Unnoticed in the spate of dramatic labor union events of the past week is a sudden acceleration in the “de-unionization” of America.

The 111-day-old coal strike ended in a Pyrrhic victory for the miners – another such win will price them out of the energy market once again.

The Firestone Rubber Company of Akron announced the closing of its passenger car tire operations there, throwing a thousand workers into the ranks of the unemployed.

The White Motor Company closed down its truck plant in Cleveland because of “high labor costs, obsolete plant, and a declining market.”

These are not isolated incidents.

Coal mining dwindled to token production under the impact of higher costs relative to gas and oil. It became competitive only when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rescued the industry with even higher, monopoly prices.

Youngstown Sheet and Tube has begun moving its operations to an automated steel plant in Indiana employing 5,000 less workers. Goodyear cut back its Akron work force late last year by a thousand workers. Chrysler prepares to close its original factory in Detroit. » Read more: Unions Paying For Abuse Of Power – 1978 Editorial