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Comment by IMTDb | Hacker News Reader

>> By signing a card or filling out an online authorization form, you are authorizing the ALU to speak on your behalf. > And thats terrible how?

You really can't see the issue with authorising a group you have little to no control over, speak on your behalf ? I can totally understand that people share some views with what unions are currently defending.

But the requirement on signing a paper that says "whatever the union currently says and will say in the future 100% represents my point of view" is a fair criticism of the union model.

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A union authorization card does not “join” someone to a union, nor is it an irrevocable endorsement of “whatever the union will say in the future.”

A union authorization card is simply a means of demonstrating the 30% employee support required for the NLRB to order an election. That’s it. Unions will generally not hold elections until 60% of employees have signed cards, because a majority vote is required.

From the anti-union National Right to Work Foundation:

“You have a legal right to revoke any union authorization card that you have signed. It is illegal for a union to restrict your right to revoke a union authorization card that you signed.”

https://www.nrtw.org/rights-card-check-private/

> "whatever the union currently says and will say in the future 100% represents my point of view"

Is that what it says? It says that you have to agree to be legally responsible for the union's opinions on netflix shows, or of your cousin's marriage?

No, it says that you're agreeing for them to represent you with the company, not some made-up all-encompassing scaremongering paraphrasing of that.

The same criticism still works, though. I can like their position for negotiating with Amazon today, without necessarily having to agree that I'm going to like it forever.

Mind you, I'm not necessarily on Amazon's side here. Their scare-mongering is pretty slimy, to say no more. But IMTDb's objection is valid, even adjusted for your criticism.

That's true of any system based on democratic rule. It's not much of a criticism because it's still better than anything else that we've come up with.

At least in Poland there can be multiple unions in same company. Then, you can choose one that represents your views best

Unions are kind of like electing congressional representatives. You and your peers elect someone to represent their interests. Its democratic representation. When it comes to a company making changes benefiting workers, collective bargaining is far more powerful than a single worker voice.

Unions are democratically controlled by the membership. When was the last time your employer gave you a vote on anything?

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