Norma Rae Webster is a minimum-wage worker in a cotton mill that has taken too much of a toll on the health of her family for her to ignore her Dickensian working conditions. After hearing a speech by New York union organizer Reuben Warshowsky, Norma Rae decides to join the effort to unionize her shop. This causes conflict at home when Norma Rae’s husband Sonny assumes that her activism is a result of a romance between herself and Reuben. Despite the pressure brought to bear by management, Norma Rae successfully orchestrates an election to unionize the factory, resulting in victory for the union and presumably capitulation for the demands. When Reuben first comes to the factory he tries to get all the workers to start a union, but is soon chased out of the small town. Days later, Norma Rae shuts down her machine and stands on top of her work table striking. Soon the whole factory is with her and a union starts.

Back in the day, companies like the one depicted in this movie, abused and mistreated their workers.  In many ways, they were slaves, working for pennies while management lived like kings.  Unions helped correct this wrong by organizing workers against the company.  This was a very good move because it forced companies to do the right thing.  Back then, there was very little justice.

Unions were needed back then to remind owners and managers that the working class deserve better.

But I’m not so sure unions are needed today.

In a fast-moving world, there isn’t a company in the United States that could hid from this kind of mistreatment.  The ones that can hid are usually criminal in nature, but I’m talking about legitimate companies.  Company owners and managers today are looking to do their best for their company as well as their employees.  But today, unions enjoy a power they shouldn’t have gotten in the first place: political clout.

Unions made sense back when information was closely guarded and living standards were low.  They did their patriotic duty to make sure that no one was getting hurt on the job and if someone was hurt, the company would take care of them.  They did their civic duty by encouraging all union members to help out each other in times of need.

Today, all employees, whether they are in a union or not, enjoy workman’s compensation.  All employers are required to pay a federally-mandated minimum wage.  Finally, there are laws on the books now for employers to provide a safe working environment.

So, what exactly do we need unions for now?

Unions today have too much power.  In fact, their ability to fund-raise on behalf of an entire party (Democrats) is mind-blowing.  When unions have the ability to bully a company into either unionizing or having a protest outside their doors, it shows that they are no longer interested in helping their fellow workers.  They’ve become what they sought to fight: a big organization that takes advantage of those less fortunate.

Why are unions heavily invested in the health care bill?  Most union workers get health care either through their company or through the union itself.

Why do unions care if an Eagle Boy Scout cleans up park?

Why do unions want to punish good teachers to reward bad teachers?

Are unions still needed in some sectors of the market?  Probably.  But when unions start doing things that are counter-productive and only care about their own self-interest, they stop being community advocates and become thugs that feel entitled to the world.

Today is Blog Action Day – a day where bloggers from all over the world get together to write about one topic. This year, the topic is poverty. To that end, I’ll cover what society can do to help others in need.

Too much trust is given to the government to help the poor. Frankly, I don’t understand this. This blame is placed majority to the democrats since they see the need to “redistribute” wealth by taking away from the rich to give it to the poor, à la Robin Hood. Stories like Robin Hood fill our minds with the fact that the rich have taken advantage of the poor by ruthlessly taxing them. Some hero comes along to take that money away from the rich and give it back to the poor. Yet, at the same time, we have stories like the tortoise and the hare, which encourages us to take things slow and do our best and we’ll win the race.

What I fail to understand is why people don’t take the time to volunteer or donate money to help the poor. The average taxpayer donates less than 3% to charities, yet the majority of these people demand that congress do more. When I was a student, I tried my best to donate at least 20% of my income to charity. Some months were harder than others. But I still gave something.

Instead of asking the government to “redistribute” wealth, why don’t you? There are many organizations that could use your funds and time. Don’t ask congress to do something that you can do right now! You’ll be surprised how little it takes and how rewarding it is to do something for someone else.