A strike by a labor union is nothing if not a restraint of trade.
The media are all in a huff today about the dockworkers' strike that has shut down all of the ports on the east coast from Maine to Texas.
The economic effects of the dockworkers' strike are essentially the same as some of the effects of protectionist tariffs.
The purpose of all protectionism is to restrain trade that comes from other countries, which is exactly what the dockworkers' strike is doing.
The purpose of the strike is to acquire higher wages and not protectionism, but it will have the effects of protectionism while it lasts.
Ironically, many of the same people who praise Trump's threats to impose higher tariffs on imports are whining and complaining about the possible dire effects of the dockworkers' strike! They apparently think that the restraint of trade with tariffs is "Good for America" but the restraint of trade with a dockworkers' strike is bad for America.
So it appears that no, the dockworkers' union is not a corporate tool, but the strike may nevertheless inadvertently cause a short-term increase in corporate profits for some businesses.
https://mises.org/mises-wire/dockworkers-union-corporate-tool
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