ORGANIZED LABOR AND DEMOCRACY

1. ORGANIZED LABOR AND DEMOCRACY

2. Are UNIONS in trouble? or Is the Country in trouble? Is Democracy in trouble?

3. Founding Fathers: It’s dangerous to concentrate power in one person or institution. We need “checks and balances”

4. Teddy and the Trusts)

6. The country prospered.

7. Our experience: ∙ Post-World War II era of strong government, strong business and strong labor. (1945-1980) ∙ Rapid growth ∙ Domestic balance of power ∙ U.S. global dominance

8. We are in a new era ∙ Dominant globalcorporations, ∙ Able to play whole countries against each other, in struggle for control of wealth and jobs ∙ National unions too weak to provide balance ∙ National governments also too weak ∙ Democracy too weak

10. We are in a second Gilded Age.

11. American labor unions are democracies, .. complete with unpopular dues ..base for political education and democratic practice.

12. (Yes, Even Teamsters members, under their constitution, now have the right to vote both on national contracts, and on any local supplements and riders. AND The right to vote directly, by mail ballot, for their top officers.)

13. Some of the folks out to wreck unions also describe democratic government as the people’s enemy – to be weakened, - shut down or(in un-named way) - replaced. [PHOTOS: SCOTT WALKER; GROVER NORQUIST; KOCHS? TED CRUZ? PHOTO FROM GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. ]

14. But… election of union officials does not defineunion democracy.

15. Direct vote on union contractmatters most. . wages, . benefits, .working hours and days, .daily rules by which members live .benefits when they can no longer work,

17. U.S. citizens vote for candidates.. UNION MEMBERS VOTE DIRECTLY ON WORKPLACE LAWS – THEIR CONTRACT.

19. Among other matters… Contracts define union employees’ “right to work” -- in the honest sense of the word.

20. Or maybe you are NOT fired.

21. Our jobs define .. our identity, .. our family’s standard of living, .. our future prospects – and ..how we spend our days. They are more than numbers on a spreadsheet.

22. Union members experience democracy at work. Literally.

23. Freedom is having a voice in setting the rules.

24. Does union power work for the country? …. the American majority did better when unions were strong and growing.

25. NEGOTIATIONS set the rules of workplace democracy. How does that work?

26. Some of you negotiate satisfactory terms of work as individuals. Most Americans don’t have that power. Union members negotiate as a (hopefully irreplaceable) group.

27. Here’s an example. .. Negotiations for a new 4-year contract .. United Auto Workers Union and .. Fiat-Chrysler Corporation.   .. Opening day: July, 2015

28. Sergio Marchionne, Dennis Williams

29. Both sides had goals.

30. -- political and economic environment . The U.S. auto industry had largely recovered. . Employee wages had not recovered. . Company CEO, Sergio Marchionne, was being paid $millions per year. . Some state governments had passed laws making union dues payment optional.

31. ∙ Key union demand: - Equalize wages between pre- and post-recession hires.

32. (1961 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe) G.M. to Pay Medical Coverage G.M. agrees to pay for full medical coverage for its workers and to cover half of the costs for its retirees.

34. The vote was by secret ballot on September 14 and 15. The “NO’s” had it, by 65%.

35. Negotiators went back to the table.

36. member comments to the media

37. “Our contract is up in four years, and the plan [to equalize wages] takes eight years. -- Brian Keller, [Fiat Chrysler and the union] “can change the commitment” after four years are up. “You’ve got to read between the lines.”

38. “When you’re seeing the CEO making $72 million, how do you justify that, compared to what we make?” … “When we see a company making record profits, and we gave up so much in bankruptcy during the company’s darkest days, it’s only fair that they come back with something better.”

39. (Washington Post): When UAW representatives inside the Warren plant told employees there was a deal… "There was a lot of relief," said a skill-tradesman named Diego, who declined to give his last name. He voted no on the last contract because he's concerned that it allowed FCA to move assembly to Mexico. While he feels secure as a skilled tradesman, "I worry about the rest of these guys." 

40. "I heard it was a good deal," a member in another plant was quoted as saying. "I voted no [the first time] because we need to know what's happening with this truck…. …The money was good. That wasn't my issue."

41. Vernita Glover(an entry-level worker): “Digital-wise they kept us updated [the second time around], and that eased everybody’s minds as far as questions and answers,” she said. “On websites, Facebook and other places, they really got involved and kept their members informed.”

42. On October 22, the second round of membership balloting was completed in all locations, and the Revised agreement… approved by 77% of the membership.

43. My impression: - a serious negotiation between informed and responsive parties

44. Affected: .36,000 wage-earners .4,000 salaried employees .management and stockholders, directly. .our country A pattern set for negotiations with tens of thousands more at G.M. and Ford.

45. Both sides understood they needed each other, and why.

46. Will the Union President who first misjudged, but then dug his way out, be re-elected? Is that really what matters most??

47. These negotiations, this contract, affected America, for the better.

48. ∙ Negotiating, face-to-face across the table, based on an informed understanding of differing interests, is the best education.

49. If you take this right away from the American working and middle class…

50. Do we have “social classes” in America?? Of course.