EcoBoostStang
Member
This is something I've been thinking about
Do you see labor unions ever making a major comeback?
- Thread starter EcoBoostStang
- Start date
zubenelgenubi
I'm a star
Depends: it seems to me, that in general, unions aren't doing a very good job of marketing themselves, and the Teamsters specifically doesn't seem to have any organizing strategy whatsoever, IMHO.
I planted a seed with a buddy of mine who owns his own service company with a decent sized workforce. I explained that many of the companies that our local negotiates with have found that the Teamsters offer better insurance at a better price than they can get on their own. He is staunchly anti-union, but he did seem interested in the benefits idea.
If unions can rebrand themselves as a way to help companies control their employment costs, and maybe a reason for companies to scale back/outsource their HR departments, sort of like UPS has, then I think Unions could start a rebound. The grievance system alone could potentially shield companies from massive losses in courts.
One of the biggest obstacles is that the politicians who claim to be pro-union actually see unions as competition to their power grabs. Who needs a $15 national minimum wage if wages are negotiated by unions? How can a politicians get support from constituents if they don't have a $15 minimum wage to push for?
I planted a seed with a buddy of mine who owns his own service company with a decent sized workforce. I explained that many of the companies that our local negotiates with have found that the Teamsters offer better insurance at a better price than they can get on their own. He is staunchly anti-union, but he did seem interested in the benefits idea.
If unions can rebrand themselves as a way to help companies control their employment costs, and maybe a reason for companies to scale back/outsource their HR departments, sort of like UPS has, then I think Unions could start a rebound. The grievance system alone could potentially shield companies from massive losses in courts.
One of the biggest obstacles is that the politicians who claim to be pro-union actually see unions as competition to their power grabs. Who needs a $15 national minimum wage if wages are negotiated by unions? How can a politicians get support from constituents if they don't have a $15 minimum wage to push for?
EcoBoostStang
Member
Completely agree. I'm just hoping if the PRO act is passed it kinda un fu**s everything republicans did to us for the past 40 years
DriveInDriveOut
Inordinately Right
No
Wally
BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
Where?
Whither
Scofflaw
I doubt it. You could view unions as a truce between workers and market forces, with the state throwing its weight behind the latter. For example unions made their strongest gains in the US in the late 1930s. These gains wouldn't have been possible without high levels of militancy in the rank and file. Unions were granted as concessions to prevent 'worse' -- namely, widespread disruptions to production and, yes, communism. In other words, unions were tasked with culling the 'radical' section of the workforce, to which they owed their very success.
Once the threat was neutralized, Taft-Hartley was passed and the unions carried on presiding over their own lengthy decline. While there was some labor militancy in the late 60s, it never rose to the fever pitch of the 30s or let alone as it did in France ... but even the massive May 68 general strike in France accomplished very little.
Janus v AFSCME was basically the nail in the coffin. Unions could've banded together and very reasonably argued that the same rationale used by the court undermines the basis of taxation. After all, if we're given representation (regardless of how adequate or even wanted it may be) the understanding has been that we're supposed 'pay our dues', right? Obviously it would've been a desperate measure, but -- desperate times ... Not to mention I think it would've been wildly popular had unions mounted an attack on taxation, a rallying cry. But, no, the opportunity was missed.
Once the threat was neutralized, Taft-Hartley was passed and the unions carried on presiding over their own lengthy decline. While there was some labor militancy in the late 60s, it never rose to the fever pitch of the 30s or let alone as it did in France ... but even the massive May 68 general strike in France accomplished very little.
Janus v AFSCME was basically the nail in the coffin. Unions could've banded together and very reasonably argued that the same rationale used by the court undermines the basis of taxation. After all, if we're given representation (regardless of how adequate or even wanted it may be) the understanding has been that we're supposed 'pay our dues', right? Obviously it would've been a desperate measure, but -- desperate times ... Not to mention I think it would've been wildly popular had unions mounted an attack on taxation, a rallying cry. But, no, the opportunity was missed.
Sissy Brown Short Shorts
Well-Known Member
They don’t have to market themselves. Politicians do it for them and whenever they run out of money they get pork barrel funds shoved into for example a covid relief bill. Then they take that money and funnel it back into their politician mouth pieces. Just a big grift. They’ve lost their relevancy. Like the corporate big wigs they claim to defend the little guy from, they like our corporate beholders are only after one thing, maximizing profits. If you think unions will make a come back especially after the way the teachers unions have behaved during the pandemic (cowardly) I have a bridge to sell you.
zubenelgenubi
I'm a star
I'm just spit-balling what it might take for unions to make a comeback. I think the main internal reason they won't is how the union officers get their positions. Probably one of the biggest arguments against democracy, we don't generally end up with the most capable, just the ones who are good enough at convincing people they are capable. Or convincing people that capability isn't even desirable.
zubenelgenubi
I'm a star
I really think that if unions want to make a comeback, they need to market themselves directly to businesses. Not politicians and not to workers. Savvy businesses already understand how to use a unionized work force to their benefit.
ManInBrown
Well-Known Member
Unions will never be what they once were. Companies like UPS have way too much money, and are way too powerful. They’ll just pay the union off, to get advantages in their favor. Just look at the last contract. UPS tells the union they are willing to go back to the negotiating table, and the tEamsters say nah that’s ok, we‘ll just ram thru this sheet contract.
EcoBoostStang
Member
This is what I'm also hoping for just for the amount of people amazon employs.
EcoBoostStang
Member
As wages have gotten worse and other aspects of the workforce getting screwed over numerous times. And we're seeing the democratic politicians getting more union friendly what else do you think would happen instead of unions coming back in large numbers?
zubenelgenubi
I'm a star
Democrats aren't becoming more union friendly, they want the government to provide what unions do. They see unions as an obstacle to them consolidating power.
DriveInDriveOut
Inordinately Right
Universal healthcare, minimum wages higher than union starting wages, free higher education removing more people from trade jobs....
Do you think people want to pay union dues or do you think they want the government to just give them everything they want?
Union membership has been on the decline for decades and I don't see anything happening to turn that around.
baklava
I don’t work at UPS anymore.
If they want to continue to get political contributions from union members, they’ll need to throw them a bone.
baklava
I don’t work at UPS anymore.
I see the Amazon drive in Alabama as a bellwether for the future of private sector unions.
Similar threads
