A Davis-Bacon Act for “Hired Feet”:

If, as Orin points out, the Carpenter’s Union is hiring workers for $8 an hour to picket on its behalf, it’s obvious that what we need is a private sector Davis-Bacon Act for “hired feet” picketers. The picketers would then just need a sympathetic government official to do a skewed “wage survey” that would determine that the “prevailing wage” for picketers ranged from $15 to $40 an hour, with the guys who just stand around and smoke getting $15 an hour, experienced, trained sign holders getting $30 an hour, and those who are able to both walk and hold a sign getting $40 an hour. Unfortunately, the “smokers” wouldn’t be allowed to become sign holders or walker/holders without participating in an apprenticeship program. Of course, the homeless who now hold the picketing positions will be priced out of a job, but that’s a small price to pay for improving the lot of the working class.

(Note: The real Davis-Bacon Act has long benefited members of Carpenter’s Union, both by mandating wages above real market for federally financed projects, and by creating absurd work rules such that anyone who wants to hammer a nail into a wall is deemed a “carpenter” and must be paid carpenters’ wages. Low-paid helpers can only obtain higher union job classifications through union or government-sponsored apprenticeship programs, regardless of on-the-job training.)

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