Big Labor magicians make opportunity disappear without a trace

In an ordinance passed this December, Seattle authorized unions to organize for-hire drivers.  Read: Uber and Lyft will be legally obligated to hand over the personal information of their drivers to union bosses if a majority of qualifying drivers give statements of interest.  

No wonder the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit to block the move in District Court on March 3^rd, 2016.  According to the Chamber, the Seattle ordinance violates both the Sherman Antitrust Act and National Labor Relations Act, the former of which has encouraged competition in the American economy for more than 125 years.  

Even Edward B. Murray, the Democrat Mayor of Seattle, declined his signature in a memo to the Council President.  Murray recognizes the importance of shared-economy companies in his city and warned, “I remain concerned that this ordinance, as passed by the Council, includes several flaws.”   He listed unspecified collective bargaining expenses among them, in addition to the burdens placed on drivers themselves.

Nationwide, Big Labor has been exacting revenge on shared economy companies like Uber and Lyft for daring to offer workers opportunity and flexibility (and for having the nerve to offer consumers affordable, dependable services).  So far, unions and their allies in government have failed to shut down the new economy.

But, as union bosses believe, "if you can’t beat ‘em, make ‘em join you."  Seattle officials will subject drivers to forced unionization, and unless the Chamber’s challenge prevails, the independence, freedom and flexibility these jobs offer will vanish in a cloud of union smoke.