This Sunday, September 3, at 5pm:
Tune your radio to Prairie Public to hear "Do Unions Work for the Economy?" — an episode of Open to Debate.
Unions may be on the verge of a resurgence. After decades of declines, workers are organizing across household-name companies, like Starbucks, Amazon, and Google, at a pace not seen since the 1930s. In fact, recent polling shows public support for labor unions at 71%, its highest level since 1965.
During the old industrialization days, unions were credited with securing better wages, reasonable hours, and safer conditions. They applied broad influence over the American economy. But their power waned. Some say good riddance. They that argue unions actually hurt workers and the economy under the guise of supporting both. Advocates, however, argue that in light of yawning income inequalities, unions are desperately needed.
In light of recent widespread public support, an overarching question looms large: Do Unions Work For The Economy?