If bus drivers were not unionized (Sowell)
March 8th, 2008 | Published in Work, Economics, Quotes | 1 Comment
If bus drivers were not unionized and were paid no more than was necessary to attract qualified people, then undoubtedly their wage rates would be lower and it would then be profitable for the transit companies to hire more of them and use shorter buses. Not only would the total cost of moving passengers be less, passengers would have less time to wait at bus stops because of the shorter and more numerous buses. This is not a small concern to people waiting on street corners on cold winter days or in high-crime neighborhoods at night.
—Thomas Sowell, Basic Economics (3rd Edition, Basic Books, 2007), p. 203.
March 10th, 2008 at 1:55 pm (#)
Ahhh, but would they work for a lower wage if they weren’t unionized? Who would drive the bus for a minimum wage? Someone qulaified, or an illegal immigrant? Also, does the decrease in wages make up for increased man hours (more drivers) and the cost of more buses (including fuel, insurance and upkeep)?