As Utah gears up for November, there's a lot of noise coming from Big Business and its allies in and outside the state concerning unions. That in itself comes as no surprise to anyone, on either side of the aisle. But with our economy facing the threat of a double-dip recession and elections on the horizon, it's more important than ever to set the misinformation to rest. We cannot afford to be misled by the same voices that drove our economy into the ground, because there's simply too much at stake -- for working families, our cash-strapped communities, and our future.
Just look at the numbers. In August, despite companies raking in record profits, over 100,000 Utah residents are still out of work. With stagnant wages, meager benefits, and a record 43 million Americans living in poverty, things aren't much better for those fortunate enough to have jobs. And it doesn't look like the hard times will be over anytime soon. According to a recent report, America's workers are $6.6 trillion short of what they need to retire.
With all that bad news comes an equally persistent flood of criticism aimed at unions and the hard-working men and women who make them strong. So let's set the record straight.
First up is the idea that unions and profitability are mutually exclusive. In such a fragile economy, that would be worrisome -- if it were true. As a growing number of responsible employers can attest, unions actually make the workplace more productive, and the latest statistics tell the same story. Unions lift productivity on average by 19 percent to 24 percent in manufacturing, 16 percent in hospitals, and up to 38 percent in the construction sector. The reasons are simple: Union workers have higher professional standards because unions increase opportunities for worker training. Many unions even run their own training and professional development programs.
A close second, and equally fictitious relative of the profitability argument, is the myth that we have to choose between good, union jobs and more jobs. Big Business wants us to think that it's a McJob or the unemployment line. But we've seen what happens to our economy when we accept that reasoning and do things their way. When workers can't afford the products they produce, consumer spending takes a serious hit, and the economy with it. On the other hand, when workers are able to bargain for family-sustaining pay, good benefits, and respect on the job, we all stand to gain. The result isn't just more jobs, but good jobs that provide a renewed path to the middle class for the millions of Americans still bearing the brunt of Wall Street's recklessness.
Last but not least, let's talk about public employees and the unions that represent them. The myth that public employees are overcompensated, and responsible for our cash-strapped state and local budgets, is a favorite among corporate America's talking heads. It's also completely unfounded: reports indicate that public employees actually make less than private-sector workers with comparable education and experience, even when you factor in benefits.
It's a shame that Big Business has manipulated the economic downturn to advance its divide and conquer strategy. Make no mistake, private-sector workers have every right to be angry about the inadequate benefits they receive, but the solution isn't to take those benefits away from the men and women who care for our children and protect our communities. It's to make sure that workers in both sectors have access to the good jobs and decent benefits they need to build a better life.
Here's what it all comes down to: no amount of deception from the anti-union crowd, however slick or well-financed, can stand up to this one simple reality: there's a widening gap between the way things are for America's working people and the way things should be.
It's high time to close that gap -- time to get Utah on track to a win-win economy that benefits working families, not just corporate CEOs. And that is what unions are all about.
Kimberly Freeman Brown is executive director of American Rights at Work, a labor policy and advocacy organization.
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