It’s Labor 101 according to labor leaders. Andy Stern of the SEIU is calling for consolidation of unions around the country into 15-20 “super-unions” that can negotiate national or regional contracts with common expirations and basically have more bargaining “muscle.” Consolidation is the latest Siren’s call solution to save unions. But this is exactly what is wrong with unions today. The only unions that are really growing are ones like Stern’s SEIU, that is basically bucking the bureaucracy of today’s consolidated union leadership and adopting creative organizing techniques. Look around at the industries where unions have enjoyed high density over the years – steel, automobile, and the airlines are prime examples. What has heavy union density, common expiration dates and negotiating “muscle” done for workers in these industries? If unions want to remain relevant (or should that read “become relevant again”?) they must DECENTRALIZE and offer creative solutions to the problems facing workers today (how about coming up with an affordable health care plan – every employer in America would sign up!). Union density is at its lowest point in nearly a century because nobody is buying what the union is selling. Now THAT is Labor 101.
