End NotesDefend Your Rights—Register and VOTE
In 1916 Congress passed the first federal child labor law, the Keating-Owen Act, and a reluctant President Woodrow Wilson signed it into law. The law covered only a fraction of the children working at the time. It left unprotected nearly two million other kids. Two...
Democracy and Unions
Some people don’t value democracy. But it is vital to union members. Trade unions operate on democratic principles. Free speech is a necessity. The right to associate and to organize is essential. The right to stand up to economic power is irreducible. And in society...
The Tough Got Going
Renowned NFL coach Vince Lombardi, famously said, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Well, some tough unions and their tough members got going and confronted and won against their billionaire employers. The victory of the UAW in its fight for a share of...
END NOTES: ACTION AND SOLIDARITY
Widespread support for unions has been growing. Polls across the political spectrum have shown that many Americans see the value of union membership. Union members know what they have won and non-union workers know that union membership is their key to a brighter...
End Notes: Union Busting 2023 Update
Union busting continues unabated in the face of governmental penalties that are too lenient. Companies that fight their employees and violate their right to organize use the old tactics of mandatory captive meetings, one-on-one management contacts with employees,...
Voluntarism has a Union Label
The Labor Movement, the acknowledged champion of the middle class, indeed according to many its creator, has always been devoted to the economic improvement of the lives of its members and the public at large. Public employees among them teachers, police,...
Labor’s Allies Do Well in Midterms And Need Us to Keep Momentum
President Biden and the Democrats who support the Labor Movement and its ideals did well in the midterm elections. They and we will have to fight to maintain the momentum for a just society that works for most Americans. Our adversaries are tied to corporate backers,...
Workers’ Memorial Day Honors the Fallen Whose Numbers Increased in 2021
The rate of workplace injuries and deaths in the United States is atrocious and getting worse. On average 275 workers in this country lose their lives daily from hazardous working conditions. Last year, 5,333 workers were killed on the job and another 95,000 died from...
Worker Dissatisfaction Rise with Remote Jobs and Unequal Rewards
Few workers have Department of Labor Wage and Hour posters in their home office, aka the kitchen or garage for many. Maybe that’s why so many employers can expect, even demand, workers to be on call and productive for many unpaid hours. Remote employees sometimes feel...
Globalization and Its Woes
The downside of globalization has long been apparent: diminished industrial capacity, job losses and service industry disruptions are major examples. Foreign-made goods from autos to tee shirts and services from call centers to medical testing would be better sourced...
