Union Perspectives

Ignorance is the corporations’ biggest tool against the workers and uninformed. Employment at 4 percent to zero is good for the workers because workers can ask for more wages and benefits, and unions can ask for more and not worry about no one being able to find work if they lose their jobs. Unemployment at 5 percent to 10 percent is good for the corporations for the corporations would have a reserve army of labor force who are desperate enough to agree to whatever work at whatever wage they can receive. Unemployment plays a critical role in the capitalist system, preventing wage growth from threatening the profitability of the corporations. A tight labor market opens the best way for organizing unions, like Starbucks and fast food, and Amazon as well. According to former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, “Corporations tell us they have ‘no choice’ but to raise prices. Meanwhile: Corporate profit margins soared to their highest levels since 1950. Stock buybacks are expected to reac...

California is first in labor again. Unions are back and have been driven by the low wage fast food worker. They fought hard for $15 an hour and it looks like, with the new California fast food law. They could be looking at $22 an hour, and a chance to unionize the enter fast food industry. Next step would be healthcare, pensions and vacation. If this happens California, the next states are Florida, Texas, New York and Idaho. In California, there are a half million fast food workers. This law targets bonafide abuses, but also furthers unions’ goals of collective bargaining with the entire industry instead of trying to organize fast food restaurants one at a time. Workers are now thinking about what is best for their families and are willing to fight for them and joining or forming a union is the best way, and the more that do the more will join for all like to be on the side of the winning team. But California unions now need to go out into the country. We have the large cities, but hav...

Unions are making a comeback and have been driven by the low wage fast food workers, the ones who suddenly became essential workers during the pandemic. They recognized their worth and began the fight for $15-an-hour wages. It looks like with the new California fast food law, they could be looking at $22 an hour and a chance to unionize the entire fast food industry. The next stop would be vacations, healthcare and pensions. If this happens in California, the next states to follow would be Florida, Texas, New York, and Idaho. In California, there are a half million fast food workers. This law targets bonafide abuses, but also furthers union goals of collective bargaining with the entire industry instead of trying to organize fast food restaurants one at a time. Workers are now thinking about what is best for them and their families, and are willing to fight for them adjoining or forming unions is the best way to go. The more workers that join unions will join because people tend to fol...