Article

5 Lessons From Recent Union Wins

American workers have won major victories at Amazon, Starbucks, and elsewhere; but Congress must act to ensure all workers can exercise their right to join a union.

Workers today are celebrating union wins across the country—from an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, to dozens of Starbucks locations to Raven Software. In fact, support for unions nationwide remains at one of its highest levels in history.

Recent organizing wins have offered five important lessons for those who support worker empowerment:

  1. Workers want to join unions.
  2. Corporations try to stop their workers from unionizing.
  3. Even after winning an election, workers have a long fight to get their first contract.
  4. President Biden’s efforts to strengthen organizing rights are helping.
  5. Congress must defend workers’ right to form unions.

These wins for workers are impressive, especially given the extent to which American labor law stacks the deck against employees seeking to form a union. While the Biden administration has demonstrated its commitment to empowering workers and helping them overcome entrenched corporate opposition, it is imperative that Congress reform American labor law to support workers fighting for unions and extend organizing momentum into the future.

The above excerpt was originally published in the Center for American Progress. Click here to view the full article.

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Author

Aurelia Glass

Policy Analyst, Inclusive Economy

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