The State Of The Unions

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.swtimes.com/articles/2008/06/03/business/e-business01.txt

Monday, June 2, 2008 11:55 AM CDT
By Tara Muck

TIMES RECORD • [e-mail]

Union membership has taken a hit over the past decade. Its role has changed since its inception more than 140 years ago. And so have its challenges.

Since 2000, membership rates in Fort Smith and Van Buren declined 17 percent. Some in the organization attribute the decline to layoffs, outsourced jobs and difficulty spurring interest for new unions.

During the labor movement of the early 20th century, unions took part in bolstering public awareness about reforms needed in the workplace. Today, the organizations continue to play a role for workers facing a different set of challenges than their predecessors.

Membership Rates
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were 5,661 members of 17 different unions in Fort Smith and Van Buren last year. Those numbers are down from the 6,661 reported in 2006 and down from 7,398 in 2002.

Local union representatives said they’ve all experienced a halt in membership rates, with some even declining over the years.

Stacy Fox, principal officer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 373, said his membership rates are holding steady around 900, representing workers from nine local companies. His union covers mostly transportation employees, which last year represented the highest number of union members in the United States with 23.2 percent in the transportation and utility industry.

FULL story at link.

[MightyPen94621]

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Editorial employees at the Bay Area News Group-East Bay (the Contra Costa Times, the Oakland Tribune, the Argus of Fremont, the Tri-Valley Herald, the Daily Review of Hayward, the San Mateo County Times and their affiliated newspapers) will vote this Friday, June 13 on whether to organize as a unit of The Newspaper Guild/Communication Workers of America.

The former ANG Newspapers employees were Guild-represented, but the company -- Denver-based MediaNews Group Inc. -- withdrew its recognition of the unit when it consolidated those papers with the Contra Costa Newspapers last August. Now we're taking back our rights, and standing up for the future of our workplace and our industry.

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