UNION BUILT PC BLOG – LABOR AND POLITICS
DEMOCRACY DIES IN IGNORANCE
By Pete Marchese
Director of Operations
Union Built PC Inc.
I felt prompted to write this Blog, because of 2 similar phone calls I received last weekend. The phone calls were from 2 retired stewards who stood by my side as we walked many picket lines and fought for our wages and benefits over the last 30 years. You could not ask for more loyal or more dedicated stewards. As most conversations go these days, it wandered into politics. Both stewards informed me that they will be voting Republican. I asked why and was told that the economy and immigration are the main reasons. My response was stating that I found it difficult to accept, especially since they fought long and hard for the pension and the benefits they receive as retirees. Further, given the fact that the Republican Party has determined that unions are a threat to them and has embarked on a program to annihilate them, it would seem voting Republican would be tantamount to shooting oneself in the foot.
Historical Context:
Unions have their roots in the industrial revolution when workers began organizing to combat exploitation, unsafe working conditions, and unfair wages. As these movements gained momentum, they naturally found a foothold in the political arena, pushing for labor laws, social protections, and the right to collectively bargain. One of the most notable instances of union influence in politics was during the early 20th century when movements like the New Deal in the U.S. were largely driven by labor demands for better working conditions and social safety nets.
Challenges Facing Unions in Politics:
While unions have historically been powerful forces for political change, they face several challenges today:
- Political Polarization Increasing political polarization has affected unions’ political influence. As labor issues become entangled with broader ideological debates, unions can find it more difficult to maintain bipartisan support or push forward their agendas in deeply divided political environments.
- Anti-Union Legislation
The Republican Party, has passed laws that make it more difficult for unions to operate effectively. “Right-to-work” laws, for example, weaken unions’ bargaining power by allowing employees to benefit from union contracts without paying dues, thereby reducing union funding and influence
Kamala Harris: A Progressive Vision for Labor
As Vice President under the Biden administration, Kamala Harris has been a vocal advocate for pro-labor policies, aligning herself with the administration’s efforts to bolster workers’ rights and expand union protections. If elected president, Harris is expected to double down on these priorities, building on the foundation laid by the Biden-Harris team over the past four years.
Key Labor Policies:
- Support for the PRO Act
One of the centerpieces of Harris’s labor agenda is her strong support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which aims to strengthen unions and reverse many anti-labor laws that have weakened collective bargaining over the past few decades. The PRO Act would make it easier for workers to form unions, prevent employers from interfering in unionization efforts, and eliminate “right-to-work” laws that allow workers to benefit from union negotiations without paying dues. Harris has consistently voiced her support for this legislation, positioning herself as a champion of organized labor. - Minimum Wage Increase
Harris is a strong advocate for raising the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, a key demand of labor unions and progressive activists. This policy has the potential to lift millions of low-wage workers out of poverty, but it faces opposition from many business groups and Republican lawmakers. Harris’s push for a higher minimum wage aligns with broader Democratic efforts to reduce income inequality and improve living standards for working Americans. - Gig Economy and Worker Protections
With the rise of the gig economy and freelance work, Harris has focused on ensuring that gig workers receive the same protections and benefits as traditional employees. This includes advocating for healthcare access, unemployment benefits, and the right to organize. Her position on this issue is particularly important as the workforce continues to shift toward non-traditional employment models, leaving many workers without basic protections. - Climate Change and Job Creation
Harris has also tied her labor agenda to the fight against climate change, emphasizing the creation of “green jobs” as part of a broader strategy to address environmental issues while ensuring economic opportunity for American workers. The Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Harris helped promote, is already creating union jobs in sectors like clean energy, construction, and transportation. In a Harris administration, this focus on green job creation is likely to expand.
As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump battle for the White House in 2024, the future of labor in America hangs in the balance. For millions of workers and their unions, the outcome of this election could determine the direction of labor rights, wage growth, and job security for years to come. Whether through Harris’s progressive labor policies or Trump’s populist economic nationalism, the 2024 race will have profound implications for the future of work in the U.S.
I thought I would end this Blog with the two main reasons why Union Members would vote republican, which is the economy and immigration.
Immigration:
The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H. R. 815)
This was the bi-partisan bill sponsored by Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Which was subsequently killed.
If it was passed in its current form, the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act would have been the most sweeping immigration bill of the twenty first century. It would have overhauled the process for seeking asylum in the United States—and impose an “emergency authority” that would leave asylum fully out of reach for those crossing between ports of entry for much of the next three years. It would have also attempted to address issues like work permits and years-long waits for asylum seekers and raise the initial standard a person must pass in order to access our asylum system. This is not to say it was the panacea for immigration, however, it was a foot in the door.
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/analysis-senate-border-bill
Republicans are now prepared to wait until 2025 to address border security. If Donald Trump defeats VP Kamela Harris and reenters the Oval Office, they believe that they will get everything they want without enacting compromise legislation that would limit Trump’s powers. In the meantime, republicans believe, the issue is damaging Harris, and they do not see why they should help her during an election year. Keep in mind that Trump lobbied to kill this bill so that he could use immigration to his advantage in the campaign. There certainly is no doubt that the concept of People over Party does not exist in the Republican Party!
Economy:
Since World War II, the United States economy has performed significantly better on average under the administration of Democratic presidents than Republican presidents. The reasons for this are debated, and the observation applies to economic variables including job creation, GDP growth, stock market returns, personal income growth and corporate profits. The unemployment rate has risen on average under Republican presidents, while it has fallen on average under Democratic presidents. Budget deficits relative to the size of the economy were lower on average for Democratic presidents. Ten of the eleven U.S. recessions between 1953 and 2020 began under Republican presidents.
Here’s a breakdown of the GDP growth rate under each U.S. president—starting with Hoover in 1929—
GDP Growth by U.S. President |
||
President | Years | Average Annual GDP Growth |
Herbert Hoover | 1929–1933 | -9.3% |
Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933–1945 | 10.1% |
Harry S. Truman | 1945–1953 | 1.4% |
Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1953–1961 | 2.8% |
John F. Kennedy | 1961–1963 | 5.2% |
Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963–1969 | 5.2% |
Richard Nixon | 1969–1974 | 2.7% |
Gerald R. Ford | 1974–1977 | 5.4% |
Jimmy Carter | 1977–1981 | 2.8% |
Ronald Reagan | 1981–1989 | 3.6% |
George H.W. Bush | 1989–1993 | 1.8% |
Bill Clinton | 1993–2001 | 4% |
George W. Bush | 2001–2009 | 2.4% |
Barack Obama | 2009–2017 | 2.3% |
Donald Trump | 2017–2021 | 2.3% |
Joe Biden | 2021– | 2.2% |
AVERAGE GDP REPUBLICAN 1.46 DEMOCRAT 3.6
The data shows that the economy has performed substantially better under Democratic Presidents. On average, real (inflation adjusted) GDP has grown about 1.6 times faster under Democratic Administrations.
BIO:
Pete Marchese is Director of Operations for Union Built PC Inc. Pete has been a member of CWA Local 1101 for over 50 years, holding the titles of Chief Steward, CWA Training Director for NY State, IT Director and Grievance Coordinator. As Chief Steward he has coordinated picket lines in Southern Manhattan through many months of strikes. In that time he has sat thousands of grievances and many arbitrations. In 2001, he co-founded Union Built PC to help Labor level the playing field for Unions vs large corporations. Union Built PC is 100% Union and is organized by CWA Local 1101 in Manhattan.
Union Built PC provides custom hardware to run Union Offices and Training Centers, and in collaboration with Barry Diederich (Director of Software Development), has developed Grievance Manager, a software suite that allows unions to automate and track their grievances and arbitrations.
Email: pete.marchese@unionbuiltpc.com
https://unionbuiltpc.com