https://socialistaction.org/2017/02/23/labor-briefing-february-2017/
Labor Briefing: February 2017
/ 12 hours ago
By BILL ONASCH
Seeing the Light In Baltimore—At the beginning of the Trump era, an
important organizing victory has taken place. After a vigorous campaign
that included home visits, phone banking, and twice a day plant gate
rallies and leaflet distributions, an NLRB election certified the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to represent more than
1400 Baltimore Gas & Electric workers.
Obama Legacy Includes Smaller Unions—There were high expectations in
organized labor when Obama took office eight years ago. Their hopes
centered on labor law reform. But no significant legislation was passed
during his administration, not even during his first two years when the
Democrats controlled both houses of Congress.
Some beneficial new Labor Board rulings were passed about overtime
coverage and “joint responsibility” of national corporations for workers
in franchised workplaces. Those rules can be, and most certainly will
be, reversed by Trump appointees. Trump’s nominee for Labor Secretary is
CEO of the Hardy’s fast-food chain, who will undoubtedly strangle “joint
responsibility” in the crib.
Instead of a resurgence in union strength, the final annual report by
the Bureau of Labor Standards (www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.htm)
shows a decline in union numbers and density on Obama’s watch to a new
low since the reporting of such stats began in 1983. In 2015, unions
represented 16,441,000 workers, 12.3 percent of the workforce, of which
11.1 percent were actual union members. In 2016, representation declined
to 12 percent, and union membership to 10.7 percent. The new figures in
the private sector show only 7.3 percent represented, 6.4 percent
dues-paying members.
The discrepancy between union-represented workers and union membership
is primarily due to free-riders choosing not to join the union in those
states where so-called “Right to Work” laws ban union-shop agreements.
The right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council has succeeded in
getting RtW passed in several new states in recent years, including
former union strongholds in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Kentucky—and
passage in Missouri appears imminent. It is possible Congress will pass
a national version.
Still Popular Though—Despite declining members, polls show the number of
Americans who view unions favorably is on the rise. A new Pew Poll shows
a sixty percent approval rating.
Both the positive public perception of unions and the employer drive to
get rid of them are undoubtedly influenced by wages. Full-time union
workers had a median usual weekly paycheck of $1004 last year. The same
measure for non-union workers was $802.
If you have a story idea appropriate for Labor Briefing, please contact
billonasch@xxxxxxxxxxx
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February 23, 2017 in Labor.
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