As we’ve been reporting, earlier today, New York Times business reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin appeared on MSNBC and seemed to question the entire idea of unionization. “Name a successful unionized company. Think. You’re going to go to [commercial] break before you come up with one.”
Last week, Sorkin moderated a forum, hosted by Vanity Fair and Bloomberg, which included, among others, former General Electric CEO Jack Welch and Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.
During the discussion, the Welch trotted out roughly the same that Sorkin brought on to Morning Joe against Stiglitz “[G]ive me a highly successful, unionized American industry,” he demanded.
Here’s the entirety of the exchange:
WELCH: Joe, do you think that if we trace back things like this, they’re going to give us a more competitive America to compete in the global world? Now, do we – should be retained good wages? Should we have benefits? Should we have enlightened management to take care of workers? Absolutely.
But should we get all organized again and get all these work rules and have General Motors and U.S. Steel and the airlines and all these businesses – give me a highly successful, unionized American industry.
STIGLITZ: Well, I do think that – that workers who are treated better or more productive.
WELCH: I agree.
STIGLITZ: Now – now, one of the things that has induced a lot of companies to treat the workers well is the fear of unions coming in. So it has been an incentive device that has, I think, encouraged better treatment of the workers at by some of the non-union firms.Well, I do think that – that workers who are treated better or more productive.
More on the answer to Welch’s (and now Sorkin’s) question in a moment. Funny how that line made it from the lips of the former chairman and CEO of GE on to a GE-owned cable network. I’m sure Welch is extremely proud.
Late update: You can read Sorkin’s apology here.
