Labor leaders feel tremendous pride in labor's history and accomplishments. Despite incredible opposition, unions have won better wages, benefits, dignity, and justice on the job. Unions have been and still are very active in the legislative arena. They have fought for workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, child labor laws, and many other things that we now take for granted. Unions pioneered many tactics years ago that are now seen as new and creative.
Unions now face assaults from all sides.
Employers and the government are working to weaken labor. As a result, membership and resources are down. Many unions are fighting just to survive. Unions are reexamining the strategies and tactics it takes to win in organizing and bargaining. A union's ability to assist a community campaign depends upon its own well-being.