Union Politics in the 21st Century
Union Politics in the 21st Century
Given their central role in the adoption of public policies that advance economic and social equity in the twentieth century, the continued effectiveness of union political campaigns in the twenty-first century is a pressing issue of general concern.
In the face of declining membership, reduced economic leverage, and stagnant gains in collective bargaining, unions have more fully embraced political strategies to protect their members and achieve policy changes that redistribute wealth and social protections. This project will undertake a systematic mapping and comparison of the strategies, tactics and framings of union campaigns to influence public policy to assess which approaches (or combination of approaches) are most successful.
This research aims to document the variety of political strategies utilized by unions since 2000. It focuses on election campaigns, social movement pressure campaigns, political job actions, and legal actions, providing a comprehensive overview of how unions engage in political activities.
Additionally, the research compares the effectiveness of these strategies in achieving their stated goals and identifies the factors that influence their success or failure. It also examines the reasons behind unions’ adoption of different approaches, considering the impact of internal political cultures, collective identities, and their positions within economic and political power structures on their strategic choices.