Opinion: Why you should care about unions

(Even if you’re not in one.) View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, August 8, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( David Leonhardt is on a break from writing this newsletter until Aug. 27. While he’s gone, several outside writers are taking his place. This week’s authors are [Meagan Day]( and [Bhaskar Sunkara]( of Jacobin, the socialist magazine. You can[ sign up here]( to receive the newsletter each weekday. By Meagan Day and Bhaskar Sunkara First of all: We should all be celebrating that last night voters in Missouri [rejected a right-to-work law]( by a 2-to-1 margin. Why? The average person in the United States has essentially [zero power]( in society. That’s why millions have organized into unions over the years. But the slow decline of unionism in the United States should concern you even if you’re not in one. Unions improve [wages]( [benefits]( and [working conditions]( for their members. But it’s not just to members’ advantage. Collective bargaining affects [pay standards]( across entire industries, meaning even nonunion workers benefit. Unions also secure legislation that protects all workers, from workplace [safety guidelines]( to a guaranteed [weekend](. And they reduce [gender]( and [racial]( wage gaps across industries, which contributes to broader equality in society. Owing largely to a sustained [political assault]( on unions, their memberships have been declining since the mid-20th century — a trend that, not coincidentally, maps neatly onto [rising economic inequality]( and [falling wages](. The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is the latest blow to unions, effectively instituting a nationwide “right-to-work” regime for public-sector unions. Right to work forces unions to represent even those who don’t pay dues or claim membership, discouraging workers from joining and contributing. In short, it kills unions by attrition. And that’s the goal. [A web]( of right-wing corporate elites, think tanks and foundations bankrolls union-busting campaigns like the one that led to Janus. The mission of the Bradley Foundation, which has pumped millions of dollars into right-to-work advocacy for 15 years, [includes supporting]( “organizations and projects that reduce the size and power of public sector unions.” Internal [documents obtained]( by The Guardian show that one foundation supported by the anti-union Koch brothers expressly endeavors to “cause public-sector unions to experience 5 to 20% declines in membership, costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in dues money.” In the wake of Janus, the labor movement faces a choice: It can passively watch members drift away, or it can [return to its roots]( renewing a commitment to internal democracy, face-to-face organizing and bold strike action — in other words, do the things to win concessions and actually give people a sense of belonging and purpose in the movement. And American workers should cheer labor on when they take this course — for example, by supporting the [ongoing wave]( of [teachers’ strikes]( — knowing that the fates of union and nonunion workers are inextricable. The full Opinion report from The Times follows. From Our Columnists [A Nail-Biter in Ohio Is a Democratic Triumph]( By FRANK BRUNI The party wildly outperformed expectations, raising hopes for a big November. [Oh, the Humanities!]( By ROSS DOUTHAT New data on college majors confirms an old trend. Technocracy is crushing the life out of humanism. [Can I Ruin Your Dinner Party?]( By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN One of the two pillars of the West is in jeopardy. [Let’s Not Throw the Word Treason Around]( By CHRISTOPHER BUSKIRK Democratic politicians should stop acting like internet trolls. From the Archives: The Janus Ruling [Workers Must Get Radical to Fight Back Against Janus]( By BRYCE COVERT The only solution for labor, after the Supreme Court decision in Janus, is militant, confrontational action by workers, with or without union support. [Striking a Blow for the Big Guys]( By YVONNE WALKER If the Supreme Court rules against unions in Janus v. Afscme, it will be devastating for working people and a victory for corporations and the rich. [The Rising Ghosts of Labor in the West Virginia Teacher Strike]( By SARAH JAFFE If workers are pushed hard enough, our history of revolt is not that deeply buried. Contributing Op-Ed Writer [Who Wants to Be a Bust in the Hall of Fame?]( By JENNIFER FINNEY BOYLAN Our president is obsessed with celebrity; our last president lamented it. Contributing Op-Ed Writer [The Wrong Way to Fight a Drug War]( By MIGUEL SYJUCO The Philippines has undertaken a brutal battle against “shabu,” or crystal methamphetamine. But the government needs to go after another target entirely. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. ADVERTISEMENT [Make Your Daughter Practice Math. She’ll Thank You Later.]( Richie Pope By BARBARA OAKLEY The way we teach math in America hurts all students, but it may be hurting girls the most. More in Opinion [The Great Distractor]( By ROBBY MOOK Donald Trump’s “look over there” media strategy is a trap that keeps Democrats from focusing public attention on his bad policies. [Rudy Giuliani Is Wrong About Chicago’s Bloodshed]( By KIM BELLWARE Mr. Giuliani’s cynical pitch, if implemented, would lead to the same thing he’s accusing opponents of: not mitigating the violence, just managing it. [Understanding the Failed Deal With Turkey That Sparked Trump’s Fury]( By AMBERIN ZAMAN With Turkish-American relations souring, the focus should be on freeing imprisoned American citizens and the Turkish staff of the United States Embassy. Fixes [A Lesson for Journalists From Today’s TV]( By TINA ROSENBERG Television dramas and comedies thrive on complexity. But journalism’s reductive picture of society makes America more polarized and feeds the extremes. [Surviving Myself]( By COLTON WOOTEN I cut myself when words were not enough. Op-Docs [Between Sound and Silence]( By IRENE TAYLOR BRODSKY For a generation of people with cochlear implants, technology is transforming the experience of deafness. SIGN UP FOR THE OP-DOCS NEWSLETTER Find out about new [Op-Docs]( read discussions with filmmakers and learn more about upcoming events. ADVERTISEMENT letters [The Poem, the Apology and the Furor]( The Nation and others discuss the controversy and its implications. HOW ARE WE DOING? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to [leonhardt@nytimes.com](mailto:leonhardt@nytimes.com?subject=Opinion%20Today%20Newsletter%20Feedback). 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