What percent of U.S. voters support labor unions?
GoPo Lesson/Class Starter #1000!
Current Event Friday
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, your big brain, the information provided and any links below:
Ahead of the UAW (United Auto Workers*) strike set to begin on Friday, September 15, what percent of U.S. voters currently support labor unions?
A labor union is an organization formed by workers in order to negotiate for better workers' rights, including better pay, safer working conditions, and better benefits. How has the support for labor unions changed over the past three years?
Members of what political party tend to be most supportive of labor unions?
Explain how the core political values of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party align with their members’ level of support for unions.
Just ahead of The United Auto Workers union’s Sept. 15 labor strike against America’s Big Three automakers General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (Chrysler), according to a new Morning Consult survey (below)* what percent of the public is on labor’s side?
Three of the major demands of the strikers include an effective 46% pay increase, a shortened workweek, and increased retirement benefits. But if the strike causes a long pause in car production it could have ripple effects across many parts of the U.S. economy. A 10-day strike could cost the economy $5 billion, according to an estimate from Anderson Economic Group. A longer strike could start affecting inventories of cars at dealerships, pushing up the price of vehicles. Explain whether you support the UAW strikers.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra, the highest-paid chief executive among the Big Three automakers, made nearly $29 million in 2022. How many times greater is Barra's pay than that of the median General Motors worker?
In 1965, CEOs typically earned 20 times the typical worker's pay in their industries. But executive compensation soared, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, when a large chunk of CEO pay was linked to their company's stock performance. CEO pay skyrocketed along with the stock market, while in the same period, workers' wages, adjusted for inflation, have barely budged. In 2021, CEOs earned 399 times the typical worker. Most people would argue that CEOs should be the highest-paid person in any company. Make a claim explaining how much higher CEO pay should be than their company’s median worker?
Negotiations between unions and employers usually don’t involve the participation of the U.S. president and Congress. Yet there are two industries in which the federal government can intervene: railways and airlines. In fact, in December of 2022, the U.S. Congress passed and President Biden signed a law to block a planned railway strike. This is because in 1926, Congress passed the Railway Labor Act as one of the first labor laws in the country. This law gives Congress the right to intervene in disputes between rail unions. In 1936, an amendment extended the act's reach to include the airline industry. The rationale behind the Railway Labor Act and its airline amendment is that rail and air strikes disrupt interstate commerce; and since the Constitution gives Congress the right to regulate interstate commerce, Congress should be able to intervene to prevent rail and air strikes from happening. Should the U.S. Congress write an amendment to the Railway Labor Act to allow the government to intervene in automobile strikes?
According to the visual below* a majority of people will blame President Biden for the strike, if it occurs. Neither the Congress nor the Supreme Court will likely get much blame for a strike. Explain what it is about the three branches of government that the President (regardless of party) is blamed for major events like a strike.
*The UAW is officially named: The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
Learning Extension
Visual Extension*
You will find more infographics at StatistaAction Extension
Contact the UAW and let them know what you think of their strike.
U.A.W.
8000 E. Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48214
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