Public, unions can stand up to expected Court ruling

Bill Knight column for Thurs., Fri. or Sat., June 28, 29 or 30, 2018

The Supreme Court may ravage unions this week, and starting next week, one of organized labor’s missions should be to build on its popularity with everyday Americans. After all, whether folks logically or instinctively realize that unions offer an effective counterweight to the power of corporations and other employers, polls show a growing appreciation for labor and the workers who make things, make things run, and make things fairer.

At press time, a slim majority of the Court is expected to rule in “Janus v. AFSCME Council 31” to strike down a 41-year precedent on “fair-share” fees, contributions toward the costs of collective bargaining paid by workers covered by labor contracts who choose not to be union members. About 5 million public employees nationwide would be affected immediately, and the decision could indirectly affect all unions, who’d probably face similar lawsuits or new efforts to pass a national Right To Work (for less) law.

Meanwhile, a Pew study this month showed that “more Americans view long-term decline in union membership negatively than positively,” wrote Pew’s Hannah Fingerhut, whose study summary showed that 55 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of unions. That’s like Gallup’s poll last year showing that 61 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of unions – with 39 percent believing organized labor should be more influential. (That 39 percent was a record high – up from 36 percent a year earlier.)

“You have this growing, and, I think, successful, set of policies and regulations that unions have been really instrumental in pushing,” explained sociologist Jake Rosenfeld of Washington University in St. Louis.

Looking at respondents’ self-identified political affiliations, American supporters of labor having greater power include 81 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Independents, and 41 percent of Republicans. Further, that GOP statistic of 41 percent is significant growth from 2009 when it was just 26 percent.

Lastly, considering organized labor’s effect on the U.S. economy, more than half (52 percent) feel that unions help the economy – compared to 39 percent in 2009.

“Workers in unions balance the American economy just as the three branches of the federal government balance each other,” said the AFL-CIO. “Unionism is American.

“The percentage of American workers in all jobs who would say yes to join a union jumped sharply last year, by 50 percent, says a new independent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” the federation added.

“From 1977 to 1995, the percentage of all workers who would say yes to a union drive stayed flat, at about 32 percent of nonunion workers. Today, that number is 48 percent, a remarkable 50 percent increase,” the AFL-CIO continued. “This independent study from MIT confirms a broad trend we’ve seen in recent months as teachers have marched and rallied en masse for better school funding and higher pay, as tens of thousands of workers have voted to join unions and as the concept of unionism has spread in countless other ways.”

As for the anti-worker segment of the country, it’s led by lobbyists (71 percent of whom think unions have too much power), corporations (67 percent) and big banks (also 67 percent), according to Gallup.

Unfortunately, of course, the GOP has arguably become the party of Big Business more than conservatism; it’s a group that prioritizes their party and donors, not the nation.

“True conservatives would embrace unions,” said Robert Borosage of the Campaign for America’s Future. “They are a classic ‘mediating institution,’ a voluntary civic organization between government and the individual. Unions increase the voice and power of workers in the workplace, helping to keep executives accountable, and to protect workers from abuse. They also educate their members, teach democracy, and are central to community volunteer and service efforts. They teach and practice democratic citizenship.”

Leo Gerard, president of the Steelworkers union, added, “Unions are much more popular than Congress. This may be because unions get things done.”

Gallup’s most recent research showed Congress’ approval rating at 18 percent.

Unions “increase wages for all workers – union and non-union alike,” Gerard continued. “They work to create safer workplaces. They’ve campaigned against efforts to suppress voting. It is gratifying to see the popularity of unions has risen 13 points since 2009, particularly when wealthy, right-wing groups like ALEC and the State Policy Network are working every day to crush unions.

“The USW, the AFL-CIO and all of its member unions will continue working to end income inequality and improve the lives of all workers by ensuring they receive a fair share of the bounty created by their labor.”

The opportunity to mobilize existing public support is there to seize.