“Do you know what a union is or what it does?”

Dear America;

How many of you know what a union is, what a union does, or how unions have benefited you, the American working class?

As a shop steward, the first question I ask during new-hire orientation is, “Do you know what a union is or what it does?” The answers range from “I have no idea” to my personal favorite: “Isn’t that the bank down the road?” Sadly, those would not have been the answers 50 years ago. Even more troubling is the connection between declining union membership and the growing wealth gap between the rich and the American worker. To put this in perspective, union membership reached 31.5% in 1950, and two-thirds of Americans lived a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. The CEO-to-worker pay ratio was 20:1, meaning that for every dollar a worker made, the CEO made $20. Today, union membership is only about 10%, fewer than half of Americans live a comfortable middle-class lifestyle, and the CEO-to-worker pay ratio has grown to nearly 400:1.

That growing CEO-to-worker pay gap is one reason fewer Americans are able to maintain a middle-class lifestyle. Another major reason is the decline in union membership. Unions help level the playing field between workers and employers—but that history and knowledge are no longer being taught widely in schools.

Before the No Child Left Behind Act, students were taught labor history, civil rights history, and vocational subjects such as auto mechanics, home economics, and woodworking. Many of these classes were considered an important part of a well-rounded education. After NCLB, however, many schools reduced funding for vocational programs or eliminated them altogether. Labor history disappeared from many classrooms, and civil rights history was often only briefly covered. Because of that loss of history, many people who entered the workforce after 2000 do not fully understand what unions are or why they matter.

A union is its members. It exists to level the playing field between employees and their employer. When two or more workers come together, they can choose to join a labor union. Through that union, workers advance their shared interests—such as wages, benefits, schedules, and working conditions—by negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the employer.

A collective bargaining agreement is a legally binding document that both the employer and the employees must follow. Without one—especially in states where worker protections are unclear or nearly nonexistent—employees often have little recourse when they face unfair treatment, other than taking the employer to court. That process can be expensive, and employers know they can often prolong a case until it becomes too difficult for an individual worker to continue. With a union, however, members have already paid dues that help provide legal representation, and the process for resolving disputes is clearly defined. If either side fails to follow that process, the other has the right to file charges.

Workers covered by collective bargaining agreements are typically paid more than non-union workers—often over 11% more—and they usually receive important benefits such as employer-provided health care, pensions, and paid vacation. They also have the right to union representation when speaking with a supervisor, which is a protection that many non-union workers do not have.

Unions are only as strong as their membership. If you work under a collective bargaining agreement, I encourage you to join the union that represents you. Once you join, I urge you to get involved: attend meetings, ask questions, vote, and participate in the actions your union calls for.

If we want to rebuild the middle class, we must rebuild union membership. Unions lift up not only their own members, but non-union workers as well by raising standards across workplaces. If you want to learn more about what unions are and what they do, contact your local Area Labor Federation or Central Labor Council.

In solidarity,

Kristy L. Vance

President, Western Virginia CLUW