Fading solidarity

It is recorded that in the 1950s union membership peaked at 30 percent of the total employed workers. However, this number started to decline and fell to a historic low of just seven percent in 1983.

The “death of unionism” is often discussed in relation to the decline in union membership in many parts of the world, particularly in industrialized countries. While unionism is far from extinct, it has faced significant challenges over recent decades.

Various reasons have been given for the falling union membership such as economic shifts driven by de-industrialization and the rise of the gig economy, globalization, political and legal challenges, growing emphasis on ESG principles (environment, social and governance) by investors, increasing worker focus on individual career progression over collective bargaining, negative portrayals in media, internal politics, personality clashes, self-inflicted scandals, human dynamics that affect relationships among union leadership and weak and ineffective recruitment programs for new members.

Despite these challenges, unions remain a crucial partner for employers who genuinely value progressive unions as true bipartite partners. The demise of the labor movement would be a loss to both workers and businesses.

A labor union, while primarily advocating for workers, can also help companies succeed in several ways by fostering a cooperative and productive work environment. This improves employee morale and retention, raises productivity, and reduces workplace conflicts by establishing clear communication channels.

In today’s rapidly evolving labor landscape, unions can remain relevant by fundamentally redefining their purpose and rethinking their strategies that lead to transformative change. They need to embrace innovation, address the needs of a more diverse and dynamic workforce, and use technology to better engage with employees and employers.

Equally important, they need to rebuild and strengthen the trust of their members by resolving internal conflicts, demonstrate transparency, and prove their inherent value as advocates for workers’ rights and well-being. Moreover, unions should position themselves as collaborative partners of employers, fostering mutual growth and stability.

Failing these, unions risk fading into irrelevance, an outcome that would weaken both worker representation and the potential for meaningful bipartite progress in the workplace.

The survival of the labor movement depends on its willingness to evolve, innovate, and redefine solidarity for the 21st century. Else, its “demise” might be viewed as the end of an inconvenience or the closure of a chapter that no one cares to read again.