The Unstoppable Power of Unions: Transformative Progress in America's Strike Movement

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These days, it appears that almost everyone is participating in protests. Surprisingly, last week saw President Joe Biden become the first sitting president of the United States to join picketers. His visit to the United Auto Workers picket line on Tuesday further highlighted the already noteworthy strike by the UAW against General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. As the leader of the nation, President Biden encouraged the strikers in their strong desire for improved contracts.

"You all have single-handedly revitalized the automobile industry," he exclaimed through a megaphone amidst the picketing crowd. "You have made significant sacrifices and endured tremendous hardships during the dark days when these companies were in turmoil. And now, they are thriving beyond imagination. So, it is only fair that you, too, should be thriving remarkably well!"

Biden's brief speech tapped into the frustrations that countless workers, regardless of union affiliation, have been experiencing in recent times. The pandemic has sparked contemplation about career choices, job requirements, and personal life equilibrium. Moreover, a limited job market has emboldened many individuals to bravely walk away and explore alternative prospects.

However, the small fraction of US workers, amounting to 6%, who were affiliated with a labor union, had an alternative option available to them. They were able to negotiate for an improved contract or in case of rejection, resort to striking.

According to Art Wheaton, the director of labor studies at Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations school in Buffalo, New York, unions have experienced a favorable year. He remarked, "Unions have witnessed numerous achievements which will serve them well in the future. I would rate their performance as a B+ rather than an A."

Before Biden's appearance, the UAW strike made history as it marked the first instance of the union simultaneously walking out of all three unionized automakers. Up to this point, the automakers' proposals, which include immediate pay raises of at least 10% for the 145,000 UAW members and potential additional salary growth of around 20% by spring 2028, have been declined by the union.

"You deserve what youve earned, and youve earned a hell of a lot more than youre getting paid now," Biden told the strikers.

The summer - and fall - of strikes

Unions are demonstrating unprecedented assertiveness after years of dormancy.

This summer, the Writers Guild of America, boasting over 11,000 members, and SAG-AFTRA, the representative body for 160,000 film and television actors, jointly embarked on a strike against Hollywood studios. Consequently, film production came to an abrupt standstill. Remarkably, this marks the first instance of both unions striking simultaneously since 1960, during Ronald Reagan's presidency of the Screen Actors Guild, a precursor to the existing actors union.

The WGA strike has recently ended, resulting in better wages and job protections. However, SAG-AFTRA is still on strike, leading to a halt in most filming.

If a deal is not reached with Kaiser Permanente, 75,000 workers are prepared to go on strike next week. This strike will impact numerous facilities across California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Various union members, including nurses, therapists, technicians, dietary services, maintenance, and janitorial staff, are planning to walk out for a three-day strike.

And there are plenty of strikes that are much lower profile, at companies few have heard of, where strikers number in the dozens, not the thousands.

Wins without strikes

The Teamsters union accomplished several major victories without resorting to strike action. By leveraging the possibility of a massive 340,000-member strike at UPS, the union successfully reached most of its bargaining objectives. Notably, improved wages were secured for the majority of Teamster members who are part-time workers at the company. Additionally, the lower wage tier, which had been implemented for UPS employees hired after 2018 to facilitate six-day-a-week delivery, was eliminated. The deal received overwhelming approval from the union's members.

In June, 22,000 members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, who are employed at 29 West Coast ports, successfully negotiated a deal. According to reports, their pay is set to increase by 32% over the course of a six-year contract, which was ratified earlier this month.

Although the Teamsters and longshore workers managed to avoid a strike, the labor movement in the US has witnessed a rising number of significant strikes.

The number of strikes involving 100 or more strikers, lasting a week or longer, has surged to 56 in the first nine months of this year, based on labor action data from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. This represents an increase of 65% compared to the same period in 2022, equating to more than one strike per week.

Additionally, there have been various smaller strikes, such as one-day strikes at Starbucks locations where unionization has been voted for, but an initial contract has not yet been reached. Taking these into account, there have been a total of 396 strikes in the past 12 months, averaging more than one strike per day.

Some of these strikes did not result in success.

In March, nearly 1,000 coal miners in Alabama ended their nearly two-year strike at Warrior Met Coal, marking one of the longest strikes in recent US history. However, the United Mine Workers union failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Despite this, the unions have benefited from the exceptionally low unemployment rates and a surplus of job opportunities compared to the number of job seekers. This creates a favorable situation for workers to negotiate for higher wages, better healthcare benefits, or an improved work-life balance.

Not just wages at issue

Unions are not solely focusing on wage and benefit enhancements; they are also advocating for enhancements in quality of life. This includes improved staffing levels, increased downtime, and safeguards against mandatory overtime.

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Numerous healthcare worker unions emphasize the insufficiency of staffing as their primary concern, asserting that without additional assistance, they are unable to deliver the level of care they desire.

In a labor dispute involving freight railroad workers, the Biden administration and Congress intervened towards the end of last year. Their aim was to avert potential harm to the US economy in the event that the four major freight railroads ceased operations. However, they faced criticism from unions for approving a contract that lacked sick days.

Over 100,000 freight railroad workers were granted a 14% salary increase, along with retroactive pay and a total raise of 24% throughout the duration of the five-year contract. Despite these benefits, the majority of workers rejected the agreements due to concerns regarding their quality of life, specifically the absence of sick leave. This outcome was widely perceived as a setback for the rail unions. However, following the implementation of the federally mandated contract, the railroads subsequently negotiated individual settlements with the unions, ultimately granting the majority of rail workers the desired sick leave entitlement.

Popular support

The union has consistently garnered public support during these conflicts. According to a Gallup poll published in late August, the majority of Americans, 72% in favor, sympathize with the television and film writers as opposed to the production studios. Additionally, 67% of respondents expressed their support for the actors.

According to the poll, the public perceives unions as having increased influence compared to the past, which they view positively. In fact, a remarkable 61% of respondents believe that unions contribute to the US economy rather than hinder it, surpassing the previous record set in a 1999 survey by six points. Additionally, the percentage of individuals advocating for unions to attain more power has steadily risen and now stands at 43%, a significant increase from the all-time low of 25% recorded in a 2009 survey conducted after the Great Recession.

According to Gallup, labor unions are currently experiencing a surge in public approval and belief in the advantages they provide for workers, businesses, and the economy. The statement suggests that striking workers today may have more leverage in their negotiations compared to previous times, due to the increased public support for unions.