Social Class: Labor Unions

This board explores ideas from prominent thinkers about labor unions and collective bargaining. The board also features graphs describing the emergence, decline, and popular perceptions of labor unions in the U.S. See our board titled "Social Mvmnts: The Labor Movement" to find more information about the history of labor as an organized movement.

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The Sociological Cinema

the line graph shows that there are two different types of people in the united states

Parent Teacher Association

Collective Bargaining

Union membership and share of income going to the top 10 percent, 1917-2015

Source: Economic Policy Institute

Many American unions begin with "international" for a reason.

Many American unions begin with "international" for a reason. It's because solidarity extends beyond our borders. Labor's first organizers understood that workers will only rise together. We must never lose sight of that. #ImmigrantRights are #WorkersRights. ~ @Kanielalng

two hands shaking each other with the words unions are why there are fire exits at your work, and why the doors aren't padlocked during work hours

Unions are why there are fire exits at your work, and why the doors aren't padlocked during work hours.

Money

Money Spent on Lobbying

For every dollar spent by union and other public interest lobbyists, $34 was spent by corporate lobbyists. Source: 2017. "Saving Capitalism," Directors: Jacob Kornbluth, Sari Gilman. Netflix

the united states is shown in red and orange, with numbers on each state's map

Percentage of Workers in Unions, 2014 Source: Source: Barry Hirsch, David A. Macpherson, and Wayne G. Vroman / NPR (https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/23/385843576/50-years-of-shrinking-union-membership-in-one-map)

a map shows the number of people in each state

Percentage of Workers in Unions, 1964 Source: Source: Barry Hirsch, David A. Macpherson, and Wayne G. Vroman / NPR (https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/23/385843576/50-years-of-shrinking-union-membership-in-one-map)

comic strip about how to use the internet

Beautiful Backgrounds

Cat Girl

"Ma'am, you should sign our right-to-work petition... What have unions ever done for you?" Artists: B. Deutsch and A. Wallace

The ultimate goal of "Right to Work" is to break unions so businesses can lower pay and benefits to workers. It has nothing to do with your right to work. Humour, Medische Humor, Doug Funnie, Funny Commercials, Silly Things, Medical Humor, Calvin And Hobbes, E Card, Ecards Funny

The ultimate goal of "Right to Work" is to break unions so businesses can lower pay and benefits to workers. It has nothing to do with your right to work.

a billboard with a man sitting on the ground next to a sign that says, claiming immigrants just let's your boss off the hook

"Blaming immigrants just let's your boss off the hook. Take back control of our country. Demand better pay and conditions. Look after each other. Join a trade union."

a line graph showing the number of strike days per 100 employees, 1971 - 2007

Figure 3. Strike Days per 1,000 Employees, 1971-2007 Source: Streeck, Wolfgang. "The Crises of Democratic Capitalism." New Left Review 71, September-October 2011

two cartoon comics with people sitting on a fence and one is talking to the other

"The relationship between you and your employer is not one of equals... Being in a union fixes the imbalance." Artist: Barry Deutsch, illustration drawn for a union newsletter.

a man and woman standing next to each other in front of a blue background with the words unions set the standards for all of that

You thought corporations willingly gave their workers benefits, health insurance, sick, vacation, workers' compensation and overtime pay?! It's okay, you're not the only one who's unaware that UNIONS set the standards for all of that! Source: @unions4workers

Civil Rights Movement

Good Old Days

Old Days

The Good Old Days

"Ahh the good old days before trade unions messed everything up!"

an older man standing at a podium in front of a crowd with a quote from bernie sanders

"There are folks out there who say, 'It doesn't impact me, I'm not a union guy, I'm not a teacher, I'm not a civil servant.' Let me tell you how it does matter to you. Wages are going down in this country for everybody. When you destroy unions there will be no standard at all, nobody left to negotiate decent jobs for the middle class." ~ U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Photo credit: Gage Skidmore