What is a Union?

 

Article photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash

 

 

The What Series

 

 

With all the articles I post here for everyone to read, it occurred to me I need to address an important question: “What is a Union?”

The reasons are plenty, too: people have misconceptions about what it is, Hollywood always portrays them negatively, others with agendas spin narratives that are full of empty rhetoric and propaganda, people simply do not know what they are, they have already made up their minds without accurate information – and many others that unfortunately do not accurately address what a union really is.

To that end, this article is prudent; I see a need to address this important topic. What’s more, with all of the uptick in union campaigns and the increase in favorability of unions – which currently stands at 71%, the highest it’s been since 1965 – we would do well to explore this important topic. To that end, let’s take a look at what a union actually is.

 

 

NOTE: This is part 1 of The Union Education Series

1. What is a Union?
2. What Are Dues?
3. What is a Collective Bargaining Agreement?
4. What is a Defined Benefit (Pension)?
5. What is a Defined Contribution (401k/Annuity)?
6. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 1
7. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 2
8. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 3
9. Let’s Talk About The Building Trades

 

***The above is subject to expand as this series expands***

 

Union definition

 

People have erroneous definitions of what a union actually is

 

Oxford Languages, the online dictionary you get when you google something, defines the word union as “a club, society, or association formed by people with a common interest or purpose.”

Merriam-Webster defines it as “something that is made one: something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members.”

Dictionary.com defines the word as “the act of uniting two or more things” and “the state of being united.”

 

A common theme here with all of the above definitions: they all speak of something coming together. For multiple reasons, the definition has been marred for some time, but as you can see, it is rather simple, all things considered.

 

Examples Of A Union

 

Working together is what unions are

 

To further explore this topic, let’s look at some examples of unions. This should reinforce the definitions we looked at earlier.

Marriage

 

Marriage – the union of two people, families, and resources

 

Marriage is, for better or worse (pun intended), likely the first thing that comes to people’s mind when we use the word union. It is two people, being united, and joining together. Their family is now your family. The resources are combined. The energy, time, intentionality, intellect – all and more are leveraged together as two people join forces to live in the world.

This is true whether you have a lousy partner or a stellar one; you may end up with a weak union, but a union it is, nonetheless.

What’s more, your choice of a spouse/partner is likely to be one of the most impactful decisions you will make, can set you up for success or failure, and should prompt you to choose WISELY.

 

The United States

 

The United States is just that: United

 

Strangely, many people who think about the United States do not consider the country when the word union is brought up, but there it is: a union of states that have come together to form the United States. Forget about the polarization in politics that divides us for a moment; instead, focus on the fact that 50 states are bound together for the growth of the country.

In Latin, it’s referred to as “E pluribus unum,” which means “Out of many, one.”

This wasn’t done by accident either; it was intentional from the founding. Consider, for example, the following quote:

 

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” 

from the Preamble of the United States Constitution.

 

And there it is: in the Preamble of the Constitution, it tells us that the people – residing in the various states – are seeking to form a more perfect union. Moreover, we often tout the mantra “United we stand, divided we fall,” to reinforce the nature of coming together. Essentially, we are pooling our collective resources together for the increased good of the entire United States, accomplishing together what one state could not do. It is that simple.

 

European Union

 

The European Union flag – meant to symbolize harmony

 

The European Union is, for the most part, an attempt to mimic the formation, harmony, and economic power that the United States displayed. The United States and its formation was what many consider the greatest experiment in the formation of governance the world over. European countries formed the European Union, deciding to pool their collective resources and have a currency, that covers around 450 million citizens. The idea is, of course, to allow independent countries to come together for the good of all.

There are differences between the EU and the US, but the concept nonetheless demonstrates those countries have indeed come together to form – you guessed it – a union.

Given what we have seen from the above examples, we now know the definition of a union is attributable to marriages, the United States, and even the European Union. Now, we come to and will explore Labor Unions – which is the purpose of this article.

 

What Is A Labor Union & What Does It Do?

If it wasn’t for labor unions, kids would still be subject to deplorable conditions like this today

 

Labor Unions, then, based on the definitions we looked at previously, are quite simply a group of people who come together for their collective advantage. And because they are Labor Unions, they seek better pay, conditions, and quality of life for their members. THAT’S IT – IT IS THAT SIMPLE. People complicate this all the time though; many do so because they don’t know – others, however, do so because they are disingenuous, want people divided, and want all the power.

What’s more, labor unions inadvertently benefit those who are NOT in them, too. The idiom “A rising tide lives all boats” is certainly applicable, with wages and conditions for non-union increasing simply because of unions. Take, for example, the recent wage hikes experienced by non-union auto workers in the southern US – some as high as 25% over the next four years – because of the work the United Auto Workers (UAW) did for their membership.

 

 

Related: Read The Positive Ripple Effects of the UAW

 

 

One of the most unfortunate outcomes of the intentional confusion sowed by those who are anti-union is that we have forgotten our history – and, therefore, take it for granted. We need only look at the past to understand this in a more comprehensive view. This deserves its own article mini-series, to be honest – something I hope to be able to dive into in the future – but for now, Labor Unions came together to protest the deplorable conditions on job sites, child labor, protested working all the time (which gave America the weekend and the 40-hour work week), etc.

What’s more, the labor unions of today provide just as much protection for workers as they did ion the past. A common anti-union talking point, however, is just the opposite: “Unions were necessary in the past but not today.”

This is NOT true.

The reason? Those who are anti-union are more sophisticated with their erosion of workers’ rights; this necessitates the same level of sophistication when protecting those same rights. There are many – this author included – who believe labor unions are the only reason things are not as bad as they should be due to the precipitous erosion of worker rights.

It is not a coincidence the decline in unions coincides with the decline in the middle class – they are, in many ways, much the same.

It’s also telling that a former anti-union economist – Angus Deaton – has now publicly stated that unions are necessary to check corporations. He, like others, once celebrated the decline in unions but now sees how much of a check on aggregated power at the top they really are. Here we see someone admitting to what organized labor has known all along: Organized labor IS the best check on organized greed.

Add to that the conservative think tank, American Compass – which lists among its members Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions – has called for a revaluation of the way workers are viewed in the current economy, by stating that workers deserve a seat at the table.

In their brief, they acknowledge that the decline in the labor movement has disastrous effects on American workers. They write that,

 

“Rather than cheer the demise of a once-valuable institution, conservatives should seek reform and reinvigoration of the laws that govern organizing and collective bargaining for three reasons.”

 

We don’t need unions today?

They are needed now more than ever.

 

Intentional Confusion

Given that I’ve reviewed several examples of what a union is, it should be apparent Labor Unions are much the same. But it’s not; there seems to be A LOT of confusion.

A LOT of INTENTIONAL confusion.

Why? Who benefits from this? We will explore this further as we navigate through this series, and I hope to shed light on some of the destructive talking points that are meant to confuse and distract. If I’ve done my job and this series justice,  you will finish with a better understanding of not just the importance of labor unions, but also the propaganda widely used.

For now, though, we will end this article like it started: with a brief note about organized labor.

Organized labor is the only real and effective weapon working people have at their disposal. United we stand, divided we fall? That applies to more than just the United States – it also applies to workers. There is strength in numbers. Anti-union advocates know this, too – hence the propaganda, misinformation, confusion, and sowing seed of doubt.

Throughout this series, keep an open mind as we begin to navigate through these misconceptions and preconceived notions, challenging the paradigms and beliefs many people have.

 

“It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”

Mark Twain

 

If you confront this truth head-on, your misunderstandings where unions are concerned are going to be challenged, many of them erased, and you’ll likely come away with a fresh perspective. If you have an open mind, that is.

That’s the goal.

If you have questions, be sure to ask them. The point is to bring clarity, not confusion.

And be sure to subscribe.

 

 

NOTE: This is part 1 of The Union Education Series

1. What is a Union?
2. What Are Dues?
3. What is a Collective Bargaining Agreement?
4. What is a Defined Benefit (Pension)?
5. What is a Defined Contribution (401k/Annuity)?
6. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 1
7. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 2
8. Common Misconceptions People Have of Unions Part 3
9. Let’s Talk About The Building Trades

 

***The above is subject to expand as this series expands***