The latest union scandal – and it’s a big one that will only get bigger – is especially sad because of the corruption and the betrayal of union members and the misuse of their money. It’s also sad and confounding because so many union members tolerate such corruption, inept naivete , betrayal, hypocrisy and disrespect. Corruption, not just in the sense of financial dealings, but corruption that should raise questions about the legitimacy of collective bargaining negotiations – the most important function of an exclusive bargaining agent. Naivete, in that those not directly involved in payoffs  did not even know they were being manipulated. And hypocrisy, in participating in the exact kind of behavior “leadership” rails against and commiserates over with their membership constantly.

It’s one thing that the average union member has no idea how his or her money is being spent (largely on promoting union leadership, legal fees, travel by people who do nothing but mostly travel, and building the enterprise), but it is another that many choose to look the other way or rationalize the behavior like that in the UAW scandal. Perhaps organizational psychologists can explain it.

Hard-working, productive people deserve better from their employer, and the people who are supposed to be representing them.

Read about it all here.