Asa Hutchinson: “our economy is doing well. Over 13 million new jobs have been created in the last 5 years and unemployment is at a…”

“our economy is doing well. Over 13 million new jobs have been created in the last 5 years and unemployment is at a 24-year low. The engine behind this growth is America's entrepreneurs. Last year, over 840,000 new small businesses were started in this country adding to the 22 million small businesses already in existence in the United States. Not only are new jobs being created at an astounding rate, but job satisfaction levels are on the rise as well. While these statistics are good news for America, they are a bitter pill for America's labor unions. Because of the strong employment conditions, unions are finding it increasingly difficult to identify workplaces that feel they need labor representation. In short, union membership is in a free-fall. Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unions lost 159,000 members in 1997 alone. Union membership has declined from 14.5 percent of the work force to 14.1 percent this year. This drop in membership is hitting the unions where it hurts most, their pocketbooks. Unfortunately, rather than fighting back with legitimate, honest organizing tactics, unions are lashing out against America's merit shop employers with tactics aimed at undermining their very existence.”