Five Reasons Unions Matter to the Progressive Movement - Part II

This is the final part of "Five Reasons Unions Matter to the Progressive Movement." Click here for part I. Both parts are companion pieces to "Union and the Progressive Movement," a new training tool by Western States Center that connects the role of unions with social and economic justice organizing. 

3. Unions strengthen our democracy. 

Unions are democratic institutions. Officers are often elected from union membership. Ordinary workers can become union stewards and gain experience and leadership in surfacing, addressing and resolving workplace issues with their fellow workers - an important training ground for civic engagement and leadership development. This system is critical for workers to experience democracy in action. 

At its peak, unions were able to leverage their numbers and exert significant pressure on the President and legislature to enact policies that protected workers. As unions declined in membership, their influence within the labor industry and as a political force weakened. Without a strong collective workers voice, decision- and policy-makers are not compelled to equalize opportunities, benefits and protections for everyday working people. As a result CEO gets paid 185 times more than the average worker. 

4. Unions have financial and human muscles.

Unions support a wide-range of issues that impact our communities. Union membership contributions are an important source for funding progressive campaigns for social and economic justice. The attacks on unions decrease unions’ ability to recruit members thereby threatening its ability to support progressive campaigns. Union remain one of the staunchest allies to community-based organizations building social justice campaigns. 

Moreover, we need massive numbers of people to advocate for policy or social change solution.  Unions have the infrastructure and human resources to staff and run campaigns. Unions are able to mobilize thousands of people to knock on doors and volunteer for phone banks. 

Without this human power to reach out to neighbors and educate strangers about the issues we care about, we would not have won many of the victories we have achieved in the last few decades.

5. Unions create public platform for reform.

Historically, due to their size, political power and active membership, unions are able to create a public space to discuss progressive issues such as civil rights, educational reform, economic reform, global trade agreements, and racial justice issues. Unions have the clout to craft and push an agenda into the public sphere that garners media and governmental attention and response. This is the kind of power that cannot be ignored. This is the kind of power that we need to advance progressive values. 

For more reading on the importance of unions check out Political Research Associates recent article, “The Attack on Unions.”