Bastiat's Goat: Union Files Grievance Over Goats Supposedly Taking Their Members' Jobs
Bastiat's broken windows story -- the broken window fallacy -- is, in one sense, about make-work jobs.
Well, that's pretty much what a union is demanding in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where they've filed a grievance in response to Western Michigan University's use of goats to clear 15 acres of campus woodland.
Beautiful, huh?!
Human progress involves using creativity to do things better, cheaper, more safely, and, if possible, with fringe benefits. (Like from all that goat poop.)
From KSTP.com:
Kathi Babbit is the chief steward of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local union. Babbit wrote in a July newsletter that the grievance had been filed in relation to subcontracting and the unreported use of goats, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported....University spokeswoman Cheryl Roland said she can't make a detailed comment about the union's decision because the university has a process underway for addressing the grievance. But she said that no school workers have been laid off by the goat project.
They mentioned nine employees out of work -- not good (and maybe not even connected to the goats), but still, I don't think the answer is (surely) paying more than it costs to have the goats chew their way through the underbrush.
Back to the KSTP story:
"This stuff is so thick," said Munchers co-owner Gina Fickle of the woodland. She said that human laborers can always come in to finish the work after the goats clear up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) above the ground."Goats aren't there taking work away from anybody, they're making it safer for people," Fickle said.
Roland said that the goats are a chemical-free option to clear areas that are problems for humans to remove. She also said the goats are a cost-effective way to get rid of poison ivy and invasive species.
University Horticulturist Nicholas Gooch said that the school hasn't received any complaints about the goats other than the union.
The goats come from, yes, a goat rental company called "Munchers On Hooves."
Get your "Munchers..." t-shirt at their Facebook link.
Sadly, there's no cute goat on the shirt like this feller.
MUNCHERS ON HOOVES, LLC
— studioxeoh (@studioxeoh) July 18, 2017
Our motto:
National Born Weed Killers
♥ (We're Unionizing too) ♥ pic.twitter.com/YHiHcpY07s
We totally do that too, in fact we did it first in 2008, because it's a rule that all the really great trends start in Los Angeles. Amy's books, my haircut, all of it.
Crid at July 17, 2017 10:48 PM
Of course they do.
Amy Alkon at July 17, 2017 11:09 PM
Something you'll never hear Kathi Babbit, chief steward of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local union say is, "Union workers can do it better and are more cost efficient."
Ken R at July 18, 2017 4:10 AM
AFSCME to scab ruminants: "Butt out!"
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at July 18, 2017 5:04 AM
If your job can be replaced by a goat, get better skills don't form a union.
Joe j at July 18, 2017 6:52 AM
I love using goats for this. They use sheep around here and it's super fun and efficient and adorable.
Suzanne Lucas at July 18, 2017 7:11 AM
How long before the goats are mysteriously poisoned, or that one of the shepherds is assaulted at night with metal pipes, and yet the police officers for some strange reason are incapable of finding out who did it?
Sixclaws at July 18, 2017 7:46 AM
If they use weed killer will the union file a grievance against the bottle owedd killer?
Jay at July 18, 2017 8:20 AM
My friend worked for city outdoor maintenance crew when he was younger. They had lists of things that needed fixing. He would look at an item, figure what tools and parts were needed, pick those up and go out and fix it. The other crews all went out and looked then went back to get stuff. He did jobs twice as fast and the other crews were really pissed at him. The good part of unions can be protection from crazy bosses but it always becomes about doing less work slower for more pay.
cc at July 18, 2017 11:36 AM
I say, if the union members want to take over for the goats and chew their way through the underbrush and fertilize the field with their poop, let them.
Mmmm, roughage.
Sounds to me like the use of goats has been reported.
Conan the Grammarian at July 18, 2017 1:23 PM
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