On Labor Day 2022

The decline of unions over the past few decades has left corporations and the rich with essentially no powerful opposition.

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA.) - Why do we need unions anyway? Because they are essential for America. Unions are the only large-scale movement left in America that serve as a countervailing balance against corporate power, acting in the economic interest of the middle class.

Remember, corporations did not all of a sudden give workers two days off each week, which we now call weekends, or paid vacations and sick leave, or rights at the workplace, or pensions, or overtime pay.

Virtually all the benefits we have at work, whether in the public or private sector, are because unions fought hard and long against big business who did everything they could to prevent giving us these rights.

But the decline of unions over the past few decades has left corporations and the rich with essentially no powerful opposition.

You may take issue with a particular union’s position on an issue, but remember they are the only real organized check on the power of the business community in this country.

Consider that during the COVID-19 pandemic, billionaires in the United States have become unfathomably richer to the tune of $637 billion total- while millions of Americans lost their jobs.

Now that the pandemic is largely under control, unionization is making a resurgence.

During the first six months of Fiscal Year 2022 (October 1–March 31), union representation petitions filed at the NLRB have increased 57%—up to 1,174 from 748 during the first half of FY2021.

At the same time, unfair labor practice charges have increased 14%—from 7,255 to 8,254.

A representation petition is filed by employees, unions, or employers with an NLRB Field Office to have the NLRB conduct an election to determine if employees wish to be represented by a union.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 74% of Americans now approve of labor unions, up from 64% before the pandemic. And about 1 in 10 nonunion members said they are “extremely interested” in joining a union.

After years of declining influence, workers are using their leverage to unionize companies large and small to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions.

You may take issue with a particular union’s position on an issue, but remember they are the only real organized check on the power of the business community in this country.

Enjoy the three-day Labor Day weekend.