by Don Hall

A pro-union Leftie walks into a conference room and realizes that he’s now ‘management’ and he’s in a meeting with a union-buster. Let’s call the union-buster Lloyd. Lloyd sounds like a union-buster name, right?

“Oh, this is Don,” the HR director indicates to Lloyd. “He won’t be shy with his opinions!” Several people in the crowded room laugh.

I don’t speak for a full ninety-minutes. If you know me you understand that this is as probable as a dog not sniffing shit.

The public radio station was going through the standard back and forth when the employees decide that management isn’t treating them fairly and explore unionizing to gain some leverage. In this case, the employees were the reporters and producers in the news room and the management was the new CEO hired to turn the station’s adventurous dreams into a tight fiscal responsibility.

For weeks there had been delays and acrimony building. I was the Director of Events which technically made me a part of the management team despite the fact that the CEO had zero interest in my department as events were not a big revenue generator.

For ninety-minutes I sat and listened to Lloyd present the argument that a union would destroy the company. He talked about wage loss, increased red tape, and the pernicious control unions take when given a toe-hold. We were instructed on how we, as management, were not allowed to discuss the pros or cons or unions with the employees. We were told to keep a list of staff who were openly promoting union and send it to the CEO weekly.

It was surreal to be in this meeting.

Then Lloyd turned to me. “Don, right? Aren’t you the opinionated one? Anything to add?”

I knew that my opinion would not be welcomed by Lloyd. I thought for a beat.

“Well, Lloyd. My take is that on one side, the unions are leading with a list of abuses and horrors proliferated by the company. They sell the idea that without the union, the reporters are just simple wage-slaves and will be bought and sold like those Tamagotchi Eggs kids used to trade in the 80’s. 

On the other side, you sell the concept that if they unionize, we’ll all be selling tamales on the street for a living because the union will bankrupt the company and destroy whatever growth we can muster.

The truth is that both sides are no more than hyperbolic fear mongering. Neither pitch is likely but if the choice is presented as life or death, good versus evil, black and white nonsense the least curious and most gullible will leap to one side or the other. I trust that these news room employees are far smarter than me, probably smarter than everyone in this room. I trust that they can sift through the scare tactics and comprehend what is both in their best interest as well as the company’s.”

My response did not make the CEO very happy. Lloyd nodded as if he knew he had a Commie in the room.

Such are things when the agendas are so polarized.

We’re at a place in society where facts no longer surpass belief so rationally outlining the objective information is almost pointless in most cases.

In most cases neither pitch is likely but if the choice is presented as life or death, good versus evil, black and white nonsense the least curious and most gullible will leap to one side or the other.

We don’t have to accept the either/or proposition. I can be vehemently opposed to both police brutality and violent protest. I can wear a mask as a responsible member of the tribe and still hope that we can do things that keep the economic engine from crashing. I can believe that biological women are women and still encourage equal rights for transgender folks. I can love both Star Wars and Star Trek equally.

Scare tactics work on people who are already scared. Either/Or propositions are only attractive to the simple-minded.