Farmers, let's be thankful we have jobs.

That's the message made clear last week by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who wrote a pro-business piece in which she said Alabama's “economic model” has led to unions seeking to organize at many of the state's auto plants. He claimed that he was under attack from.

Its “economic model,” of course, is the supply of workers willing to accept lower wages than unionized workers in other states, who are mostly doing the same work and paying higher wages. They receive wages and better benefits. This is a model that has worked well for Alabama's establishment, and one that has allowed various politicians to claim success in economic development.

To be fair, automakers and their various suppliers (both union and non-union) typically offer more expensive jobs than are available in the cities in which they are located, especially for inexperienced workers. paying wages. And, like any major manufacturer, a new car factory can have a huge positive impact on the town and surrounding area.

But too often these companies are treated as benevolent saviors, giving jobs and decency to communities of simple men who should be on the ground, thanking the almighty that great auto executives have chosen for them. gives a good salary. The simple truth is that these are just companies that are manufacturing products and trying to locate production facilities in the regions where they will make the most money.

Hyundai didn't choose Montgomery because they thought the people of Montgomery needed a break. The same goes for Mercedes, Toyota, and Honda. They chose Alabama because the people crunching the numbers told them they could make more money by combining lower wages, lower taxes, and a variety of other factors. And given the number of automakers that have moved to the state, they're clearly doing well.

But you know, it's just a dandy. Billionaires who do everything in their power to make even more billions are celebrated.

Thousands of people trying to earn a decent pension and an hourly wage that allows them to pay for three beds and two baths and take their kids to Disney…well, why guys? will attack us??!

Can you see the problem here?

How could a governor who depends on the votes of millions of hourly workers think it would be better for him and his party's political standing to support billionaires over workers?

Because you let her do it.

The prevalence of party politics over common sense voting has crippled the country's unions. But recently, the scales finally seem to have tipped too far toward inequality and wage stagnation for the average worker to wake up. And unions are experiencing a renaissance of sorts.

thank god.

How and why did unions get caught up in the political farce of “D vs R” and how do they give employers the option to negotiate in good faith for decent wages and benefits? I don't know if the entire workforce refused. But I lost the thread somewhere.

Unions don't force companies to overpay. They do not cause bankruptcy. They do not eliminate employment. It does not threaten research and development.

Because all unions do is negotiate on behalf of workers for wages and benefits that are a reasonable percentage of profits. Both the union and the company must provide figures. Both sides can protect their interests. Both parties have rights.

But inevitably, unionized companies offer higher wages and better benefits. And safer work.

Late last year, the UAW union entered into negotiations with the Big Three automakers in Detroit. After threats of strikes and much debate, they worked out a deal that significantly increased wages and benefits for workers. So much so that within days, the Alabama automaker announced it would raise wages and improve benefits for its workers.

They did it to keep unions out. My hope is that Alabama workers will see equal pay and abandon the idea of ​​union dues, even if it means job security and higher wages in the future.

But you can see the reality, right? Labor unions control wages. Without these unions, companies would resist wage increases. Thanks to unions, we are slowly seeing a return to defined benefit pensions and away from more volatile investment retirement plans. Without unions, the gap between worker pay and executive compensation would be even more unequal.

So unions likely threaten Alabama's economic model. This is an incredibly good thing for millions of hourly workers in this state.