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Matthew Lau: Who protects the lowly worker? Not unions, not government

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08.09.2026

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Matthew Lau: Who protects the lowly worker? Not unions, not government

The free market, not government and unions, is what makes workers better off

Labour Day is invariably accompanied by pronouncements from progressives about how unions and government benefit workers and protect them from exploitation. However, the reality is the opposite. Even if they sometimes benefit certain privileged workers in the short run, the main effect of unions and government expansion is to harm workers overall, with the most disadvantaged members of the labour force suffering the worst consequences.

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