The NewsHour reports on the debate in the Senate over the Teamwork Act . The NewsHour historians examine the history of economic insecurity and economist Harris Sussman on coping with the modern workplace. Peaking at 35 percent of the workforce in the 1950s, union membership has declined to less than 15 percent today, with only 10 percent of the private workforce unionized. None of these trends show any sign of abating. Despite waning membership, unions will continue to exert a political presence.
Unions collect several billion dollars each year, primarily through mandatory membership dues.
Almost all money spent by unions for political purposes goes to Democratic candidates despite the fact that approximately one third of all union members typically support Republican candidates. Unions have not been particularly successful at attracting part-time workers. Since we are in a state of flux and possibly with just cosmetic changes, it is hard to predict the future place of unions. What's clear is that the role of unions in the the last twenty years has been reduced. And the future role will be greatly determined by the trade union movement's willingness to organize workers in the service and white collar sectors, and take on issues beyond wages, hours and fringe benefits, such as job definitions and improvements.