The trouble with unions is that they drive down labor demand by their outrageous, government endorsed labor demands. I strongly support market wages for American workers. I strongly oppose prevailing wage laws that provide cover for union compensation demands. Outrageous union labor demands are fueling the demand for foreign labor.
Having studied organized crime on a scholarly level, I’m no stranger to the problem with unions. However in this case, a union was a necessary check to what was essentially onshore outsourcing. Unions would be far less powerful if companies operated above board in their doings, and I’m sad to say that in my experience they generally don’t.
On the other hand, brokered labor, as described in the article, is the biggest economic crime against American workers and American businesses ever.
Labor brokers (i.e. recruiting firms, temp firms, etc), whether for unskilled, skilled, engineering, or professional positions, drive up the costs of labor to companies and drive down the wages earned by the providers of the labor. The labor brokers want the foreign workers because they can get them to accept a lower hourly rate, but the rate charged the client companies rarely is decreased. The extra margin boosts the labor broker's profit for providing what is usually less qualified workers to the client companies.
Instead of using the union strawman, let's work to abolish the IRS rules that strongly discourage companies from negotiating with and directly employing independent contractors. That is what has created the corrupt contracting practices such as the article describes.