Union Power Isn't Dead Yet

Jane Slaughter analyzes how old fashioned union power achieved three victories for labour in the last nine months at Chrysler, UPS and Verizon. The victories came where they are no longer expected to come, in the blue collar economy where union membership is down to 6.7%, "where wins are rare and workers are supposed to be on their way out."

At Chrysler, union members voted last September to turn down a two-tier contract and forced the union negotiating committee to return to the bargaining table and negotiate standard wages for all Tier 2 members.

The Teamsters, representing retirees at UPS, initially supported pension cuts of 50-60% for current retirees. Local committees of retirees were formed across the nation and got the attention of the Federal Government and successfully stopped the cuts.

In the case of Verizon the fight was lead by union leaders who using union resources, staff and strike pay were able to support workplace job actions that neutralized the use of strikebreakers and made it impossible for Verizon to continue with business as usual.

Each of these victories show how workers can fight back and win. The factors that go into winning a union fight are; (1) the union's leverage, (2) opponent's ability and willingness to fight, (3) management's ability to meet union demands, (4) tactics and strategies, (5) public support, (6) unity within the union, (7) degree of mobilization.

In each case these factors varied, for example both Chrysler and Verizon were making money so the typical argument that concessions were necessary in order to save jobs did not apply, In the case of UPS pensions it was the opposite, and the pension fund was losing money because of the 2008 financial crisis and the Teamsters decision to let UPS pull out of the State Pension fund.

In looking at what workers and their union did to achieve these victories, Slaughter concludes that;

But these three battles show the raw material is still there for big fights led by labor’s traditional members. Too often, union leaders squander it. Or ignore it.

Still, the righteous indignation flares up when the bosses come after what took generations to win—the anger and the willingness to act on your own behalf.

Unions should use this power. That’s how you build the kind of movement that can inspire more workers to join.