The State of the Labor Movement

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The State of the Labor Movement Elaine Bernard, PhD Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School Massachusetts AFL-CIO THIRD ANNUAL FUTURES CONVENTION Radisson Plymouth, February 6, 2010

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The State of the Labor Movement. Elaine Bernard, PhD Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School Massachusetts AFL-CIO THIRD ANNUAL FUTURES CONVENTION Radisson Plymouth, February 6, 2010. Elaine Bernard. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of The State of the Labor Movement

Page 1: The State of the Labor Movement

The State of the Labor Movement

Elaine Bernard, PhD Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School

Massachusetts AFL-CIO THIRD ANNUAL FUTURES CONVENTION

Radisson Plymouth, February 6, 2010

Page 2: The State of the Labor Movement

Elaine Bernard

• Executive Director, Labor & Worklife Program, and Harvard Trade Union Program, Harvard Law School

• Work with a variety of unions – in the US, Canada, and internationally - on developing skills & educational programs for union leadership

• Teach in fields of international comparative labor movements, unions & civil society, and leadership & organizational change

Page 3: The State of the Labor Movement

Outline

• The overall state of organized labor

• What do unions do and why they matter to everyone?

• Transforming unions - learning to light a union fire

Page 4: The State of the Labor Movement

International Context – widespread global decline in organized labor…

Page 5: The State of the Labor Movement

(ETUL 2009)Union Density CB Coverage

Austria 35

Belgium 55

Czech Republic 22

Denmark 80

France 8

Germany 22

Italy 34

Japan 22

Korea 11

Spain 16

Sweden 78

United Kingdom 28

Page 6: The State of the Labor Movement

(ETUL 2009)Union Density CB Coverage

Austria 35 98

Belgium 55 96

Czech Republic 22 44

Denmark 80 80

France 8 93

Germany 22 64

Italy 34 80

Japan 22 18

Korea 11 13

Spain 16 82

Sweden 78 90

United Kingdom 28 34

Page 7: The State of the Labor Movement

(ETUL 2009)Union Density CB Coverage

Austria 35 98

Belgium 55 96

Czech Republic 22 44

Denmark 80 80

France 8 93

Germany 22 64

Italy 34 80

Japan 22 18

Korea 11 13

Spain 16 82

Sweden 78 90

United Kingdom 28 34

Page 8: The State of the Labor Movement

International (OECD) Trend Line

• Widespread decline in union density in most countries (though not in Collective Bargaining coverage)

• Most sever decline in union representation primarily in the private sector

• Growing gap between union density in public sector vs private sector

Page 9: The State of the Labor Movement

Reasons for Decline…• Globalization – intensification of international economic &

political integration (free trade race to the bottom)• Changes in organization of production and employment

(contracting out, offshoring, lean production, JiT inventory systems…)

• Decline of job-based/workplace focus of employment• Decline in large, concentrated workplaces • Transformation of employment relationship (decline in

full time, regular, permanent employment – growth in part time, contingent, limited term, precarious employment)

• Employer (including government) hostility/opposition to unions

Page 10: The State of the Labor Movement

Organized Labor

in the U.S.

Page 11: The State of the Labor Movement

Union Membership, 1945-2009

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

20,000,000

22,000,000

1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2006

2009 =15.3 million members or 12.3%

1999 = 16.5 million members

Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor; BLS; Statistical Abstract.

USDL 10-0069

Page 12: The State of the Labor Movement

U.S. Union Density 1945-2009 - 12.3%

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

%

1954=35%

1945 1949 1953 1957 1961 1965 1969 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2008

USDL 10-0069

Page 13: The State of the Labor Movement

Workforce, 1945- 2009

0

20,000,000

40,000,000

60,000,000

80,000,000

100,000,000

120,000,000

1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2008

Workforce 124,490,000

Union Membership15,327,000

109 Million Unorganized

Workers

BLS USDL 10-0069

Page 14: The State of the Labor Movement

19%+10% to 18%0% to 9%

Union Density by State 1983

Page 15: The State of the Labor Movement

Union Density by State 2008

Page 16: The State of the Labor Movement

Union Members (by industry) 2009 • 47% elementary & secondary education• 43% state & local government• 22% utilities• 22% transportation• 14.5% construction • 13% information industries• 11% manufacturing• 8% accommodation• 7% healthcare• 5% retail trade

BLS USDL 10-0069

Page 17: The State of the Labor Movement

20091973

Changes in Public/Private Sector Union Density

PP uu bb ll ii ccss ee cc tt oo rrunion membersunion members

PrivatePrivate ss ee cc tt oo rrunion membersunion members 7.4 million

15 million

7.9 million3 million

Private Sector Density 7.2%Public Sector Density 37.4%

Private Sector Density 24%Public Sector Density 23%

USDL 10-0069

Page 18: The State of the Labor Movement

Strong Support for Unionization

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year

%

“If an election were held tomorrow to decide whether your workplace would have a union…”

Definitely or probably vote yes

Definitely or probably vote no

2008: 53%

Page 19: The State of the Labor Movement

What Do Unions Do?

Why the Overall Decline in Unions

Matters to Everyone

Page 20: The State of the Labor Movement

Source: U.S. Census, BNA, 2001

Weak Union States Strong Union States

Education Unemployment Insurance

Workers’ Compensation

Unions & Public PolicyUnions & Public Policy

Page 21: The State of the Labor Movement

78%

49%

Source: BLS, Employee Benefits in Private Industry, 2007

Nonunion Union

78% of union workers have health insurance

49% of nonunion workers get health insurance

Unions & Health Insurance

Page 22: The State of the Labor Movement

Source: BLS, Employee Benefits in Private Industry, 2007

69% of union workers have guaranteed pensions

15% of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions

69%

15%

Nonunion Union

Unions & Pensions

Page 23: The State of the Labor Movement

Unions & Wages

Source: BLS USDL 07-0113

Nonunion Union

Union workers earn 30% more than non union workers

Page 24: The State of the Labor Movement

What Unions Do - Beyond Wages & Benefits

• Organization for winning rights

• Vehicle for exercising rights

• Schools for democracy – the right to participate in decisions that affect you

• Builders of a community of interest among members, and with the wider community

• Provides “Voice” vs “exit” - providing management with valuable “feed back” essential for systems improvement

• Premier institution of civil society, promoting democracy in the workplace, economic and social justice and equality

Page 25: The State of the Labor Movement

Unions – the myth

• Hard fought union recognition campaign

• Lots of worker dissatisfaction

• Abusive anti-union management

• Need 50% plus 1 vote for union to win recognition

• Board certifies union as bargaining agent

• Dignity, empowerment – voice & respect for workers

• We live happily ever after…

Page 26: The State of the Labor Movement

Unions – the reality

• Vast majority of union members today did not participate in an “organizing” campaign.

• They simply “discover” they are union members – as a result of getting a job.

Page 27: The State of the Labor Movement

Lighting the Union Fire

The leadership skill of getting co-workers involved in the

union and moving them from “fair share” or passive “dues payers” to active, engaged

members and fellow leaders is called

ORGANIZING

Page 28: The State of the Labor Movement

"In democratic countries, knowledge of how to combine

is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on its progress depends that of all the others."

Alexis De Tocqueville

What Do Unions Do? We construct a community of interest among workers and with the community and struggle for economic and social

justice and equality

Page 29: The State of the Labor Movement

Organizing:the Knowledge of How to Combine

• Organizing is building power through building relationships

• Democracy requires an organized citizenry with the power to articulate and assert its interests effectively.

• Organizing is how people combine to act on common interests.

The craft of organizing is about identifying shared interests, forging a community prepared to act on those interests

and building power from a united community.

Page 30: The State of the Labor Movement

Focus on the Local Union

• Where members join the union• Where members experience the union• Where members become involved in the union• Where members shape the character of the union

The keystone of the union – because it’s the springboard for membership participation

and leadership development (unions, political, community…)

Page 31: The State of the Labor Movement

Building the Capacity of Local Unions

• Move from staff/officer centered union to member centered organizations

• Priority of everyone must be on developing

leaders at all levels of the organization• Focus on building capacity of locals and the skills of

local leaders• Requires a focus on how things are done as much as

what is done (learning to “light fires” vs “putting them out”)

• Focus on putting the movement back into the labor movement

Page 32: The State of the Labor Movement

Leaders Light Union Fires

The leadership skill of getting co-workers involved in the

union and moving them from “fair share” or passive “dues payers” to active, engaged

members and fellow leaders is called

ORGANIZING

Page 33: The State of the Labor Movement

THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE

IS TO CREATE IT