Because we still need them! Historically and structurally, unions have found a role when large numbers of employees believe that they have more power in their relationship with their employer if they band together than they would if they were not in a union.

Labor Unions are about power and control for individual employees. Jobs in which employees are more easily replaced - where the individual characteristics of the workers are less important - are jobs in which individual employees don't often have a lot of power.

This country needs unions because they do make a difference. However the difference today is not like it was back in the 30’s, 40’s and through the 60’s. Back then we needed organized labor so that workers had someone to educate them and protect them again unfair labor practices and for good wages. In the old days unions use any sort of means to get members. They have been at the forefront of protecting workers' rights, and not just for their members. They have effected changes in safety and compensation practices through driving legislation that protects all workers.

In our current environment, where laws are devolving in an effort to reserve profits for a small minority, the workers are often the scapegoats as leadership cashes in on their own failure.

Dissent is a right that should not be withheld at one's place of employment--or anywhere. There is great strength in numbers and unification into a single voice of combined passion is often the only way to effect change--whatever that passion.

However! Unions must change and the first thing they must learn to do is communicate with a changing union membership. The “old guard” can not continue to expect members to accept their way or the highway. Today’s union member is educated, more opinionated, and technically savvy. For the union to survive in the future unions and leadership must adopt technology and new forms of communication to educate their members.

Local presidents can not continue to live in a uptopia world or as the “gatekeeper” and continue to withhold information and knowledge from the membership. This attitude will be the demise of the union and ruin it for any future generations with this continued attitude.

Union Connect works with unions because we believe that membership is important, and that membership can make a difference by unification with education, information, knowledge and collaboration. By connecting unions into one voice, a difference can be made, and Union Connect is driving that change.