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talking points Congress has damaged tourism Government shutdown hurts economy, makes us a laughingstock internationally by Richard N. Velotta A CO GU LU ES M T N relative who lives back east flew to Southern California last week to visit her sister and take a drive to Joshua Tree National Park. But like everybody who tried to visit a national park, monument or recreation area, they couldn't get in because of the federal government shutdown. How pathetic. The shutdown continued as I wrote this column. It may be over by the time it is published, but irreparable damage was done to the tourism industry as soon as the first closed sign was posted. Every member of Congress is responsible. Tourism leaders have worked hard to position Southern Nevada not only as a 20131014_VI06_F.indd 6 the shortsightedness of their actions. As representatives of the people, it is their responsibility to work around the clock if necessary to find solutions to problems that could damage our already-fragile economy. Frankly, I don't care if the blame lies with Republicans or Democrats, liberals or Tea Partiers. They all failed. I'm just one out of millions of voters, but I plan to vote anti-incumbent in the next federal election. They've all contributed to a setback for the tourism industry, and they all deserve the consequences. rick.velotta@lasvegassun.com / 259-4061 / @VegasInc_TheRV I'm just one out of millions of voters, but I plan to vote anti-incumbent in the next federal election. New model could benefit workers by forcing innovation, employers by weeding out slackers onservatives often criticize unions for being out of touch. Now even the president of the AFL-CIO agrees. In a speech earlier this year, Richard Trumka acknowledged unions are "failing to meet the needs of America's workers by every critical measure." Unfortunately, his proposed "solutions" appear unlikely to succeed. The AFL-CIO first tried getting rid of secret ballots in union elections, making it easier to pressure workers into joining. Congress killed that idea. Trumka now proposes working more closely with organizations to elect union-friendly politicians. But his members tell pollsters unions already spend too much on politics. Spending more seems unlikely to boost membership. Unions would do better to reinvent themselves to appeal to 21st-century workers. Their 1930s collective bargaining model no longer meets many employees' needs. It assumes one contract should cover everyone. In a knowledge economy, this makes little sense. 6 tional visitors who had saved their money to come to the United States only to learn that the attractions they wanted to see were closed because of bureaucracy and politics. Las Vegas got egg on its face when organizers of last week's World Routes conference canceled a tour of Nellis Air Force Base. Much of the goodwill the Travel Promotion Act generated has been washed away. There's little frustrated businesspeople can do about it — except fire those responsible for the shutdown. Congress members have been quick to blame their opponents for the closures. Most people are fed up with Reinventing unions for 21st century by James Sherk C gaming and entertainment destination but as a hub to explore the raw beauty of the American West. Within an easy drive of Las Vegas are Red Rock Canyon, Death Valley, Zion, Great Basin and the Grand Canyon. Congress did a fantastic job passing the Travel Promotion Act, which led to the development of Brand USA, a tourism initiative designed to encourage international travel to the United States. But those same lawmakers face planted when they failed to find a compromise to avoid the shutdown. Reports from around the country told of angry and befuddled interna- The labor movement should change with the economy. Reinvented unions — call them employee associations — could meet many needs in today's workplace. Several principles should guide such associations. Most important, they would be voluntary. Workers could join or not as they so choose. Unlike unions, employee associations would not try to get workers who decline their services fired. Workers should have the right to choose. Such freedom would force the associations to serve their members effectively. Unions have atrophied in part because, in many states, they can force workers at unionized companies to pay dues. Captive customers reduce the incentive to innovate — for unions as well as businesses. Voluntary membership forces organizations to continuously improve their service. Employee associations should also avoid politics. Unions spend more than $1 billion on politics each election cycle. This activism turns off potential supporters. Few workers today stay with one company their entire careers. By their early 40s, the typical employee has worked for 11 companies. Employee associations could help workers navigate the economy instead of remaining tied to one firm. They could help workers improve their skills through job training and mentorship programs (as many construction unions currently do). They could help workers land their next job with networking opportunities. They could provide employees advice on investing their 401(k)s for retirement. Many workers would voluntarily pay for such services. A particularly valuable service would be certifying workplace skills. Employers value abilities such as problem solving, business writing and critical thinking. Workers have few ways to credibly communicate these skills to new employers. Employee associations could independently test and certify workers' abilities — giving them leverage to command higher pay at their next job. Employee associations could also screen out slackers. Today, unions often protect lazy employees. This drives employers nuts. But what if employee associations restricted membership to industrious workers? What if membership signaled drive and diligence? Businesses would actively recruit those members and pay them premium wages. Polls show few workers want to join unions — as they now exist. But a re-envisioned labor movement could appeal to employees and employers. Unfortunately, rather than help their members get ahead, today's union bosses remain out of touch. James Sherk is a senior policy analyst in labor economics at the Heritage Foundation. Unions have atrophied in part because, in many states, they can force workers at unionized companies to pay dues. | 14 October 2013 | 10/10/13 2:28:35 PM