There is an old adage about a pendulum swinging. Since grandfather clocks have been out of vogue for at least a century, and even the wrist watch is sliding into oblivion with the advent of smart phones, it may no longer be a recognizable analogy to anybody under the age of 60. When a pendulum swings to the peak of its arc, it changes direction and begins a swing in the other direction. Used in analogies a pendulum swinging usually means that something has gone so far in one direction that it must begin to self-correct.
I’m hoping that anti-union sentiment has finally reached the peak of its arc, and people will finally begin to see the need for working together to improve the job experience of workers. Unfortunately, I don’t see much movement toward self-correction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January of this year that 2010 saw union membership decline from 12.3% to 11.9% during the previous year. The government first started keeping records on how many union members there were in 1983. That year there were 17.7 million union workers, which represented 20.1% of all workers. Today there are 14.7 million union workers, a decline of almost 17% over the past 28 years.
Today the average American worker earns $1 for every $263 a corporate CEO is paid. That corporate CEO authorizes his company to pay more money to lobbyists than it pays in taxes to support the policies for which he is advocating. The American worker has seen his wages stagnate for decades as his jobs have been outsourced and moved overseas, and corporate backed groups like ALEC have worked tirelessly to destroy the ability of American workers to organize.
The stagnation of American wages corresponds closely with the decline of union membership. From the same Bureau of Labor Statistics report: “In 2010, among full-time wage and salary workers, union members had median usual weekly earnings of $917, while those who were not represented by unions had median weekly earnings of $717.” The broader story is demonstrated in a chart at the first Homework link. Check it out.
The moral of this story is if you want a raise, join a union. Unions are the only organizations looking out for workers and their families. Don’t buy the spin being sold by ALEC and corporate CEOs. Until the pendulum starts to swing, there will be little to celebrate on Labor Day.
Homework
Wages and Union Membership
Government Statistics About Union Membership
ALEC and Union Busting
I’m hoping that anti-union sentiment has finally reached the peak of its arc, and people will finally begin to see the need for working together to improve the job experience of workers. Unfortunately, I don’t see much movement toward self-correction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January of this year that 2010 saw union membership decline from 12.3% to 11.9% during the previous year. The government first started keeping records on how many union members there were in 1983. That year there were 17.7 million union workers, which represented 20.1% of all workers. Today there are 14.7 million union workers, a decline of almost 17% over the past 28 years.
Today the average American worker earns $1 for every $263 a corporate CEO is paid. That corporate CEO authorizes his company to pay more money to lobbyists than it pays in taxes to support the policies for which he is advocating. The American worker has seen his wages stagnate for decades as his jobs have been outsourced and moved overseas, and corporate backed groups like ALEC have worked tirelessly to destroy the ability of American workers to organize.
The stagnation of American wages corresponds closely with the decline of union membership. From the same Bureau of Labor Statistics report: “In 2010, among full-time wage and salary workers, union members had median usual weekly earnings of $917, while those who were not represented by unions had median weekly earnings of $717.” The broader story is demonstrated in a chart at the first Homework link. Check it out.
The moral of this story is if you want a raise, join a union. Unions are the only organizations looking out for workers and their families. Don’t buy the spin being sold by ALEC and corporate CEOs. Until the pendulum starts to swing, there will be little to celebrate on Labor Day.
Homework
Wages and Union Membership
Government Statistics About Union Membership
ALEC and Union Busting
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