It’s Not the 'Future of Work,' It’s the Future of Workers

By: Sarita Gupta, Stephen Lerner, Joseph A. McCartin (2018)

1. Overview

This article explores the challenges workers face in a rapidly changing economy and advocates for a renewed labor movement strategy focused on worker empowerment, not just the "future of work." The authors argue that while automation and AI are shaping workplaces, the real issue is the eroding power of workers due to corporate dominance and weakened unions. The article offers a vision for reinventing collective bargaining and organizing for the 21st century.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

2. Historical Context of Labor Movements

  • Decline in Union Power: In the mid-20th century, unions played a significant role in securing worker rights and collective bargaining. However, since the 1980s, union membership has sharply declined.

  • Key Statistics: By 2018, only 10.5% of workers were union members, with even lower numbers in the private sector (6.4%).

Key Insight:

The decline of unions has coincided with growing inequality and increased corporate control. Economic power has shifted decisively to employers, leading to lower worker bargaining power.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

3. Shift Toward a New Labor Strategy

The authors call for a new labor strategy that builds upon traditional collective bargaining but expands it to meet modern challenges. This strategy includes:

  1. Community Involvement: Engaging communities and broader social movements in labor negotiations to align worker rights with public interests.

  2. Transparency and Militancy: Moving away from behind-closed-doors negotiations to more public and militant forms of organizing.

  3. Long-Term Power Building: Collective bargaining should be seen as part of a longer-term strategy to accumulate power for workers, not just a short-term win for contracts.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

4. Emerging Models of Worker Organizing

Three significant models of labor organizing emerged after the 2008 financial crisis:

  • Fight for 15: A campaign pushing for a $15 minimum wage for fast-food workers, aimed at reshaping low-wage work.

  • Caring Across Generations: A national movement advocating for long-term care workers and their rights.

  • Occupy Wall Street: Although not directly labor-focused, this movement highlighted economic inequality, influencing subsequent worker campaigns.

Visual Aid:

Diagram showing the relationship between these movements and their impact on reshaping worker organizing.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

5. Collective Bargaining for the Common Good (BCG)

BCG is a strategy that broadens the scope of traditional collective bargaining by integrating community concerns, such as:

  • Public Services: Linking worker demands with improvements in public services, like education or healthcare.

  • Economic Justice: Targeting financial institutions or corporations that exploit workers and communities alike.

Example:

The 2012 Chicago Teachers Union strike used BCG principles, demanding better school funding and exposing financial mismanagement in the education system.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

6. Case Studies: New Labor Strategies

  • Chicago Teachers Union (CTU): In 2012, the CTU redefined labor action by aligning teacher demands with broader community needs, focusing on reducing class sizes and improving school facilities.

  • Amazon Workers' Organizing: Amazon employees, particularly Somali immigrants, demanded better working conditions and successfully pressured the company to raise its minimum wage to $15.

Timeline chart of major labor strikes and organizing movements from 2011-2018.

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).

7. Conclusion: Reimagining Labor for the 21st Century

The article argues that labor strategies must evolve to address the broader socio-economic issues linked to inequality, climate change, and corporate power. Worker empowerment must be placed at the center of any future work strategy, with collective bargaining reimagined to meet the demands of modern capitalism.

Reflection Question: How can labor movements adapt to the challenges posed by globalization and automation while ensuring worker empowerment?

Reference: Gupta, Lerner, and McCartin (2018).