Labor unions have sprung up in every sector and subsector of the U.S. economy to provide workers and professionals with a means of banding together for collective bargaining. But some have succeeded more in accomplishing their objectives than others today and throughout history. Government intervention has squashed the efforts of some unions to strike, such as the Pullman ♐car railroad workers' strike in the late 19th century. However, some unions have been enormously successful at getting their members excellent wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Professional Athletes

Unions of professional athletes, such as the NBA and NFL unions, are particularly strong associations wit🔯h long track records of securing high pay and concessions like revenue sharin♛g for their members.

NBA players are represented by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), which was formed in 1954. Players received no health care benefits, pension, or minimum wage in its early days. Today, NBA players are some of the highest-paid union employees, earning on average $10 million annually.

The NFL Players Association, which represents NFL players, was founded around the same time as the NBPA, aiming to address player grievances. According to its most recent collective bargaining agreement, signed in 2020, players get at least 48 percent of all league revenue. The union has also negotiated salary floors for players; by 2030, the minimum salary for players with less than a year of experience can expect to make $1.065 million.

Teachers

Many 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:teachers' unions have done well at securing favorable conditions for their members, though success varies by region. Unions may advocate a wide range of policies, including specific issues like pay and working conditions, to broader concerns like air conditioning in schools and affordable housing.

There have been many notable teacher strikes in U.S. history. Often, they're seen as a last resort, and in some states, they are even illegal.

Nonetheless, teachers' unions have a long history of taking labor actions, often to successful ends. In one seminal example, teachers from Chicago walked off the job in 2012. They forced the closing of several school districts, leaving about 350,000 children without school for seven school days while they negotiated with the city for better pay and working conditions. The union won a 17.6% pay raise over the next four years and established additional funding to lower class sizes. The union quickly gave much of the credit to the community, which backed the teachers in surprising numbers even thoug🅰h their kids missed several days of school due to the strike.

United Auto Workers

For decades, the UAW effectively dominated the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:auto industry in America. The union began its run during the Great Depression when it won concessions for workers with sit-down strikes. By the forties, the UAW had completely unionized the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:big three automakers, making it impossible for Ford, Chrysler, or General Motors to hire employees in any way other than according to the terms specified by the unions.

The UAW also employed a shrewd negotiation method known as "pattern bargaining." The union would request a substantial wage increase for workers from one of the three automakers most likely to concede. Once the target company agreed to terms, the UAW would negotiate similar deals with the other two companies. Prior to 2008, UAW employees were some of the best-paid workers in the country. When Chrysler and GM went bankrupt and the UAW was forced to accept much lower wages to allow both companies to remain in business.

In the fall of 2023, UAW engaged in a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:six-week series of strike actions, eventually securing wage increases, improved retirement benefits, and more paid time off.

The Bottom Line

Labor unions in America have operated with varying degrees of effectiveness over the decades. Some unions have secured vital increases in pay and b꧒enefits for their workers, while others have been less successful. The degree to which labor unions can secure better compensation and working conditions for their members depends on many factors, including broader economic trends and public and political support for labor actions like strikes.