Radar, you're mistaken about the transitive property of rights here. Yes, wages should be determined solely by the two parties making an agreement - employer and employee. Yet, either party has the right to empower someone else to negotiate those terms for them. My authority to negotiate terms is transitive, so I can loan it to someone else who will then act on my behalf, like an athlete would with an agent.
For guild writers, they have decided to collectively cede their right to negotiate to a single agent (the WGA), in order to strengthen their position. There is nothing in this transaction that violates the principle of free enterprise.
Furthermore, the right of any two person to enter an agreement for work has no meaning, unless coupled with a right NOT to work if one of the two parties does not agree with the terms. This has to be a core libertarian principle.
Now, I'd agree with you if you find fault with the restrictions placed on corporations when negotiating with the WGA - they ought to be free to fire and replace whomever they wish, including striking workers. They have to have a free hand in the negotiations, just as the unions do.
But everything up until that point? Collective bargaining, work stoppage, asking for residuals, being free to set conditions under which one is willing to work, that's all free enterprise. That's libertarian bliss, baby.
Last edited by smoothmoniker; 12-21-2007 at 11:53 AM.
Reason: opps! finger slip, published early
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