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    • How are unions using their power in the 2024 presidential election?
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    How are unions using their power in the 2024 presidential election?

    Harry Posted on

    In September, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters shocked the political world by deciding to support neither Vice President Kamala Harris nor former President Donald Trump. Having the support of a union can make a significant difference in close elections.

    Although union members make up a small portion of the total electorate, they can help make or break a campaign in swing states. Union workers make up 1 in 5 voters in three battleground states. According to the AFL-CIO, Largest federation of labor groups in the United States

    Historically, labor unions have been allies with Democratic politicians. Over the past two decades, the Teamsters have supported every major Democratic presidential candidate.

    Which candidates did the Teamsters endorse or skip?

    Although the Teamsters did not endorse Harris, the United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers and AFL-CIO endorsed the Democratic nominee.

    The Teamsters represent more than 1 million truck drivers, warehouse workers, police officers and others. The AFL-CIO represents approximately 13 million workers in its federation of 60 unions.

    The majority of labor union members support the Democratic Party

    In the 2020 presidential election, 60 percent of voters represented by the union cast their votes for Biden. Research by the Center for American Progress.

    The report found that working-class union voters are more likely to vote for the Democratic candidate in 2020 and 2022 than in 2016 and 2018.

    A recent survey by the Pew Research Center It found that if the election were held today, about half of union voters would support Harris. And 43 percent said they would support Trump. 6 percent said they would support a third-party candidate.

    paul clarkprofessor of labor and employment relations Penn State University He told Penn State News that “unions and union members will play a critical role in the 2024 election.” In the previous two presidential elections, Trump managed to attract working-class votes, including union members.

    “While nearly 60 percent of union members and their families voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in 2012, that number dropped to 51 percent in 2016, enough to ensure Trump’s election,” Clark said.

    Three of the seven swing states have higher union density compared to the rest of the country. Center for American Progress reports. In Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, at least 12% of workers are union members. Biden won these three swing states by less than 3%.

    How many people are members of the union?

    40 years ago almost a quarter of the workforce was unionized. Now that number is just over 10 percent.

    Although worker layoffs continue, union rates have been falling steadily for decades. From 1983 to 2022, union membership dropped by half, from 20.1% to 10.1%.

    “Union density reached a high of over 30 percent in the post-World War II 1950s and 1960s,” said Kent Wong, director of the UCLA Labor Center.

    Labor laws in the US make it difficult for employees to form unions: More than two dozen states We passed “right to work” laws that make it harder for workers to unionize. These laws provide union representation to non-union members in union workplaces. Without having to pay union dues. It also gives workers the option to join or leave the union

    Approximately 35% of workers in protective service occupations were represented by a union. This includes corrections officers, police, firefighters and security guards. They had the highest unionization rates of the entire workforce. This was followed by education, training and library professions with 33.7 percent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Contributors: Karissa Waddick and Rebecca Morin

    Harry
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