Why Unions Matter

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Monthly Review Press, 1998 - Political Science - 183 pages
Why Unions Matter proves with irrefutable statistics and persuasive analysis that unionized workers in every part of the economy get more pay and better benefits than employees who do comparable work but do not belong to a union. Yet economic gains and job security are just the starting point for this informative book. It is just as significant, argues Michael Yates, that unions inspire power, solidarity, and dignity in workers, with great consequences for their lives. Why Unions Matter does not, however, make excuses for existing trade unions. Faced with a decades-long loss of membership, the union movement urgently needs new approaches, argues Yates. Providing sound practical advice on many topics, including what makes a collective bargaining campaign effective and what approach unions should take in electoral politics, Yates calls for a more independent, tough-minded, democratic, and politically progressive labor movement.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION I
1
WHY UNIONS?
8
HOW UNIONS FORM
24
Copyright

7 other sections not shown

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About the author (1998)

Michael D. Yates is Editorial Director of Monthly Review Press. For many years, he taught working people in labor education programs throughout the United States, seeking to teach, speak, and write for and with the working class and not just about it. He has helped organize labor unions and has written extensively about them. His most recent book is Can the Working Class Change the World? (Monthly Review Press).

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