A union is an association of workers in a specific profession who organize to protect and advocate for their interests. Unions have represented workers in many industries recognized under U.S. labor law since the 1935 enactment of the National Labor Relations Act. Unions are generally organized around a common trade or industry and are primarily regulated by federal policy.
The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the U.S. It addresses a range of worker interests: decent wages, affordable health care, job security, safe and respectful workplaces, and fair scheduling.
As major federal investments such as the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure law, and the CHIPS and Science Act are poised to create millions of new jobs, the country’s unions are leading the effort to prepare the workforce to meet that demand. Of the 50 largest registered apprenticeships, more than half are run by unions, according to a Work Shift analysis of federal data. States such as California consider unions a crucial partner as they look to expand registered apprenticeships to fill jobs in the state.
As a crucial part of 21st-century labor culture, unions are closely linked to the learn-and-work ecosystem. Colleges and universities play an important role in (1) generating professionals to enter the workforce, and (2) studying economic and working conditions and brainstorming policy changes. In the latter instance, labor education programs at universities such as Harvard and Cornell work with unions to improve the status of workers.
For example, Harvard’s Trade Union Program seeks to educate union members about contemporary labor issues and laws. Likewise, Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations houses six departments that study labor, human resources, and union organization at the national and international levels.
Unions also play a major role in advocating for and sponsoring work-and-learn programs such as apprenticeships. In the U.S., many apprenticeship jobs are administered by the trade unions, including those for electricians, masons, carpenters, boilermakers, elevator technicians, millwrights, and more.
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White, T. (2022, September 21). When it comes to young adults in apprenticeships, new federal data don’t tell the full story. WorkShift. https://workshift.opencampusmedia.org/when-it-comes-to-young-adults-in-apprenticeships-new-federal-data-dont-tell-the-full-story/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, January 31). Labor unions in the United States. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_unions_in_the_United_States
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