It would be difficult to throw a stone in any direction and not find someone who vehemently opposes labor unions. Support for organized labor in America remains near an all time low – with only 52% of Americans saying they have a favorable view of unions. With the economy in the toilet and most of the middle and lower classes struggling to survive, ideas like collective bargaining, fighting for better wages, health care and workers rights in general seem distant and almost foreign. In fact, I often wonder how many younger Americans have actual experience with unions outside of political talking points.
When we couple the sheer amount of angry rhetoric we can find in the media lexicon regarding unions with the relative impotence of most unions and ice the cake with the corrupt ones, our disregard for organized labor isn’t surprising. With many Americans either behind desks or the counters at Walmart (if employed at all), basic concepts like an 8 hour day, health insurance, vacation time – even a fair wage – disappear fast from our minds.
Still, this weekend those of us not manning cash registers, pallet jacks or emergency vehicles will head to beaches and backyards, eat and drink with family and friends and perhaps enjoy sleeping in slightly on a Monday morning. Meanwhile, I wonder how many of those folks out there who like to believe that the labor movement is packed with nothing but lazy, self-entitled commies and socialists will be heading to work this Labor Day.
