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Unions being spoken of in a positive light? It\u2019s rare, trust us\u2026 we know!<\/p>\n
But last week, we stumbled upon a few great pieces that praised unions. Since we\u2019re rather used to being maligned, we thought we\u2019d share these with you\u2026 (you know, for some good news for a change!).<\/p>\n
First up, as part of its Wealth Paradox series examining the income divide in Canada, the Globe and Mail\u2019s Greg Keenan pointed<\/a> to unions as one of the forces against income inequality \u2013 and how, unfortunately, the decrease in union membership is a contributing factor to our present income gap. (so, there\u2019s a bit of bad news in here after all – sorry!).<\/p>\n \u201cThe drop in unionized jobs ripples throughout the economy \u2013 in part because when enough workers are members of unions, their wage and benefit levels set standards that non-unionized companies usually have to meet.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n And though stagnant wages are an issue, upward social mobility is another. While post-secondary education is one way to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, the article does point to unionized jobs as \u201ca ticket to the middle class\u201d for workers without the degree.<\/p>\n South of the border, where the income gap is the widest of any industrialized society, unions were also portrayed in a positive light by someone who\u2019s soon to have a lot of influence on the global economy.<\/p>\n Last week, during her senate confirmation hearing to become chairwoman of the Federal Reserve, Vice-chairwoman Janet Yellen pointed to the decline of unions as one of the contributing factors to income inequality, which she characterized as a \u201cvery serious problem\u201d in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cThe head of the Fed is one of the most powerful people on the planet,\u201d said Cenk Uygur<\/a>, host and co-founder of The Young Turks<\/a>, a progressive web-based news show.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t argue that having the head of the Fed saying that we need to strengthen unions and crack down on Wall Street deregulation, that that doesn\u2019t increase the chances that you at least stop the endless separation between the rich and poor,\u201d said power panelist Ben Mankiewicz.<\/p>\n Last but not least, The Simpsons also showcased unions in a positive light last Sunday. In this particular episode, entitled Labor Pains, Lisa Simpson convinces a group of underpaid and exploited cheerleaders to unionize.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, collective bargaining will enable us to secure concessions,\u201d said Lisa\u2026 before opting for rallying chant better tailored to her audience.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re gonna push \u2018em back. Push \u2018em back. Push \u2018em way, way back. All the way to a new contract. Cause union power is a fact!\u201d<\/p>\n Mike LeBlanc, a Simpsons fan and an assistant regional vice-president in the Atlantic region, said the latest episode was particularly topical.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Simpsons are just a mirror of what is going on in society,\u201d said LeBlanc. \u201cMaybe people are finally realizing that unions are a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n LeBlanc said he was happy to see Lisa, the most progressive character on the show, fight unfair labour practices.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there was one point in the show that really reminded me of my own experience on the bargaining team,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n In that particular scene, the rich Texan boss says, \u201cfine. I\u2019m gonna give it some thought, then say no in the nicest way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Spoiler alert! (Seriously! Spoiler alert!)<\/strong><\/p>\n Luckily for the cheerleaders, they end up winning the fight against their employer and get a wage increase (at the expense of the non-unionized peanut vendors, unfortunately!).<\/p>\n Have you seen some positive stories featuring unions? Why not share them in the comments! Better yet, share them on our <\/em>Facebook page<\/em><\/a> or Tweet them to us at @my_une.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unions being spoken of in a positive light? It\u2019s rare, trust us\u2026 we know! But last week, we stumbled upon a few great pieces that praised unions. Since we\u2019re rather used to being maligned, we thought we\u2019d share these with you\u2026 (you know, for some good news for a change!). First up, as part of … <\/p>\n