Margaret Levi

Craft unions, in construction work or even beer making, emerged from medieval guilds.

With the rise of industry, auto, steel, new forms of organization emerged.

When white-collar workers in offices, in government, in health care, in professions began to want voice and representation, yet another kind of union developed.

In my mind, in my ears, is Dolly Parton singing 9-2-5, inspired by a real-life union of that name.

When you hear that song, thank the unions,

for a decent working day.

History shows that unions helped people get dignity, rise out of poverty, inhibit workplace dangers and harassment, and improve health and wellbeing of us all.

These are not yesterday's problems.

Workers of today still need and want unions.

An MIT survey revealed that 50% of the non-union workforce would join a union if given a chance.

So Margaret, if unions are so great, why are they in such serious decline?

Because the odds are stacked against them.

Many of you have read about the Amazon warehouse workers who failed to win a union representation election in Alabama.

They failed because of concerted employer opposition.

Indeed, there are many employers and politicians who are preventing the reform of labor laws passed nearly a century ago in another era and another economy.

These are laws that inhibit agriculture and domestic workers from organizing, largely black and brown workers.

They make it hard for workers in the gig economy to organize, those we call forth with our apps, rideshare, delivery service, specialized tasks.

There are employers and politicians who are pushing states to pass right-to-work laws.

laws that abolish the requirement that those who are covered by union contracts have to pay union dues.

This effectively kills the unions.