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On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 08:55:40 GMT, (M J Carley)
wrote:

>In the referenced article, writes:
>>On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 08:25:16 GMT, (M J Carley)
>>wrote:
>
>>>So you believe that a company's workers do not have (or should not
>>>have) the right to decide who will represent them in a negotiation?
>
>>Of course not! If the buyer doesn't want to talk to some third party
>>he shouldn't have to. When you are buying something, do you think
>>some potential seller has some silly "right" to make you negotiate
>>with someone else? Why should there be any negotiation unless the
>>buyer agrees to it anyway? If I'm buying something and set a price,
>>those unwilling to accept that price can go somewhere else. If I can't
>>get what I want for that price, I might choose to do without or rasie
>>it. I have no interest in some bozo telling me his client accepts the
>>deal but demands something more.
>
>
>If I, personally, enter a negotiation (to buy a house, say), I can
>choose a lawyer to represent me; if I sell a house, I can choose an
>estate agent to represent me. If my employer negotiates a contract, he
>can choose a third party to represent him (my employer is a subscriber
>to just such an organization). In each case, someone is hiring an
>expert who knows the law and can get a good deal. Why is it
>illegitimate for me, in my capacity as an employee, to choose someone
>to represent me in such a negotation?

It's only illegitimate to presume the right to make someone else
negotiate in such a manner. If you are buying a house and the seller
refuses to talk to your agent, well, he loses the sale. The sale
doesn't happen. No trade occurs. You don't have any "right" to whine
to the government and have them make the seller negotiate. Why sould
it be any different for someone buying or selling labor?

>>If you want to join a union, fine! If you want to join any other
>>club, fine. Who cares? But if I'm your employer, why should that
>>have anything to do with me unless I choose to join it, deal with it,
>>or otherwise freely choose to associate in some manner with it?
>
>Because I have the right to choose who will represent me.

And if I say no? Then what? Do I not have the right to shop for
labor elsewhere if I choose?

William R. James