Organized Labor at a Crossroads

"Organized labor has rarely been more popular: Gallup reports that 68 percent of Americans "approve" of labor unions, while another poll found that almost 90 percent of people under the age of 30 view unions favorably. Just two years ago, the power of these statistics was put to the test with a series of attention-grabbing strikes and wage increases among teamsters, autoworkers, academic workers, and Hollywood writers and actors."

"But even if we're in a moment of renewed interest in labor, the actual number of American workers covered by a union contract has grown but incrementally, with the unionized proportion of the entire workforce in seemingly inexorable decline. Just 10 percent of workers overall are unionized, and it's even lower in the private sector, where only 5.9 percent of workers are union members."

Union popularity has surged, especially among younger workers, alongside high-profile strikes and organizing drives across many sectors. Despite widespread approval, union density remains low nationally and particularly in the private sector, with only about 10 percent of workers unionized. Employer opposition, legal constraints, and political shifts threaten contracts and organizing gains. Adapting requires worker-to-worker organizing, strategic targeting of key firms and industries, broader industry bargaining, new institution-building like worker centers, legal and political campaigns, and alliances with community and elected allies. Training organizers, protecting strike power, and addressing precarious gig and contract work are essential to expand collective power.

Read at The Nation