Detroit Today: Exploring the labor movement’s recent successes
Approximately 67% of Americans approve of labor unions and support union strikes, according to a recent Gallup poll.
United Auto Workers members hold picket signs near a General Motors Assembly Plant in Delta Township, Mich., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.
The labor movement is having a big moment in the U.S., with multiple efforts underway by union leaders across various industries to negotiate better contracts for workers.
Often when unions flex their muscles and go on strike, support for them takes a hit. But we haven’t seen that happen in Michigan or around the country, with approximately 67% of Americans saying they approve of labor unions and support union strikes, according to a recent Gallup poll.
Benjamin Sachs, a professor of Labor and Industry at Harvard Law School and a co-founder of the On Labor Blog, says this may be the start of a “virtuous cycle of union wins.” So what’s behind the recent labor trend and what does it mean for workers today and in the future? Sachs joined Detroit Today this morning to discuss.
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Guest:
• Benjamin Sachs is a professor of Labor and Industry at Harvard Law School. He’s also a co-founder of the On Labor Blog. He says public support is one of the big reasons behind the success of unions this year.
“Popular support for unions and for strikes is higher than it has ever been, and that matters,” says Sachs.
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