.09 @ 6:07AM

"which would allow union acitivists to initimidate their way to victory without a secret ballot election."

This is a lie and you are a liar.

I stop in to see what wingnuttia is up to and don't finish the first paragraph without an out and out lie.

Geez.

JohnnySquares| 3.22.09 @ 12:00PM

Yeah, because just what Whole Foods needs is to increase it's operating costs.

alex| 5.1.10 @ 11:49AM

http://www.bbbullet.co.uk/

Bob| 3.22.09 @ 3:06PM

What is the issue here? Businessmen are capitalists. Their first priority is making money for themselves. Their next priority is making money for the company. There are no other priorities. There is no "morality" on Wall Street. You look for the opportunities that create the most profit, find out if it is legal, and then do it. What occurred with AIG was totally legal. There were no regulations that limited leverage or caused them to have capital to back up their bets as you have with both banks and the insurance industry. They did exactly what they were incentivised to do.

What Bandow completely misses, is not that companies support their actions because of government intervention, they support this because they believe it will give them more money to take home. It is really that simple.

After talking to one of my friends in HR about this subject, he says his company supports this because they are already unionized and this will level the playing field against non-unionized companies. Management in his company are looking at the competitive landscape and identifying how they can make more money.

Most of you on this board are ideologues and don't seem to understand how capitalism in the U.S. really works.

jharp| 3.22.09 @ 7:43PM

"Most of you on this board are ideologues and don't seem to understand how capitalism in the U.S. really works."

Close but not quite.

Most of the right wing hacks on this board are simple minded ignorant buffoons.

danny| 3.22.09 @ 10:21PM

jharp, evidently you enjoy our company. you hang out here a lot.

Sarah| 3.23.09 @ 5:48AM

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Sarah

http://www.lyricsdigs.com

Deborah| 3.23.09 @ 6:32AM

Card check is an abomination, and any American, corporation or individual, who supports it does not have the best interests of the company, the worker, or the country at heart.

Just look what unions have done to the American auto industry, the American education establishment, the out of control bureaucracies of the SEIU. This is a recipe for the destruction of the capitalistic system that has been the engine of our economy since inception.

Everything this Obama administration is doing is destructive change you must fight against.

Bob| 3.23.09 @ 8:39AM

Deborah - you and the others who cling to the ultra right hate our government, hate our leaders, hate unions, hate our universities, and hate anyone who disagrees with you. That says a lot about your supposed religious orientation.

If you hate the country so much, you can always move.

Deborah| 3.23.09 @ 12:59PM

Hate has nothing to do with it. Love of country has everything to do with.

It's the left that hates the country -- otherwise why are they trying to destroy everything good about it?

Bob| 3.23.09 @ 1:10PM

Deborah -- the people on the left also claim patriotism and love of country -- especially after the election of Obama. So yes, you sound like you're full of hate just like most of your brethren on this board. I've said the same thing to those on the far left.