Weakening Unions: The Double-Breasted Trick

American workers once held a claim on the full value of their labor — wages, pensions, healthcare, job security. A legal structure called the double-breasted employer was built to take that claim apart from both sides simultaneously. One company, two arms, one owner — and the wage floor suppressed no matter which side wins the contract. This piece documents how the mechanism works, who built it, and why it now operates in an environment designed to make accountability impossible.