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The union movement is starting to hit its stride. Messaging from union leaders like Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants, is making a difference.
Sara Nelson nails the union message.
In recent years, we’ve witnessed a remarkable resurgence of union activism, captured succinctly in the interview between MSNBC’s Ali Velshi and Sara Nelson, the President of the Association of Flight Attendants. This surge of labor movements isn’t occurring in a vacuum; rather, it is the culmination of decades of corporate overreach, wage stagnation, and diminished worker rights. This resurgence serves as a counter-narrative to the corrosive ideas propagated by right-wing organizations and think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, which have labored tirelessly to discredit unions and the working class they represent.
In this exchange:
- Association of Flight Attendants President Sara Nelson and MSNBC host Ali Velshi discuss the resurgence of unions and widespread public support for them, attributing this shift to a collective awakening among American workers who are increasingly dissatisfied with corporate exploitation.
- Nelson emphasizes that the strike actions are initiated by companies refusing to negotiate fairly, pointing out that the current labor movements are historic in scope and ambition. She also notes that even President Biden, who she describes as a “labor guy at his core,” is joining striking workers, signaling a significant shift in political attention towards labor issues.
- Nelson and Velshi discuss the misleading narrative perpetuated by right-wing figures like Senator Tim Scott, who falsely equate Ronald Reagan’s firing of federal air traffic controllers with the current labor movements, ignoring the nuances of labor law and worker rights.
- Recent polls, including those by Reuters and Ipsos, reveal a majority public support for strikers in various industries, even among Republicans. Nelson states that this shift in sentiment is due to the public’s realization that the prevailing corporate-led narrative has failed them.
- Nelson concludes by asserting that a strong union presence is essential for restoring shared prosperity and improving the standard of living for average Americans, urging all union workers to stand united and articulate their struggles clearly to encourage public support.
The interview highlights that labor actions and strikes are not instigated by workers or unions frivolously. They are often the last resort when companies refuse to negotiate fairly. And, significantly, this isn’t just the voice of labor talking; it’s the perspective that is increasingly supported by the American public, as revealed in recent polling from Reuters and Ipsos. This should be a wake-up call for any policy-maker or business leader subscribing to the outdated Reaganite ideology demonizing organized labor. It’s vital to remember the Reagan administration’s role in turning the tide against unions, particularly when he fired the striking air traffic controllers in 1981, setting a precedent that Nelson rightly characterizes as “open season on unions.” Until now, unions had not recovered from Reagan’s assault on PATCO, the air traffic controller’s union.
President Biden’s involvement in supporting striking workers is a historic shift in the U.S. political landscape. Contrary to what detractors like Senator Tim Scott would have people believe, this is not about the government overstepping its boundaries. It is about the highest office in the land recognizing labor’s vital role in a balanced and fair economy. In an era when executives receive golden parachutes even when they fail, and worker productivity gains are siphoned off to inflate profit margins and shareholder dividends, the importance of this presidential support can’t be overstated.
As Nelson and Velshi discussed, perhaps the most encouraging development is the public’s evolving view of labor and unions. People are realizing that the capitalist maxim “you should feel lucky to have a job” is a deeply flawed and exploitative ideology. For far too long, this rhetoric has been used to suppress wages, quash benefits, and encourage a form of economic serfdom where workers are forever beholden to their employers. The public is increasingly aligning with what Nelson describes as the basic philosophy of labor: “We don’t live to go to work; we go to work to live.”
This renewed support for unions is a pivotal moment in U.S. history. It signifies a turning of the tide, a collective realization that the existing economic playbook—crafted largely by and for corporate elites—has failed the American people. As Nelson states, when unions were strong in America, so was shared prosperity. There’s now a widespread acknowledgment that reclaiming this narrative is not just about improving the lot of individual union members; it is about reinvigorating an American Dream that has, for too long, been monopolized by the wealthy and powerful.
The rise in union activity and public support offers a glimmer of hope that a more equitable future is within reach—a future where prosperity is shared, not hoarded. Let this serve as a rallying cry for continued activism and engagement in the fight for labor rights and social justice.
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