Americans support unions.
But Gallup didn't ask how we unionists think about our leadership.
May art is on Instagram @klonskyart.
The latest Gallup poll on support for unions is out and it shows that 71% of us support unions.
That is the greatest level of popular support for unions since 1965.
I’ve been reading the explanations for the spike in support for unions and it covers the map.
On the Left, In These Times credits Bernie.
On the libertarian Right, Mike Antonucci is unimpressed.
“Overall, I think everyone prefers to be where they are. Union members don’t leave. Non-members don’t join,” he writes.
Actual union membership remains at low levels.
Gallup reports:
Membership is highest among front-line and production workers, of whom one in five (20%) are union members.
About one in 10 workers in healthcare and social assistance (13%), white-collar positions (11%), and administrative and clerical roles (10%) are union members.
Workers in managerial roles (6%) are the least likely to be members of unions.
The decline in union membership could have been worse.
When the Supreme Court upheld Janus, many predicted a further decline in union membership.
That turned out not be be true.
As a life-long union activist myself, I can only be pleased by these numbers.
I’ve been a member of both industrial unions and the teacher union.
I was a local teacher union president.
I’m a union supporter. I was and am a die hard unionist.
But what Gallup doesn’t ask is about our attitude towards our the leadership at the highest levels of our unions.
I always felt that mine were often out of touch with the lives of those of us in the rank-and-file.
I don’t think I’m alone in having that attitude.
Leadership at the national level often seem to live life styles that are more like our bosses than our members.
In many cases members aren’t even allowed direct election of our top national leadership.
I’m pretty sure Gallup would find that with greater union democracy and more responsive national leaders union support would be even greater.
SO true, Fred. (& your comment, too, Bill.)
Just read in the ☀️-Times today that Henry Tamarin (1945-22), a true blue union LEADER (deserving all caps), passed away today in NYC. He was president of Unite Here Local 1 in Chicago, &, "over Labor Day weekend 20 yrs. ago...Tamarin was ready to lead his members into a city-wide hotel strike...By Monday, Mr. Tampering had extracted the deal he could bring to 7,000 members. Housekeepers, then getting $8.83/hour got a 37% wage increase over 4 yrs., & the cost of family health care dropped from $85 to $30 per month, where it still sits today." (Amazing!) If someone can send a link to this wonderful, full-page article (complete w/a large, color picture), please do.
No services are planned at this time, but "Local 1 said it expects to schedule a memorial in October."
Rest in peace, Mr. Tamarin, "A 'warrior' for working people." (Title of the Page 15 article.)
Also never, ever to be forgotten, & a true union leader, we remember Karen Lewis (o.b.m.). She stood for what Labor Day is all about. True union leadership which brings winning & respect for the rank-&-file.
Very well said.
"Leadership at the national level often seem to live life styles that are more like our bosses than our members."