By the end of the 19th century, business interests had grown so powerful in our society that their stranglehold on individual prosperity created an inequity between the common citizens and the wealthy, industrial class. Tired of working harder and getting less than those who owned the businesses they helped succeed, and angered by conditions that amounted to little more than indentured servitude, the working class of America began to unite in its angst against the businesses and corporations. It was the rebirth of the Labor Unions. (Their original incarnations being the trade guilds that went back hundreds of years. The Guilds were different than modern unions though in that they existed primarily to promote education and ensure quality, rather than to ensure certain worker rights.) The bravery of those common men and women who stood their ground against the politically powerful and wealthy businessmen gradually but effectively secured many of the employment regulations that exist today. Without their efforts to organize workers towards a common cause, be it the 10 hour work day (later the 8 hour work day) or mandatory break periods or guaranteed wage scales, to name a few, our lives as employees would be very different than they are today. We have safety regulations (OSHA) and pension plans (401k’s) and medical benefits (for some at least) and conduct laws, all because individuals along the line have stood up and demanded an end to exploitation. At the height of their influence, unions represented the majority of both skilled and unskilled workers in the workforce. Having secured basic worker rights across the board, they refocused their efforts on increasing pay, securing medical benefits, establishing retirement plans and forming worker hierarchy systems of tenure. And in the process of being worker advocates, the unions became businesses themselves.

Unions were successful in getting the businesses to do by threat of work stoppage what they should have been doing already out of common decency and appreciation of the people who make the businesses successful in the first place. Wages in this country began to rise, and with it the standard of life for the “common man.” Unions were so successful in fact, that workers who belonged to a union could reliably depend on holding the same job for a lifetime, with annual wage increases and advancement opportunity, even if his competency or productivity didn’t warrant such rewards. Medical protection and pension plans were all but assured to union members, but actual business contributions were in constant flux with each contract renegotiation. Still, the prospect for a comfortable and relatively secure financial outlook was something that many workers could depend on. The fight, it seemed, was won. Every now and then a skirmish might flare up during contract talks, but by and large, the labor movement had managed to stabilize the relationship between workers and employers at a level generally acceptable to all.

So where do we stand today? Interestingly, membership in labor unions has declined steadily since the 1970’s, with a more rapid decline beginning in the 1980’s. The reasons for the decline of “Big Labor” are manifold, including among them the decisions of businesses to once again put profit ahead of people (emulated throughout the Reagan Presidency), the increased entitlement attitude of the union negotiators, and the growing disconnect between business leaders, union leaders, and actual employees. Were the unions too successful in gaining the concessions from businesses so early on? Did they demand too much as to sour the carefully forged stalemate that was intact? Did unions push for too much reform in the political arena, thereby excluding any sort of bargaining ability from the businesses? Or did business leaders simply get tired of having to accede to union demands to retain knowledgeable workers and instead pine for the days of low cost, expendable employees in favor of increased profits? As with so much in the political and social arena today, the answer can only be found by blending all of these questions into one, for all of these factors have led us back to where we once began, but with a twist. The unions became much like an over-protective mother against the abusive father that was business, and both began to call on government to play referee. Politics, already partisan on ideological grounds, naturally acceded to the call of inclusion, noticing a chance to both increase its own power in social life and increase its coffers by granting access and influence. And somewhere in the mix, the original intent of unions to help the common man became a turf battle of ugly proportions. Big Labor allied with the Democratic Party and Big Business allied with the Republican Party and whichever party held the reins of power advanced the desires of their biggest donors, the unions and the corporations. The worker became an afterthought as each of the three sought to consolidate their power to control the conditions of daily life in society.

To understand some of the problems that have caused the rift, let’s look at guaranteed tenure policies that unions have created. On the surface, this seems a good idea. Workers can have assurance that their job, and therefore their income, is secure. Companies have the assurance of qualified workers always being on the task. But having a guaranteed tenure does not guarantee that workers will remain equally productive. Indeed, the knowledge that it would be difficult for an employer to fire you can often lead to a decrease in worker efficiency and the quality of work. This can become costly to a business, as well as leaving them with little recourse to remedy the situation save from becoming a non-union shop entirely. The result- less job security for employees as businesses decide to cut their losses and hire non-union. Better to insist on a conditional guarantee of tenure dependent on maintaining efficiency and quality of work. What was a win-lose situation becomes a win-win. Simple Common Sense approaches to the non-compensatory agreements between businesses and unions could go a long way towards reducing the animosity.

Unions also spend a good deal of time trying to increase the non-pay benefits of their members too, and have been so successful in their efforts that many public employee unions (whose members are paid with tax receipts) have garnered promises that are greater than a city or state can deliver. As a result, we are seeing a large-scale breakdown in local government budgets as ill-conceived agreements are coming due. Blame the politicians who have not acted in the public’s best interests. But do the unions really think that bankrupting their own governments with these unsustainable deals is in the interest of their members? Do their members think this? Only by implementing reform in our pension and health care systems can we eliminate the drag these programs are placing on our public funds. (See The National Whole Life Pension Plan and Affordable Health Care Does Not Mean Free Health Care) By eliminating these as bargaining chips from the table, unions and businesses could concentrate on establishing and maintaining a more equitable wage scale, as well as returning to more traditional tasks of member skill training and quality control. These latter two objectives could only be a benefit to both workers and businesses, cutting costs while improving marketability of the products or services that are produced.

Because the corporations have shown us time and time again that they will always put profit above human need and decency, the importance of the unions as a watchdog, partner, and advocate will never really go away, nor should it. But perhaps it is time to refocus the energies of unions away from political agendas and towards the needs of workers. Union dues should not be used to support political candidates or launch issue attacks. Union dues should be used to assist union members in times of unemployment, disability, or to supplement pensions. Unions should strive to provide better-trained workers with a higher degree of dedication and integrity. Businesses need to refocus their own agendas by returning jobs to this country, removing their desires to influence social policy, and respecting their workers as they respect their CEO’s. Profits should not be channeled into campaign chests nor used to buy access to politicians, but instead to increase the value or safety of their products and the wages of their workers as they merit it.

The success of the American economy depends on the relationship between workers and corporations, and when the relationship turns sour, the whole country suffers. Businesses turned off by the spoiled brat antics of union leadership have begun moving their jobs out of the country (or are at least hiring non-union) in an effort to once again increase profit. The move to countries without the extensive labor regulations lets businesses effectively revert to their 19th century selves. American workers are left without jobs or income, meaning that the products sold by these American companies (in name only) aren’t being bought up as quickly. This leads to a decrease in profits again and the beginning of a downward spiral. In this scenario, which is playing out all over the country, workers and companies both end up as the loser. It’s time to end the counter productive struggle between employer and employee. It’s time to recognize that success for all is ultimately better for each of us individually and as a society. Business needs workers and workers need businesses. The relationship should be symbiotic, not antagonistic.