The fall (and rise?) of unions in the US - Vox

Comments

• Gregorech@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  The problem I’ve seen with unions is, they started acting like the corporation they fought against. When I was a kid my dad was in the grocery union it negotiated a salary and some benefits others, like Healthcare, were part of your dues. When your dues did nothing but cover the salary of the union bosses it became a problem.

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  • ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Unions are like any democracy: they only function if the voters are engaged and proactive. If they become complacent, they will stop working.

    The price of freedom (and fair wages and working conditions) is eternal vigilance.

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• roadrunner_ex@lemmy.ca ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  There is one thing I’ve never been clear with unions. Is there a minimum company size (perceived or real) that defines their usefulness? Like, as an extreme example, if 3 people made a company in their garage, I feel a union is overkill (tell me I’m wrong), but if that company grew to 10 people…is it suddenly realistic? What about 15? 20? 100?

  Like, I work for a small startup and don’t feel a union is a pressing need, but I’ve always wondered if that’s the propaganda working or something more intrinsic to how a union is defined/finds purpose

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  • spacecowboy@sh.itjust.works ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It’s 100% propaganda working. Your little shop can join a larger union. The entire premise is to “be stronger, together”.

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    • Aurenkin@sh.itjust.works ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      I don’t know if this is right but joining before the company is big enough to really have that much leverage over you seems like a better idea than waiting until it’s bigger. You also never know when the company is going to change, even if they are treating your well right now.

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  • triptrapper@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    I’m not an expert but I have spent several years organizing in my field. Legally it only takes 2 workers to form a bargaining unit. It’s normal to see a union as unnecessary when you’re satisfied with your working conditions. Unfortunately without a union there’s nothing protecting those benefits you enjoy, and they’re often the first thing employers target when they’re looking to cut costs. Without a union your employer has no obligation to consult with you before, for example, switching to a cheaper health insurance or freezing bonuses.

    A union contract lets you decide which issues you want to weigh in on. Don’t mind working holidays? Leave it out of the contract. Want regular raises? Put it in the contract.

    Contrary to popular belief, you won’t pay any dues until you have a contract that you feel is worth what you’re paying. Sometimes people say, “I paid dues but the union never did anything for me.” Nearly every time I’ve heard this the person A. worked in a union that’s been around for a long time, and negotiated major improvements before they started the job, and/or B. did not actively participate by attending meetings or voting on contracts. It’s like saying, “I didn’t vote in my local elections, and the city council never did anything for me.”

    Of course there’s incompetence and corruption, just like in government, but I rarely hear people argue that the solution to government corporations is to stop having elections. Unions are literally the only reliable way for workers to improve their working conditions.

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