A Union Resurgence
Unions are gaining popularity again, but companies are catching on and doing what they can to stop it
“I’ve long said America wasn’t built by Wall Street, it was built by the middle class, and unions built the middle class.”
This was how President Biden began an address to American workers earlier this year. His remarks came as Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama were voting on whether or not to unionize. While the workers voted against unionizing, it had brought up a lot of concerns of anti-union tactics employed by large companies and, at least for me, questions of what unions are. A Democratic president who has vowed to be the most pro-union president ever and a growing sense of power among workers and people, in general (i.e. Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, etc.), has brought workers rights to the forefront. Strides are being made in various industries, such as this week, where unions in agriculture and healthcare reached landmark deals for their members, but the lack of enforcement of union busting prevents more people from benefitting from these deals.
How do unions work
Unions are groups of workers who come together to make decisions regarding their work. Members of the union vote for leaders to represent them in discussions and negotiations with the employer, and they can be formed of employees from the same company or from multiple companies.
The goal of union leaders is to reach a collective bargaining agreement with the employer. This is the contract that employers make with the union and its workers regarding things like workplace conditions, salary, benefits, etc. The collective bargaining process begins when the previous contract ends or when policies/changes are made regarding the workplace.
History of Unions
Using the power of masses to gain leverage is the whole idea of a union, and was happening well before the first “official” union was formed; the first known instance of a worker strike in America occurred in 1768 when some tailors protested a pay cut. Then in 1794, shoemakers in Philadelphia formed the first known union called the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers.
Industrialization of the country sparked an increase in union activity, as employees worked longer to keep up with new demand, and the introduction of factories naturally brought workers together in one place, making it easier to, frankly, complain. Then, talk about unionizing. Similarly, the influx of immigrants meant that companies were often taking advantage of the newest, most desperate-for-work ethnic group. For instance, when Irish workers won raises in pay from the railroads, Chinese workers were brought in to replace them. Then the Chinese would wise up to their situation and go on strike to fight for their own pay increases, only to be replaced by yet another group.
Naturally, unions began fighting for labor reform beyond their own workplace. For instance, the Department of Labor was created in response to the pressure of two labor unions, which quickly instituted provisions like the Fair Labor Standards Act, which required workers to be paid a minimum wage as well as getting paid for overtime.
Today's Union Activity
It feels like unions have been gaining popularity in the last few years, with the approval of unions rising to 68%, its highest level since 1965. This perception parallels the increase in labor activism; the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations found that there have been 178 strikes this year, much higher than previous years. It can also be argued that workers’ leverage is higher than before, as many jobs are requiring more specialized knowledge, and because consumer spending and demand is so high that employers are more desperate for workers.
It’s disappointing to realize that the main concern of unions back in the 19th century — better working conditions and better pay — are still the biggest things modern day unions are fighting for. But it’s even more unfortunate that companies are doing all they can to squash union activity, which, as should be obvious, allows them to avoid spending more money. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the average hourly salary of private industry workers was consistently $3-$4 more for unionized workers than for non-unionized workers between 2001-2011. Additionally, the cost of benefits paid for unionized workers was found to be about 50% more than for non-unionized workers.
Anyone who hears this and has the opportunity to join a union would want to, right? But union membership has actually remained steady overtime; around 9% of Americans identify as belonging to a union. A reason for this could be that the rise of more powerful demands from unions has been reflected with more powerful anti-union practices from companies. For instance, a leaked Amazon training video provided examples of things “that can indicate associate disengagement, vulnerability to organizing, or early organizing activity,” that managers should look out for. It included things like “distribution of petitions and fliers” and “associates raising concerns on behalf of their coworker.” Similarly, a study found that employers spend almost $340 million a year on “union avoidance” consultants to help them keep their employees out of unions.
With people becoming more aware of the power they have to inflict change, it’s no surprise that more are supporting unions. However, money always wins, and companies that have hundreds of millions to spend on convincing their employees that unions are bad keeps the money in the pockets of the rich at the expense of those who need it most. These consultants, mandatory videos, anti-union rhetoric and intimidation tactics are all legal. In March of 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which, amongst other things, would forbid employers from interfering or influencing employees in union elections.
Whether or not the act passes in the Senate is unknown, but it’s an important step in bringing to attention the right to unionize. While congressional action would be a huge step in the workers’ rights movement, we should really be thinking beyond unions; employees should be able to ask for livable wages and decent health care regardless of whether or not they’re in a union. Employers need to rethink the relationship with their workers, not just because they’ll be forced to by law, but because they’re much more valuable than an extra $4 per hour.