Episode 177: Popular Anti-Union Talking Points and How to Combat Them
Added 2023-03-15 15:07:05 +0000 UTC"Unions used to make sense but are obsolete in today's economy!" Unions are an "outside force" or "third party." "I'm a strong worker. Unionization will harm me personally and only help the weak and lazy workers." "Unions are rigid, old fashioned hierarchies."
We’ve all no doubt heard these talking points at some point, if not often, from news shows, opinion pieces, TV dramas, members of our families, our co-workers and, probably most of all, our bosses.
What’s remarkable is how little these general talking points have changed throughout the decades. Some versions of these pat anti-union lines have been around since there have been unions. It's generally unseemly to appear anti-worker or not OF the working class so opposition to the one thing that historically empowers the working class––unions––is seen as crass and politically incorrect.
So, in its place has emerged a popular set of go-to, sophistic arguments that allow one to appear pro-working class without the messiness and ideological heavy lifting of actually supporting labor organizing and unionization. These McArguments––that after decades of anti-union messaging feel right without being right––appeal to ignorance, prejudice, vagueness and gendered and racialized perceptions of what labor is, and what labor deserves: the protection and stability offered by collective bargaining.
On this episode, we detail eight of the most popular anti-union talking points, their origins, who they serve, their purpose and power, and––most important of all––how to combat them.
Our guest is union organizer and author Daisy Pitkin.
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Guest
Daisy Pitkin is a community and union organizer, supporting labor movements for over 20 years. Her writing has been honored with the Montana Prize, the Disquiet Literary Prize, the New Millennium Award, among others. She is the author of the memoir, On The Line: A Story of Class, Solidarity, and Two Women's Epic Fight to Build a Union, published by Algonquin Books in 2022.
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Show Notes
Five Common Anti-Union Myths, Busted
Katie Way | March 12, 2021 | Vice
The 4 Most Popular Anti-Union Talking Points and Why They're Wrong
Sarah Lazare and Adam Johnson | April 25, 2022 | The Column
“Communicating Directly,” “Partners,” “Values" : Your Guide to New Age, Anti-Union CEO Speak
Sarah Lazare and Adam Johnson | May 9, 2022 | The Column
$340 Million Anti-Labor Consulting Industry Is Behind Contemporary Union-Busting
Tyler Walicek | February 6, 2023 | Truthout
As Unions Gain 273,000 Members, Media Opt for Gloomy Headlines
Bryce Greene | January 26, 2023 | FAIR
Some Companies Will Do Just About Anything to Stop Workers from Unionizing
Alana Semuels | October 13, 2022 | TIME
Low-paid workers are unionizing. Corporations are spending a ton to stop them.
Alexia Fernández Campbell | September 30, 2022 | The Center for Public Integrity
America is in the middle of a labor mobilization moment
John Logan | September 2, 2022 | The Conversation
The Evolution of Union-Busting
Lee Fang | June 7, 2022 | The Intercept
Leaked Memo Reveals Apple’s Anti-Union Talking Points for Store Managers
Lauren Kaori Gurley | May 12, 2022 | Vice Motherboard
Starbucks Workers Are Facing Down One of the Most Intense Union-Busting Campaigns in Decades
Hannah Faris | March 21, 2022 | In These Times
Gordon Lafer and Lola Loustaunau | July 23, 2020 | Economic Policy Institute
Study Finds Unions Make Companies More Productive
Edward Ongweso, Jr. | April 29, 2020 | Vice Motherboard
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, go here. You can find transcripts of past episodes and News Briefs here.
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Credits
Senior Producer: Florence Barrau-Adams
Producer: Julianne Tveten
Production Assistant: Trendel Lightburn
Newsletter: Marco Cartolano
Transcription: Morgan McAslan
Music: Grandaddy
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Comments
Ah but have you considered that management is actually a fifth party and that technology is the second party...
Craig Johnson
2023-03-26 20:42:51 +0000 UTCGood segment. I assume this has been tried, but, on the "third-partying" of unions, why not just go with it and say "No, it's fourth parties -- owners brought third parties in when they hired managers instead of working in the business themselves. Owners got organized and hired third parties called management to represent their collective interests, so workers need to be organized and have representation for their collective interests to level the playing field."
John Gear
2023-03-22 17:26:42 +0000 UTCFantastic episode! Please tell me that you're going to do an retrospective the media's amnesia about its role in cheerleading for the Iraq War!
Gillian Rosheuvel
2023-03-22 01:11:37 +0000 UTCI was just talking with an aquaintance who works at Tesla about how I’d like them to unionize and got hit with exactly “unions used to have a good reason to exist but we’re past that” talking point. Thank you for preparing me
Pawgmental
2023-03-19 21:34:53 +0000 UTCGreat ep comrades. On corporate values: I recall in the early 2000s the Whole Foods on Ponce de León Ave in Atlanta (and therefore I assume most Whole Foodses) had a statement on their wall. It said, "We create value through profits and growth." Yeah no fucking shit.
Craig Johnson
2023-03-18 11:09:57 +0000 UTCGod bless Daisy
MC
2023-03-16 02:53:59 +0000 UTChell yes this came at a perfect time - my boyfriend is trying to unionize his workplace so i'm gonna send this to him. i love getting 'splainers from actually smart people and not vox. cheers guys
natfos 💌
2023-03-15 15:41:17 +0000 UTC
