This week, I chose to write about unions because I think they are the backbone of fair employment conditions in America. I do not know anyone who is a member of a union. However, in my research, I found out that union membership has been steadily declining in America since 1983. Controversies in unions have pushed away potential members. Many unions have been marred with issues such as corruption, inadequate personal autonomy for workers high membership fees, and political participation (Guerra, 2023). Notably, unions are powerful political stakeholders both locally and nationally. In 2016, unions spent approximately $109 million, primarily on the Democratic Party (Guerra, 2023). However, not all union members support this party. Despite these drawbacks, union members typically enjoy better working conditions, greater job security, better benefits, and higher wages in contrast to their non-unionized counterparts. For instance, in 2020, the median weekly wages for nonunionized workers was 84 % of their unionized counterparts. Additionally, 94 % of union workers had access to retirement benefits in contrast to 67% of their non-unionized counterparts (Guerra, 2023). These higher wages and better benefits generally allow union workers to experience upward social mobility faster than others. Moreover, research shows that weakening unions such as through the enactment of “right-to-work” laws (Kasperkevic, 2019), has significant long-term political and economic effects, such as lower voter turnout, less voter mobilization, fewer working-class candidates serving in state legislatures and Congress, and more conservative state policy (Banerjee et al., 2021).
My research aligns with what we have learned in class this week. Union membership is declining due to harsh laws such as right-to-work laws that prevent unions and employers from mandating employees to pay union membership dues as a condition of employment (Kasperkevic, 2019). They can also prevent employers from firing unproductive employees such as the New York teachers union that defended a drunk teacher who passed out in class (Kristof, 2015). Even as unions fade in America, it’s becoming evident that they did a lot of good in supporting the middle class – particularly the private-sector unions that are now disappearing. According to most research, the decline in unions is responsible for around one-fifth of the growth in economic disparity among males in America in recent decades. It could be more: the fall of unions may explain approximately one-third of the growth in male inequality in America (Kristof, 2015). Hence, unions overall contribute positively to our society as the “labor movement has stood as the most prominent and effective voice for economic justice” in our work-driven culture (Kristof, 2015).
Thus, if I was working in a workplace with a union, I would join it. From the lectures, articles provided in this class and my research, I realize that unions are indeed advantageous for workers. They ensure that employees get proper compensation and better benefits, which ultimately boosts the economy and leads to upward social mobility. I hope to one day work in a hospital or lab with a union.
References
Banerjee, A., Poydock, M., McNicholas, C., Mangundayao, I., & Sait, A. (2021, December 15). Unions are not only good for workers, they’re good for communities and for democracy: High unionization levels are associated with positive outcomes across multiple indicators of economic, personal, and democratic well-being. Economic Policy Institute. https://www.epi.org/publication/unions-and-well-being/
Guerra, M. T. A. (2023, October 20). What are the pros and cons of unions? | Maryville Online. Maryville University Online. https://online.maryville.edu/blog/pros-and-cons-of-unions/
Kasperkevic, J. (2019, April 29). Why unions are so worried about right-to-work laws. Marketplace. https://www.marketplace.org/2017/02/24/push-nationwide-right-work-law-could-weaken-unions/
Kristof, N. (2015, February 19). Opinion | The cost of a decline in unions. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/nicholas-kristof-the-cost-of-a-decline-in-unions.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
