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If the trade unionist JimmyHoffa were alive today, he would probably represent civil servant. When Hoffa’sTeamsters were in their prime in 1960, only one in ten American governmentworkers belonged to a union; now 36% do. In 2009 the number of unionists inAmerica’s public sector passed that of their fellow members in the privatesector. In Britain, more than half of public-sector workers but only about 15%of private-sector ones are unionized.
There are three reasons for the public-sector unions’ thriving.First, they can shut things down without suffering much in the way ofconsequences. Second, they are mostly bright and well-educated. A quarter ofAmerica’s public-sector workers have a university degree. Third, they nowdominate left-of-centre politics. Some of their ties go back a long way.Britain’s Labor Party, as its name implies, has long been associated with tradeunionism. Its current leader, Ed Miliband, owes his position to votes frompublic-sector unions.
At the state level their influence can be even more fearsome. MarkBaldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California points out that much ofthe state’s budget is patrolled by unions. The teachers’ unions keep an eye onschools, the CCPOA on prisons and a variety of labor groups on health care.
In many rich countries average wages in the state sector are higherthan in the private one. But the real gains come in benefits and workpractices. Politicians have repeatedly “backloaded” public-sector pay deals,keeping the pay increases modest but adding to holidays and especially pensionsthat are already generous.
Reform has been vigorously opposed, perhaps most egregiously in education,where charter schools, academies and merit pay all faced drawn-out battles.Even though there is plenty of evidence that the quality of the teachers is themost important variable, teachers’ unions have fought against getting rid ofbad ones and promoting good ones.
As the cost to everyone else has become clearer, politicians havebegun to clamp down. In Wisconsin the unions have rallied thousands ofsupporters against Scott Walker, the hardline Republican governor. But manywithin the public sector suffer under the current system, too.
John Donahue at Harvard’s Kennedy School points outthat the norms of culture in Western civil services suit those who want to stayput but is bad for high achievers. The only American public-sector workers whoearn well above $250,000 a year are university sports coaches and the presidentof the United States. Bankers’ fat pay packets have attracted much criticism,but a public-sector system that does not reward high achievers may be a muchbigger problem for America.
36. It can be learned from the firstparagraph that
[A]Teamsters still have a large body of members.
[B] JimmyHoffa used to work as a civil servant.
[C] unionshave enlarged their public-sector membership.
[D]thegovernment has improved its relationship with unionists.
37. Which of the following is true ofParagraph 2?
[A]Public-sector unions are prudent in taking actions.
[B]Education is required for public-sector union membership.
[C] LaborParty has long been fighting against public-sector unions.
[D]Public-sectorunions seldom get in trouble for their actions.
38. It can be learned from Paragraph 4 thatthe income in the state sector is
[A]illegally secured.
[B]indirectly augmented.
[C]excessively increased.
[D]fairlyadjusted.
39. The example of the unions in Wisconsin showsthat unions
[A]often runagainst the current political system.
[B]canchange people’s political attitudes.
[C]may be abarrier to public-sector reforms.
[D]aredominant in the government.
40. John Donahue’s attitude towards thepublic-sector system is one of
[A]disapproval.
[B] appreciation.
[C]tolerance.
[D]indifference.
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