The Claires are doing anything in their power to maintain their authority and that includes doing sketchy things as long as they're trying to survive. Anyone trying to achieve organized power in Revachol is going to be sketchy. So they are crooks, because being a crook is the only way to exist as a dominant force under Moralist rule. Evrart is utilitarian to a fault. If it works to keep the union in power, it's good.

Whether or not it's self-service, why should it matter? The union's taken the dock and they're genuinely organized.