Organize
What is Organizing?
The Decline of the American Middle Class
That was the vision of middle-class Americans, who once modeled the image of what it was to be an American. Today, the middle class is disappearing in direct proportion to the demise of the American union movement. After World War II, nearly 30% of our workforce belonged to unions; today, barely half of that percentage is organized.As a result, a select few own the world’s resources while most live in poverty. Low wages are common, and for most of these workers, there is no health insurance or retirement plan.
The consequence? Taxpayers across the United States are making up for what employers should be paying by funding public assistance programs. That’s corporate welfare.
Why are wages so low? Because cutting labor costs is the easiest way to increase profitability. Consequently, the wealthiest 1% own as much of our nation as 90% of the rest of us, and corporate CEOs can earn up to 500 times the wages paid to their average workers.
Why Unions?
The freedom to form unions is a basic human right. In 1935, the U.S. government enacted the National Labor Relations Act, which states: “Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing…” and dictates that employers may not interfere with this right.
In 1948, the United States joined four-fifths of the United Nations member states in ratifying the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of all people to come together in unions.
Workers form unions because there is power in numbers. Where unions are strong, employers are required to bargain collectively to set fair terms and conditions of employment, ensuring the demand for profit is balanced with fairness toward the workforce.
How Employers Prevent Unions
When American workers seek to exercise their right to form a union, they often encounter employer resistance, threats, intimidation, and coercion, including:
- Captive audience meetings
- One-on-one meetings with supervisors
- Threats to close or relocate the workplace if workers vote to unionize
- Hiring professional consultants ("union busters") to coordinate anti-union campaigns
- Firing workers for union activity
According to Human Rights Watch, the treatment of workers by some employers—and the failure of the U.S. government to prevent it—constitutes a serious violation of human rights. Their report states: “Many workers…are spied on, harassed, pressured, threatened, suspended, fired, deported, or otherwise victimized in reprisal for their exercise of the right to choose a union.”
The consequences of weakened collective bargaining have been significant across American society. When collective bargaining is suppressed, wages stagnate, inequality and poverty increase, race and gender pay gaps widen, the social safety net is strained, and civic and political participation is reduced.
What Unions Have Achieved
- The 8-hour workday
- The 5-day workweek
- Employer-provided health insurance
- Secure pensions
- Higher wages
- Job security protections
- Overtime pay
- Workplace safety regulations (OSHA)
- Family and medical leave
- Fair treatment laws for women, people of all ethnic backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities
Union members earn approximately 28% more than non-union workers. Strong unions also raise living standards and improve the quality of life for everyone. In the 10 states where unions are strongest, there is less poverty, higher average household income, greater education funding, and stronger public policy compared to states where unions are weakest.
Unions and Democracy
Unions encourage voting and political participation among members and communities with shared interests. Political scientist Benjamin Radcliff estimates that for every 1% decline in union membership, there is a corresponding 0.4% decline in overall voter participation.