The Corruption of Groups

Reform is needed for all groups, because groups tend to drift away from the best reasons for their formation to the worst reasons. This occurs when they are infiltrated by those who have a different agenda.

Labor Unions started out as groups of people in the same profession, sharing knowledge to perfect their processes. These were “Guilds” and membership required verified credentials and knowledge of the craft.

It was also common for children of their families to learn their craft as children and become apprentices for their parents. This formed an occupational home school for family businesses. This started thousands of years ago with farmers, miners, chemists, carpenters, ship builders, tent makers, inventers and stone masons. I believe the formation of Guilds was crucial to the improvement of processes for all crafts.

I would rather see Labor Unions involved in the development of curriculum for trade schools and the publication of innovations in their respective professions.

Instead, Labor Unions were infiltrated by Marxists after 1850 in reaction to industrialization and the elimination of many of their family cottage manufacturing businesses.

The Guild members abandoned these Labor Unions. The best of them formed and joined companies that produced what they were masters of.  The Labor Unions remained, but they shifted their focus to political activism and adopted violent tactics. Their membership peaked in 1950 and dropped by 90% by 1980.

Guilds became “Professional Associations”.

Organizations that are created need by-laws that include requirements for membership and a termination clause.

When I wrote the by-laws for the St. Charles County Council of Homeowners’ Associations in 1966, I required membership to include homeowners’ associations in St. Charles County. My termination clause said we should dissolve as soon as St. Charles County expansion had been accomplished.  I had moved to Kansas in 1975 and I got a call from the current President of the Council in 1977 asking for my opinion about termination. I asked many questions and voted to terminate, which they did.

When I wrote the by-laws for the Metro Atlanta High Tech Personnel Association in 1983, I restricted membership to the Personnel staffs of electronics and software companies. I also included a termination clause.  In 1993, I formed my own private consulting practice and resigned.  I got a call in 1996 from the current President asking me to rejoin the Board to help them terminate the association. I did rejoin and chaired Programs and we terminated the association to consolidate as the Northeast sub-chapter of SHRM.  Most of our 40 member companies were going off-shore and closing. Those companies who remained had found wage surveys that correlated with our survey. Gridlock had become critical and SHRM needed to establish local organizations and meeting places. Membership could be opened to all to expand meeting attendance.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader