The author is the Democratic nominee for NC Commissioner of Labor.
There is nothing more American than the function of a union. We are currently witnessing this locally as over 17,000 Communications Workers of America members are exercising their contractual right to strike in the American Southeast, including at nine AT&T worksites in Charlotte.
America’s collective contract provides pathways towards justice when we have conflicts. It defines processes that allow us to sit across from each other to negotiate fairly while protecting the rights of all parties. This American concept of rights defined by a collectively bargained contract is what undergirds the American Labor movement.
The gains that unions achieve for their membership end up helping all workers regardless of affiliations. However, North Carolina is home to the second least unionized labor force in America. Too many North Carolina workers lack the rights, benefits, and security that so many American workers know to be fundamental. It should come as no surprise that our state continues to be ranked at the bottom of lists that grade conditions for workers. Workers in North Carolina are paid less, receive less workplace benefits, and are subject to more union-busting actions than most other workers in our Union. In a state where workers generate so much corporate wealth for the wealthy, more North Carolina workers deserve the dignity that a union contract provides.
As I travel all across NC, it is clear that not enough workers understand their rights. There are consolidated power structures in North Carolina that have dissuaded our workers from speaking up for themselves. Too many North Carolinians think it is illegal to join a labor union. Yes, we are a right to work (for less) state. This means that no worker in NC can be forced into becoming a member of a union. Still, every worker has the federal right to organize and enter into a union should they want to. We are also an “at will” state, meaning workers can be fired at the discretion of the employer for any reason that isn’t “illegal.” This law specifically accentuates the need for workers to have the protections of a fair contract.
While all workers have the right to join a union, there is one class of workers whose collective bargaining rights are unfairly limited in state law: our public sector workforce. It is a travesty that firefighters, police officers, teachers, and every other public sector worker who provides the essential services that our communities rely on, are barred by law from collective bargaining. Not having our workers’ voices at the negotiating table leaves policy makers uninformed about decisions that have negative fiscal impacts and waste. It removes a level of accountability between voters and their government. Since there isn’t a negotiation process where workers get to put issues on the table (which would become a public record), taxpayers lack information about how their tax dollars are being spent.
North Carolina should be the #1 state for both workers and businesses. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are interconnected. Employers want to set up their businesses where they can access a reliable, educated, diverse, and resilient workforce. Workers want their employers to generate wealth, to grow and expand opportunities. Workers just want (and deserve) a fair situation at work so they can go home safe, provide for their families, and thrive in the communities they call home. So, if you drive around town and see those red shirts of CWA walking the line, give them a honk and your support.
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