The future of unions in America
While some claim that modern unions are necessary to continually protect and promote worker's rights, others accuse unions of being a financial drain on the economy. As state governments increasingly seek ways to cut spending and balance their budgets, unions have come under attack, most notably in the recent actions of Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin. Although some believe that cutting collective bargaining rights is essential to a better state economy, others assert that the move against workers' rights is about something more than the budget.
The historical importance of unions
Labor unions have been fairly controversial in the United States since their modern inception. An article from the United Steel Workers union claims that despite poor conditions during industrialization, protests in favor of better working conditions were overlooked in favor of laws that benefited businesses. The passage of the Clayton Act paved the way for the modern labor union, and early unions contributed to working environments through such actions as ending child labor, establishing a 40-hour work week and paid vacation time. Even workers who did not belong to unions benefitted from these advances. Although not many people would protest these early accomplishments of labor unions, unions have never been without controversy, as union demands were tied to decreased profits.
Unions in a changing environment
Today, unions are still blamed for financial deficits. In an article from Forbes.com, David Andelman calls unions "a burden that many industries have still not managed to shoulder." Others, such as the United Steel Workers union (presumably a pro-union organization) claim that unions still lead the fight for workers' rights and are "as important today as in any time of our history." Although child labor has been banned an a 40-hour work week has been established, unions still campaign for such aspects as retirement funds, health care and fair pay for the workers they represent. By his own claim, when David Andelman learned of these modern union campaigns, his response was that they should "wake up and smell the future," indicating that in times when not everyone has a job, there are simply not enough resources for companies to provide their workers with luxuries such as health care and pensions.
Unions and politics in Wisconsin and across the nation
Right now the future of unions in America seems uncertain. An article from the New Yorker points out that most union membership today is found in the public workforce, but notes that the most likely reason for this is that "government agencies cannot be relocated to China." It is this situation, some claim, which has led state politicians, such as Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, to attempt to dissolve state workers' collective bargaining rights in the name of reducing Wisconsin's budget deficit.
But though this may seem like a necessary sacrifice on the surface, there may be ulterior motives behind Walker's plan. The article from the New Yorker notes that despite Walker's assertions that there is a budget crisis, he has provided significant tax cuts for businesses. The article also points out that it is unlikely that Walker's motives are purely financial, as he rejected offers by unions to acquiesce his various financial cuts in return for maintaining their bargaining rights. A report from the National Public Radio (NPR) notes that the battle may be one of politics, not finances, explaining that unions are noted contributors to Democratic election campaigns, insinuating that this might be an attempt by Republicans to cut down on future campaign competition. Perhaps the most compelling evidence that the budget bill is not entirely about the budget is a statement by Gov. Walker himself. When asked by Representative Dennis Kucinich how much money the state would save by stripping collective bargaining rights, Walker, after attempting to diffuse the question, responded, "It doesn't save any."
