Summary
Union leaders in the US have started a new group called Union Now to help more workers join unions and fight against inequality during President Donald Trump’s term. They want to make it easier for workers to organize, negotiate better contracts, and protect their rights against unfair treatment by employers.
Key Facts
- Union Now is a non-profit group aiming to increase the number of union members in the US.
- Only about 10% of US workers belong to a union, although around 70% want to join one.
- Union membership peaked in 1979 with 21 million members but has fallen to around 14.7 million by 2025.
- It often takes workers over 450 days to get their first union contract after voting to form a union.
- Many employers delay union contracts to weaken workers’ support for unions.
- The National Labor Relations Board has shown a less supportive stance toward workers’ rights since President Trump’s return to office.
- City leaders in New York stress the need to support unions by using all government powers and contracts to help workers.
- Efforts to change labor laws in Congress to help unions have stalled.
