AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said it is not enough that
unions have a wonderful story to tell, but that "unions must bring the faces and
voices of today's union members into today's living rooms." To that end, the AFL-CIO
has begun a new TV campaign, to be broadcast first in five pilot cities: Baltimore,
Milwaukee, San Antonio, Seattle and St. Louis, to tell the union story. This series will
feature union members with co-workers and relatives, explaining in their own words how
being a member of a union helps them care for their families, uphold professional
standards at work and gain a voice on the job. The facts emanating from survey data on
today's union workers, tell a story of improved living standards for union workers.
According to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Population Survey
data, union members have a distinct advantage. Unionized women earn 38 percent more;
African Americans earn 30 percent more and Hispanics earn 38 percent more than workers who
do not have union representation. Union members are also far more likely to have
employer-provided health care (85 percent for union workers compared to 57 percent for
nonunion workers) and employer-provided pensions (82 percent for union workers compared to
43 percent for nonunion workers).
Unions give working people a voice in government, by representing working families
before lawmakers, and make sure politicians never forget that working families voted them
into office. Unions work for equal treatment and fight discrimination. And we continue to
fight for justice for women and minorities in collective bargaining, as well as in
legislation. Unions help working families get a fair shake in today's economy. Union
workers earn an average of $155 (or 33 percent) more each week than nonunion workers and
are much more likely to have health and pension benefits. That's why America needs today's
unions. Unions promote economic development, partner with community groups and pitch in
when disaster strikes.
The television campaign will also include community outreach and local activities to
reach out to nonunion workers. This is today's labor movement: savvy and informed--using
their voices to express the broad new commitment to reach out and build our membership to
gain greater strength for American working families.
From the IBEW Journal November 1997. |