Union Bosses Dupe “Unlicensed” Blogger

In his blog today, John Micek makes a couple of jokes about “Joe the Plumber” – probably to avoid being called “Rat Rat Rat” by union bosses (who promise not to intimidate workers if card check passes), as Joe the Plumber was, a at rally against card check in Harrisburg.

His jokes only illustrate the myths that union bosses continue to perpetuate:

[Joe the Plumber] who, you’d think, would be a big fan of unions, being a plumber and all.

Why would I think that? Only 30% of pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamlayers are union members – more than 2 out of 3 choose not to join or form a union. And opposing card-check has nothing to do with being anti-union, but opposing legislation that would take away workers’ rights. In fact 74% of union households oppose card check.

Oh … wait … he’s not really a plumber.

Micek is fooled into thinking that the definition of a plumber is someone who got a plumber’s license from government, rather than noting that occupational licensing in merely another tool unions and special interest groups use to intimidate their competitors.

For instance, as a case in point, does anyone really believe Micek’s reporting would improve if he obtained a Reporter’s License from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? Or better yet, his Blogger’s License?