There was an interesting article in the Omaha World Herald last week that explored the  Workers Go On Strikebackground of the Shame On banners around Omaha and how ineffective they are.

As you may know, the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters has posted banners around Omaha, targeting job sites that do not use union labor on the project. The union claims that the contractors on the job site did not pay the laborers a fair wage, were not paid benefits, or were paid cash, implying that the contractor hired the laborers illegally.

The columnist reported that the picketers had been holding the banner outside the Omaha Archdiocese for a year and the Archdiocese had not received a single call about the banner.

Having worked with contractors in and around Omaha for over a decade, I believe the banners are ineffective because the vast majority of contractors are paying a fair wage, they are paying benefits, and they are complying with both state and federal employment laws. These contractors care about the well being of their employees and appreciate that they are the life blood of their companies.

Perhaps the banners are not the only aspect of unions that are ineffective. Given the sharp decline in union membership, perhaps the issue is much broader.