Today, unions continue to serve the same purpose for which they were originally founded. CEO and executive compensation is skyrocketing, while the middle class suffers from layoffs, unemployment and stagnant wages.
What do Labor Unions want?
- Increasing wages
- Raising the standard of living for the working class
- Ensuring safe working conditions
- Increasing benefits for both workers and their families
Workers need fair treatment today as much as ever
Employers are trying to shed responsibility for providing health insurance, good pension coverage, reasonable work hours and job safety protections. Additionally, companies are making workers' jobs and incomes less secure through downsizing, part-timing, contracting out and sending jobs off-shore.
As the nature of work changes, working people need the collective voice and bargaining power unions provide to keep employers from making the workplace look as it did in the early nineteenth century.
Labor unions can help stop history from repeating itself
Working conditions at the turn of the 20th century without worker representation involved:
- Sweatshop conditions
- Child labor
- Unlivable wages
- 70+ hour work weeks
Today and in the future, labor unions will continue to play an important role in our country's workforce and for the quality of life for working families. If you are not a union member, click here to learn about the benefits of joining.
America's working families deserve representation, collective power, workplace pride and fair treatment.
Not sure why we celebrate Labor Day? We've got answers.
Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer, but since 1894 it's also when we pause to celebrate America's unions and union workers. Not sure why? Watch and learn!