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30 Jan, 2016

Growing Number of Working Americans Turn to Unions to Brave the New Economy

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — From writers at online news site Gawker in Manhattan, to Uber drivers in Seattle, to Volkswagen workers in Tennessee, workers across the country stood up for their right to have a voice at work, explains the American Federation of Government Employees.

According to a new report from the AFL-CIO, Fighting for a Better Life: How Working People Across America Are Organizing to Raise Wages and Improve Work, it didn’t stop there. Unions made huge headway in places you might not expect. Forming a union means a safe workplace that is free from discrimination and wage theft; it means having a powerful voice for workers at a time when corporations are exploiting them worse than ever.

What do taxi drivers, digital writers, VW workers, and grad students have in common? They are joining a new wave of union members.

What do taxi drivers, digital writers, VW workers, and grad students have in common? They are joining a new wave of union members.

Here are three ways working people organized in new regions and sectors to make our country better:

Building Unions and Defying Stereotypes: The South is rising, thanks to labor

Despite big threats against unionizing, working people are banning together to help them thrive in this new economy.

New Sectors, New Unions: Working people in non-traditional sectors are forming unions

  • Teaching and research assistants are working to restore their legal right to collective bargaining for thousands of workers at prestigious schools like Columbia, Cornell, Harvard and the New School University, thanks to support by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the UAW.

Despite Threats, Public-Sector Unions Grow: We know we are stronger when we stand together

  • In 2015, more working Americans began to speak up together against an out-of-balance economy and policies that keep many from ever getting beyond making ends meet.
  • In 2016, we know that we’re heard when we’re united. We can’t let them silence our voice this this year—and beyond!

To read the full report click here.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.