There’s power in a union is not just an empty slogan or the title of a song. It is a shared reality for many working people. When labor organizes itself into a union it can exert power over bosses. It can demand higher wages and better working conditions and benefits. The CEO class offers workers crumbs while pocketing the big bucks in salaries, bonuses and stock options for themselves. The propaganda system is largely under the control of ruling elites and big business. Thus, unions are painted negatively. However, a Gallup poll shows that union support among workers has increased significantly in recent years. From Amazon to Starbucks to Kaiser to postal workers in Canada there has been an upsurge in workers going on strike and unionization. Solidarity makes a difference.
Sara Nelson is the President of the Association of Flight Attendants union. She has long been an advocate for worker’s rights and unions. InStyle magazine named her as one of its “50 Badass Women.”