Reply To: Kickstarter boycott.

[elessar2590 18221xp 3]

@totsuzenheni it was only last year that the Supreme Court ruled that compulsory Union Membership (or dues but it’s essentially the same thing) for Public Sector Employees was Unconstitutional which might be what @commadorerob is referring to but Public and Private Unions are regulated differently. (Janus v. AFSCME)

The most cited example of Union’s messing with the economy is normally the Steel Workers Union in the 80’s who got the Government to put Tariffs on foreign imports of steel which saved their jobs but cost many more jobs in other industries who got hurt by the move. If you block cheap steel from coming in to the country then it helps the people who make steel but hurts the people who use steel as a component in things they make like Construction Companies or Ship Buildiers. @Robert might be able to give you specifics.

As a general Rule if an article leaves out a key document that they reference it generally means there’s something in that document they don’t want you to see so here is the actual response letter courtesy of Vice.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a35jpg/heres-what-the-ceo-of-kickstarter-said-to-creators-about-firing-union-organizers

The article you posted claims two major things were stated in this letter.

1. Stood by its decision to fire the organizers, and would be dispatching its lawyers to fight their claims.

That’s literally the standard thing any organisation does when an employee files a wrongful dismissal. The workers filed complaints with the NLRB so unless Kickstarter wants to just outright admit to a multi million dollar unfair dismissal and violating labor laws then of course they will fight it.

2. Would not voluntarily recognize a union even if the vast majority of workers signed in support of one.

Of course they won’t because there’s a very clear process around creating a Union that involves a Secret Ballot to stop intimidation from both sides and Kickstarter has said they are happy for it to head down that route but they will not just take the potential Unions word for it that they have support. They also said they won’t try and stop a vote and if the vote passes they will work with them. It should also be noted that no request for either a vote or voluntary recognition has been made.

Also the Pro-Union side weren’t being above board either since they allegedly had managers involved in the process which is illegal.

As for Unions I believe you have a right to join one or not join one. I personally dislike the amount of political action they take and I wouldn’t be comfortable paying dues to a Union who could turn around and give that money to a politician or organisation that I would not want to give money too. A Union exists to provide better wages, better conditions and representation for it’s members not to advocate for Political Issues that have nothing to do with it’s members.

For example here in Australia in 2017 (after the country had gone completely into a death spiral) we had two Major Unions praise and Defend Venezuela calling any opposition to the Government and it’s policies Fascist Right Wingers, using Union time and money to craft a political statement that did nothing to improve the conditions or pay of their workers. That I have a big issue with.