Unions today are enjoying their highest popularity rates in half a century—especially among young workers, who face high levels of economic anxiety and stress about affordable living. When you examine the stories of workers whose lives have been changed by a good union job, it’s easy to see why. Even though labor law stacks the deck against workers trying to unionize, unions are workers’ most powerful tool to advocate for themselves and their colleagues. Unions raise workers’ wages and benefits, increase job stability, offer training programs to boost skills, and push for critical safety improvements. Simply put, labor law must make it easier for workers to join a union because unions empower workers with limited resources to grow the wealth they need to retire, fund their children’s education, or buy a home.
No one understands the power of unions quite like Raquell Rivera, a Michigan resident who went from living in a homeless shelter to owning her own home in the span of four years. Raquell recently told me that after leaving home at age 19 due to unsafe living conditions, she spent two years couch-surfing and living in youth shelters. One day, she saw an advertisement on Facebook that prompted her to apply for a pre-apprenticeship program offered by Michigan Women in Skilled Trades (WIST). Today, she’s a journeywoman carpenter and a proud member of Carpenters Local 1004. Last November, she told us she bought her first house.
The above excerpt was originally published in InsideSources.
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