A Union Revival?

Could labor unions—once a vital force in the American workplace—be on the verge of staging a comeback?

A few years ago, that possibility seemed slim. But a re-energized union movement, spurred by younger workers and concerns about safety during the Covid pandemic, has fueled some hope among labor organizers.

In December, employees at a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, made history by voting to form a union, a first for the coffee company. In January, a second nearby store followed. Though that’s only 2 of Starbucks’s 9,000 locations in the U.S., the votes marked a symbolic victory for organized labor at a time when workers across the country are expressing frustration with wages and working conditions.

Unions are organizations of workers who join together to bargain with their employers about job conditions. The Starbucks employees hope that by unionizing they can change what they say are workplace issues that make their jobs harder, such as insufficient training and chronic understaffing.

“We don’t just want to quit because we’re not happy,” Alexis Rizzo, 24, one of the young Starbucks workers who organized the union drive, told Business Insider. “We want to fight to make it better.”

Within weeks, that enthusiasm had spread to Starbucks stores in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington, where workers—almost all under 30—had also filed petitions for union votes.

Labor unions were once a key force in the American workplace. Are they finally about to make a comeback?

A few years ago, the chance of that happening seemed slim. But younger workers and concerns about safety during the Covid pandemic have a led to a re-energized union movement. The shift has given labor organizers some hope.

In December, employees at a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, made history by voting to form a union. The union was a first for the coffee company. In January, a second nearby store did so as well. Though that’s only 2 of Starbucks’s 9,000 locations in the U.S., the votes marked a symbolic victory for organized labor. Workers across the country are expressing frustration with wages and working conditions. That’s made what’s happened at Starbucks even more meaningful.

Unions are organized groups of workers who unite to bargain with their employers about job conditions. The Starbucks employees hope that by unionizing they can create change. Their efforts aim to improve workplace issues that they say make their jobs harder. Among these issues, they’ve noted poor training and chronic understaffing.

“We don’t just want to quit because we’re not happy,” Alexis Rizzo, 24, one of the young Starbucks workers who organized the union drive, told Business Insider. “We want to fight to make it better.”

Within weeks, that energy had spread to Starbucks stores across the nation. It hit locations in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. Workers in these states had also filed petitions for union votes. And almost all of these employees are younger than 30.

“There does appear to be a new labor activism in the service sector, especially among young adults,” says Daniel Cornfield, a sociologist at Vanderbilt University who studies labor.

The Starbucks votes aren’t the only sign of a possible resurgence for unions. Last year, 400 engineers and other workers at Google voted to form a union—the first Silicon Valley workers to do so. And this month, employees at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, began revoting on whether to form a union. (A vote there last spring in which workers rejected a proposal to unionize was found to have been tainted by company interference.)

Amazon, the nation’s second-largest employer after Walmart, agreed in a December deal with the National Labor Relations Board, which governs labor law, to give the company’s 950,000 workers more flexibility to organize unions. And employees at a second Amazon warehouse, in New York City, have petitioned for a union vote. 

“There does appear to be a new labor activism in the service sector, especially among young adults,” says Daniel Cornfield, a sociologist at Vanderbilt University who studies labor.

The Starbucks votes aren’t the only sign of a possible rebirth for unions. Last year, 400 engineers and other workers at Google voted to form a union. They were the first Silicon Valley workers to do so. And this month, employees at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, began a new voting process on whether to form a union. A previous vote took place there last spring. In that vote, workers chose not to unionize. But the way in which people voted was later found to have been unfairly influenced by the company.

Amazon is the nation’s second-largest employer after Walmart. In December, the company agreed to give its 950,000 workers more flexibility to organize unions. The agreement was part of a deal with the National Labor Relations Board, which governs labor law. And employees at a second Amazon warehouse, in New York City, have pushed for a union vote.

The labor movement has been in need of some good PR for a long time. Union membership in the U.S. stands at about 14 million—in industries ranging from steel and auto manufacturing to hospitality, teaching, film, and journalism. The proportion of U.S. workers belonging to a union peaked in 1954 at nearly 35 percent. Today that number is below 11 percent.

Union leaders say that banding together gives workers leverage to negotiate for higher wages, better benefits, more job security, and safer workplaces. But many business owners oppose unions, arguing that they hurt companies by limiting their flexibility—for example, when it comes to laying off employees. Some workers also prefer not to join one because they don’t want to be bound by the decisions of the group.

The first labor unions in the U.S. formed in the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution, a time of great change for the American workforce. With the advent of new machinery, a growing share of the population took jobs in factories, where the conditions were often brutal. Workers, many of them poor immigrants—and some of whom were children—toiled for long hours in cramped spaces and sweltering heat for little pay. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, unions organized strikes and work stoppages to demand changes.

In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act, prohibiting employers from retaliating against union members and assuring workers the right to negotiate the terms of their employment. Union membership soared, and unions grew powerful politically, lobbying for many labor standards still in place today, such as the 40-hour workweek.

The labor movement has been in need of some good PR for a long time. Union membership in the U.S. stands at about 14 million. Unions exist in a wide range of industries, from steel and auto manufacturing to hospitality, teaching, film, and journalism. The share of U.S. workers who belong to a union was at its highest in 1954 at nearly 35 percent. Today that number is below 11 percent.

Union leaders say that joining forces gives workers more leverage. They can use that power to work out deals for higher wages, better benefits, more job security, and safer workplaces. But many business owners are against unions. They argue that unions hurt companies by limiting their flexibility. This often plays out when it comes to laying off employees. Some workers also prefer not to join one because they don’t want to be bound by the decisions of the group.

The first labor unions in the U.S. formed in the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution. That period marked a time of great change for the American workforce. With the arrival of new machinery, a growing share of the population took factory jobs. The conditions in these factories were often brutal. Many of the workers were poor immigrants, some of whom were children. They spent long hours in hot, cramped spaces. And they worked hard for little pay. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, unions organized strikes to demand changes.

In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act. The law kept employers from striking back against union members. It also gave workers the right to negotiate the terms of their employment. Union membership soared. And unions grew powerful politically. In fact, they lobbied for many labor norms still in place today, such as the 40-hour workweek.

So what happened? Experts say that as manufacturing jobs were lost to automation and more U.S. companies outsourced factory work overseas, where labor is cheaper, many unions lost members. The U.S. shifted from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based one, and unions lost some political clout. As corporations like Amazon have gotten wealthier, their ability to counter unionizing efforts has grown stronger.

And not everyone thinks unions are the solution for employees in the modern workforce.

“Unions tended to work efficiently for workers when there was large standardization of the tasks they engaged in,” says Richard Epstein, a law professor at New York University. “When unions were at their peak, it was automobiles, transportation. There have been many structural changes in the economy that make unionization a hard sell today.”

So what happened? Experts say that as manufacturing jobs were lost to automation and more U.S. companies moved factory work overseas to benefit from cheaper labor, many unions lost members. The U.S. shifted from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based one. Unions have lost some political power as well. And corporations like Amazon have gotten wealthier. That’s strengthened their ability to counter unionizing efforts.

And not everyone thinks unions are the solution for employees in the modern workforce.

“Unions tended to work efficiently for workers when there was large standardization of the tasks they engaged in,” says Richard Epstein, a law professor at New York University. “When unions were at their peak, it was automobiles, transportation. There have been many structural changes in the economy that make unionization a hard sell today.”

Today unions are missing from large sections of the U.S. economy, says Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Fifty years ago, the country’s greatest industries were all unionized,” he says. “That’s no longer the case. The country’s biggest employer is Walmart, and that’s totally nonunion. And of course Silicon Valley—unions hardly exist there.”

There have been recent calls to unionize at major tech companies and at “gig companies,” such as Uber and Lyft.

But many experts say a full-scale union resurgence is unlikely without new labor laws. Last year, the House of Representatives passed the PRO Act, which would prohibit employer interference in union elections. However, it’s unlikely to pass in the Senate, where most Republicans oppose it. Critics argue the act would hurt businesses.

That hasn’t stopped union organizers from trying to build some momentum.

Inspired by the successes in Buffalo, Rachel Ybarra, 22, is helping to organize a union drive at the Starbucks where she works in Seattle. Employees’ fears about losing their jobs or having their hours cut had held them back before, but now she says they believe unionizing is possible despite company opposition.

“The Buffalo folks,” Ybarra says, “became superheroes.”

Unions are missing from large parts of the U.S. economy today, says Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Fifty years ago, the country’s greatest industries were all unionized,” he says. “That’s no longer the case. The country’s biggest employer is Walmart, and that’s totally nonunion. And of course Silicon Valley—unions hardly exist there.”

There have been recent calls to unionize at major tech companies and at “gig companies,” such as Uber and Lyft.

But many experts say a full-scale rise of unions is unlikely without new labor laws. Last year, the House of Representatives passed the PRO Act. The law would ban employers from getting involved in union elections. But it’s unlikely to pass in the Senate, where most Republicans oppose it. Critics argue the act would hurt businesses.

That hasn’t stopped union organizers from trying to build some support.

The successes in Buffalo have inspired Rachel Ybarra, 22. She’s helping put together a union drive at the Starbucks where she works in Seattle. Employees’ fears about losing their jobs or having their hours cut had held them back before. Now, they believe unionizing is possible despite company opposition, she says.

“The Buffalo folks,” Ybarra says, “became superheroes.”