Labor unions want policy makers and the public to think that there are millions and millions of Americans out there who want to join unions but can’t. It is then the express duty of labor unions to bring these workers a chance to unionize.
Where exactly are these millions of workers just wishing, hoping, and praying for a chance to unionize? Unions have yet to turn over a single survey proving their existence. The sad truth is, unions are outdated and “old school.” A recent survey by the Center for Union Facts found that 82% of working Americans don’t have any interest in joining unions. Where are the millions of American who want to join unions? Nowhere to be found.
That’s probably why the AFL-CIO is launching a new campaign to improve the image of unions among young people. The Wall Street Journal reports:
Many younger workers don’t see unions as relevant. This week, Richard Trumka, a third-generation coal miner likely this month to assume the helm of the nation’s largest labor federation, is launching Big Labor’s latest effort to change that. The 60-year-old secretary-treasurer of the 11-million-member AFL-CIO outlined a plan Monday before the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, to push for causes that more directly affect younger workers, including freelancers and temporary workers. Among the causes: affordable college education, protection for telecommuters and portable health care.
Richard Trumka, likely to take the helm of the AFL-CIO later this month, speaks Monday in Washington. “We’ve lost touch with a whole generation,” said Mr. Trumka, who is expected to become president of the AFL-CIO at its convention in Pittsburgh, running unopposed for the position. The latest drive comes at a time when labor sees new opportunities in a Democratic administration — despite grumbles that their top priorities, especially a bill to make labor organization easier, are falling by the wayside — but continues to face a decline of membership and interest. […] Business leaders argue that that labor’s ongoing woes reflect changes in the workforce, and say they expect little change from Mr. Trumka.
