Union solidarity gives economic security to support democracy

The final report in 1894 by U.S. House Committee on Labor considering the creation of a national Labor Day holiday suggested such an observance would provide 'recognition of the dignity and equality of labor, fellowship among the trades, civic loyalty and the benefits of rest.' Earlier in the report, the authors explained that the purpose of such national holidays was to 'emphasize some great event or principle in the minds of the people.' One hundred-thirty-two years later, too often we use Labor Day to celebrate the benefits of rest while overlooking the underlying great principle: the foundational role working people play in our democracy. Since the founding of America, the health of our democracy has been tied to the well-being of working people. While names like Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and the world's first trillionaire, Elon Musk, dominate the headlines, it's actually America's workers who drive economic growth, foster stability, and promote democratic values through civic engagement. Labor Day is an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate that reality. Policies that benefit the wealthy few at the expense of the rest of us threaten the very fabric of our society. Abraham Lincoln once observed, 'I see a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country... corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.' Today's billionaires-first agenda would give him little comfort. Wealth disparity is nothing new in our country. However, we live in an era of especially high inequality. Data from the Federal Reserve shows that low- and middle-income households are falling further behind, while those at the top pull further ahead. The top one percent of U.S. households now control nearly one-third of America's total wealth. That's the highest share since the Fed began tracking that data. Last year, the average CEO pay at S&P 500 companies increased 21% to more than $22 million. Meanwhile, too many of the rest of us who did not receive massive raises are struggling to pay the bills. Fortunately, America's working people are embracing a critical principle to counter the corrosive effect this hyper-concentration of wealth has on our economy and our democracy: solidarity. By standing together in unions, workers gain the power to fight back. In the last year across America, nearly half a million workers joined a union for the first time. There are more union members in America today than at any time in the last sixteen years. Polling shows public approval of unions is at a level last seen in the early 1960s. That's good news for everyone. The advantages unions provide our members are clear: fair wages, healthcare and other benefits, safer working conditions, and the ability to retire with dignity. But the positive effects unions bring extend well beyond our membership. In states where more workers are organized, overall wages are higher and income disparities are smaller, especially among women and people of color. Civic engagement is greater, with higher voter turnout and voter mobilization, and more working-class candidates elected to office. At this moment in our history, the collective power of joining together in a union is critical to avoiding the grim scenario President Lincoln foretold. The latest Marquette Law School poll found that inflation and the cost of living is by far the top issue on people's minds. The US inflation rate hit 4.2% in May, wiping out 3.4% in wage growth for the past year. This is not sustainable. A vibrant democracy cannot be supported by an economy that does not provide working people with the ability to meet their basic needs. This Labor Day, let's take a moment to reflect seriously on the state of Wisconsin's workers and celebrate the many ways unions empower us to achieve a more equitable society that supports our American democracy. Stephanie Bloomingdale is president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO.