Public, private unions differ

I would like to highlight a difference between public and private unions.

A public union's sole purpose is to collectively bargain for higher wages and benefits and support public workers, including teachers that are paid with taxpayer money. They are only regulated by either local or state politicians that often take political donations from the unions, or, in the case of teachers, they are regulated by school boards.

Private sector unions, such as the building trades unions, are regulated by the marketplace but overseen by the government. The union members are paid either with private funds from businesses or with public money on public projects that require multiple bids.

Mr. Rauner and some Republicans don't like prevailing wage laws, claiming they raise the cost of projects. They also guarantee workers a living wage and deter low-bid, out-of-state contractors from taking Illinois jobs.

The skilled-trade unions usually require long (five- year) apprenticeships, where members get thousands of hours of classroom and field training before becoming journeymen.

Many members continue specialty training later in their careers. When work is slow, members are laid off (the marketplace), sometimes for extended periods.

Granted, private unions make political donations too, but their wage and benefit contracts are negotiated by private business or contractors associations, not by the politicians.

Private businesses have always had the choice to use nonunion labor in their facilities. Experienced businesses usually see the merit of hiring trained union people.

I have spent 40 years mostly as a designer, estimator, and project manager for union contractors in the Chicago area.

I have estimated and lost many jobs to low-bid or nonunion contractors only to see unhappy customers and substandard work. Often we would be called in to "fix" the problems.

It comes down to the old phrase "You get what you pay for."

Alan Devereaux

Bartlett