Labor Issues - projectsteward-io/steward-learning GitHub Wiki
Labor Market Issues & Worker Power
Introduction
The modern labor market is increasingly shaped by declining unionization, technological control over workers, corporate prioritization of shareholders over labor, global competition, and imbalanced tax policies that favor capital.
To strengthen worker power, we must understand the forces shaping labor markets and explore collective solutions to rebalance power in favor of workers.
Topics
1. Why Do Workers Need More Collective Bargaining Power?
- What historical examples show that strong unions create better wages and job security?
- What are the common anti-union tactics used by employers today?
- How can workers organize in non-traditional workplaces (gig work, remote work, tech)?
- How can collective bargaining evolve for the modern economy?
2. How Can We Increase Unionization Rates?
- What policies or laws have successfully boosted union membership?
- Why do some countries have higher union density than others?
- What are the biggest obstacles preventing workers from joining or forming unions?
- What new strategies can help workers organize in anti-union industries?
- How can workers fight right-to-work laws and other union-busting policies?
3. How Is Data & Technology Being Used Against Workers?
- How do AI and workplace surveillance impact worker autonomy and bargaining power?
- What examples show how employers use technology to suppress unions?
- What laws or policies could limit employer surveillance and data-driven exploitation?
- How can workers and unions use technology to counter employer surveillance?
4. How Does the Shareholder Economy Harm Workers?
- How does corporate focus on shareholder value lead to lower wages and job cuts?
- What are the effects of stock buybacks on worker pay and union power?
- How does corporate structure (public vs. private) affect worker conditions?
- What policies could shift economic benefits from shareholders to workers?
5. How Can Workers Be Protected from Hyper-Competition?
- How does outsourcing and globalization weaken worker power?
- What are the risks of excessive labor market competition (gig work, contract labor)?
- Should there be restrictions on corporate outsourcing to protect domestic workers?
- How have past worker protection policies (trade rules, job guarantees) succeeded or failed?
6. How Can Corporate Tax Reform Be Used to Help Workers?
- How do corporate tax cuts benefit shareholders but not workers?
- What tax policies could incentivize companies to pay higher wages?
- Should companies be taxed more if they suppress union activity?
- What are examples of corporate tax structures that helped workers?
7. What is the Future of Labor Organizing?
- What lessons can be learned from new labor movements (Starbucks, Amazon, etc.)?
- Can worker cooperatives and employee ownership be a model for stronger labor power?
- How can unions adapt to AI, automation, and the remote economy?
- What policy changes could create a new wave of labor empowerment?
Next Steps
- Contribute to the discussion on how to increase worker power.
- Research and add case studies of successful worker movements.
- Explore policy ideas for corporate tax reform and union growth.