Political Parties, Labor Unions and the Class War
Which Political Party has stood against Labor Unions?
The GOP has long been an opponent of organized labor. Labor unions lifted massive numbers of people out of poverty and built the middle class after the 2nd world war and throughout 50, 60s and 70s.
In the 1980s, Reagan’s battle against the Air Traffic Controllers Union set the stage for big business to weaken labor unions. For decades, Democrats, starting with FDR, had championed unions, supporting their growth in both government and the private sector. But Reagan’s firing of 11,000 air traffic controllers sent a powerful message: unions were now seen as obstacles, accused of hurting business and the country with their strikes. This shift, combined with the offshoring of manufacturing jobs to China, marked a turning point, drastically weakening organized labor and changing the landscape for workers fighting for better wages and benefits.
Before Labor Unions
On the other side of the argument, unions have historically been a lifeline for laborers who were once trapped in a brutal system that offered them little more than poverty. Before unionization, workers endured grueling conditions—long hours, dangerous workplaces, and no job security—often in industries where injuries and fatalities were common. Wages were so low that even full-time workers struggled to meet basic needs, and there were no benefits or safety nets when they could no longer work due to injury, illness, or age. Unions transformed this bleak reality by giving workers collective power to demand fair wages, safer working conditions, and the dignity of retirement with some financial security. Without unions, many laborers were little more than expendable resources, discarded once they could no longer produce.
After Labor Unions
Then came labor unions, a transformative force that changed the lives of millions of working-class Americans. They fought tirelessly for better wages and conditions, demanding what seemed unthinkable at the time—living wages, the 40-hour work week, paid vacation, sick leave, and protections that allowed workers to earn raises and bonuses based on merit rather than exploitation. Unions didn’t just push for incremental changes; they lifted entire families out of poverty and into the middle class, creating pathways to homeownership, education, and financial stability. For the first time, workers had leverage against the unchecked power of big business, establishing a "floor" for workplace standards that all employees, unionized or not, continue to benefit from today.
Global Economic Impact
This model of worker empowerment, once radical, became a blueprint for progress across the globe. First-world countries emulated these achievements, building stronger economies and healthier workforces by enshrining labor rights and raising their own standards. The fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and humane treatment at work became more than an American story—it became a global movement that fundamentally reshaped modern labor. Labor unions didn’t just win battles; they redefined the dignity of work itself.
Right to Work States
In “right to work” states, workers are essentially stripped of the power to collectively bargain for better wages and benefits. However, they do so in the context of a society where labor unions have long established a national baseline for worker treatment. As a result, even in these states, workers still benefit from the historical achievements of unions, experiencing slightly lower wages and fewer benefits rather than the dire conditions of pre-union eras. Yet, the absence of collective bargaining creates a stagnation—there’s no upward pressure to improve wages or working conditions over time. It’s no surprise, then, that wages and benefits for working-class Americans in "right to work" states consistently lag behind those in states where unions remain strong. While workers avoid the worst, they are also denied the possibility of something better.