[lbo-talk] French union density

[John Lacny]

I don't know a whole lot about the specifics of the French situation, but 
from everything I've ever read about it, it's clear that their "union 
density" in any meaningful sense of the term is actually pretty damn high, 
at least compared to the US. Using membership in a union as a yardstick for 
"union density" makes no sense when the definition of what is a union member 
is so very different. In France the actual members of the unions are the 
"militants," but the contracts they negotiate cover most of the workforce. 
Also, it's my understanding that more than one union may typically operate 
at a workplace. I'll bet that if we had that situation even in a 
"right-to-work" state here -- maybe only a tenth of workers even bother to 
join the union, but the whole damn industry has to bargain with them and 
that sets the standard -- the rank-and-file workers would be likely to 
follow the union leaders when it mattered, too.

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John Lacny
http://www.johnlacny.com

Tell no lies, claim no easy victories