By Martin McDonough
What Unions Mean to Our Current World
Recently, someone newly hired to an MSU APA position told me, “I don’t know what being part of a union really means.” That statement reflects the reality of our current labor force. There are generations who have never been exposed to the positive impacts of an organized labor group. For many decades, the narrative surrounding unions has leaned in favor of the management perspective. The political and legislative efforts supported that stance. In reality, unions bring a
balance of power to our work lives.
With the impact of the COVID crisis, our work-life relationship has changed. The industrial model of labor still exists in many markets but as APA members, a more political model works better for our needs. This model is not about political affiliations but more about advocating for the value our members bring to MSU. The news headlines have been filled with stories of many small employee groups voting to become unionized. They are taking the brave steps to empower their own voices and to stand up for their dignity and safety.
We often hear individuals tell us that they can do it alone, and feel they don’t need to be part of the union. While we have no doubts in their talents and skills, we do know that you should have equal footing in the negotiation environment. An individual against an entity the size of MSU is not equal footing. The university’s initial response to COVID is a recent example of what we’re up against. They approached the organized labor groups and stated that they needed flexibility to deal with the crisis. They wanted to negate all bargaining agreements and their associated benefits. It was stated that the university would be the ones who would decide when those rights would be returned. Only the power of our collective voices stopped this in its tracks. Anyone standing alone at that time had little to no choice, but our members rallied as one. Reality is that no individual can achieve alone what a group can accomplish. Together, we pool ideas, resources, and enough energy to preserve and grow our primary goals of dignity, security, and safety.
Being part of a union is a survival skill constantly exhibited in nature where flocks of birds, schools of fish, and a swarm of bees use their collective size to thwart threats. The empowerment that comes from being part of a team is fundamental to any successful movement toward change. We work together to improve our work-life balance and that is more important now than ever before.