Houston, Texas (KTRK) – This Labor Day, labor shortages and the epidemic are bringing better benefits to workers, and tempting more to look at unions.
Labor Day is more than the end of summer, it is a celebration of a movement that brought change workers to enjoy the day.
Students in a pre-professional program in Houston Bay Coast Building The Building Trade Council Get hands-on experience of what it’s like to work in occupations.
“They bring in 14 crafts,” Mellon Ingram recalls. “The engineers talk to you. You can talk to their representatives and it’s a great experience.”
Once completed, you are placed in a commercial apprenticeship. A job where you can learn and earn money while doing it.
A career that seduced Ingram because she is also part of a guild.
“I want to encourage people who have graduated from high school, are in their twenties, who are considering a career,” Ingram explained. “Professions are a good profession. Then you become part of a union. I think it’s a good choice for people.”
Unions are an important part of the working conditions we enjoy today. The protests brought years ago benefits are still affecting workers.
“Fair pay,” said Hany Khalil of the Texas Gulf Coast District Workers’ Union. “Affordable health care. Safe retirement. Paid leave.”
More Americans are agreeing to unions, but that hasn’t translated into significant membership growth yet.
Unions still exist today representing almost all industries.
“What the union means is that you come together and give you the ability to have the power to negotiate for yourselves and defend yourselves,” Khalil explained.
However, many Americans do not belong to unions. newly public opinion poll It shows that only 6% of Americans are in a union.
But there may be a shift. Seventy years ago, 75% of Americans approved of unions.
In 2009, it fell to less than 50%. On Monday, it was the highest in nearly 60 years at 71%.
In an ABC13-only interview, US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said the pandemic may explain why more Americans are agreeing to unions.
“They’re looking for better wages,” Walsh said. “They are looking for better working conditions. They are looking for better working hours and organized labor that represents all of that.”
Union leaders said new laws should be passed to facilitate union formation. But Walsh said it may only require educating young workers, who may not know much about them.
“When I was in San Antonio, I was talking to some guys and they wanted to organize a union,” Walsh recalls. “How do they do it? How do we do it? You give them some guidance on how to do it. It’s not my job to organize for unions, but I gave them some ideas and suggestions on that.”
Non-union workers are also benefiting from the pandemic and labor shortages.
The pandemic and current working conditions are not only benefiting unions, but workers in general enjoying better benefits. Walsh said employers are doing more than ever to entice workers.
“I think companies are figuring out, just like the business model of how they sell their products to customers, they’re also figuring out how to make sure their employees are as happy as their customers,” Walsh explained.
To make the employees happy, Walsh said they do a number of things.
“I think companies, in order to hire a lot of them now, are looking to provide better benefits, family vacations, opportunities, and flexible working hours,” Walsh said.
It’s not just benefits. To find bridging the gaps, Walsh said in jobs where I once needed college degrees, many are looking for high school graduates.
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