Workers do better when they’re in unions. It should be easier to unionize.

Center for Economic and Policy Research sent this email to their subscribers on August 22, 2024.

CEPR News for August 22, 2024

Celebrate Unions this Labor Day

Unions exist to boost the wages and benefits of their members — and if more workers are represented by unions, there is less economic inequality in society. So ahead of Labor Day this year, let’s take a deeper look.

A new research paper looks specifically at the union advantage for disabled workers. The results are clear: between 2016 and 2023, the mean hourly wage for a disabled worker represented by a union was $31.99, while a nonunion worker with a disability earned $27.18. Among workers between 25 and 54, the mean hourly wage for a disabled worker was nearly 18 percent higher for union members. The new paper from CEPR Research Associate Hayley Brown also finds that union workers with disabilities were more likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance (69.7 percent vs. 49.3 percent) and retirement benefits (46.5 percent vs. 30.1 percent) than their nonunion counterparts. All in all, this paper provides more evidence that unions play a vital role in advocating for equitable compensation for their members.

Since union membership is a win for workers, how can we boost union membership in the US? The answer, in two words: card check. As CEPR’s Sylvia Allegretto and Hayley Brown explain in a new piece, allowing workers to express their desire for union representation through majority sign-up is a sure path to giving new unions a significant boost. The piece looks at research comparing card check to secret ballot elections — the time-consuming process favored by bosses. Card check works, and this is why we need policymakers at every level of government to resist the bad faith arguments that are deployed to discredit this crucial pro-worker policy.

"This Labor Day, workers deserve to see lawmakers tackle one of the key areas of policy hindering their right to organize unions. Federal lawmakers should move to not only codify card check as a valid means of union certification, but also change the laws that give employers undue standing and ability to interfere in union organizing."

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“[The US] should strongly support the efforts of Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia to seek a peaceful, negotiated solution to the crisis.”

Amid the ongoing crisis following the recent elections in Venezuela, a new CEPR report examines the dispute over the results, and emphasizes the role that 25 years of US intervention — particularly the broad unilateral sanctions imposed in the past decade — have played in undermining the possibility of free and fair elections. The report outlines the steps that international political actors, especially the US, could take toward a peaceful resolution that avoids further deadly economic sanctions or other violence. In particular, the report advises the US to back diplomatic initiatives led by Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia toward a negotiated solution.

⸻

A new letter, signed by 38 organizations and 200 attorneys, including notable legal scholars, and supported by CEPR, calls on the Biden administration to end the use of broad unilateral economic sanctions, citing their severe civilian harm and their violation of international law. The letter, addressed to the White House, argues that such sanctions, which affect millions in countries like Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea, amount to collective punishment and violate international norms established by the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter. The letter was covered in a Bloomberg article in which, Ntina Tzouvala, Associate Professor at the Australian National University College of Law, stated, “The United States does not consider itself to be at war with these states that it’s imposing sanctions on, and nevertheless is doing things that states have outlawed even in the context of war.”

⸻

Join our upcoming webinar on September 10 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, where we'll discuss the urgent need to end the IMF’s damaging surcharge policy. The event will feature a video screening on the history and impact of IMF surcharges on developing countries, followed by a discussion with CEPR experts Andrés Arauz, Michael Galant, Ivana Vasic-Lalovic, and Mark Weisbrot. We hope you can be part of this important conversation!

Know someone who would want to work at what The Washington Post calls one “of the most prominent think tanks on the left?” CEPR has openings for the position of Director of People and Operations and Program Assistant (International Program). See details and how to apply here.

“The past few years have seen an attack on programs that seek to increase racial diversity and equity. The Olympics, though, provide a remarkable example of the kind of world that the best of those programs work to create.”

What is it about the Olympics that makes it must-see TV? CEPR’s Director for Race and Economic Justice Algernon Austin zeroed in on what the Paris Games taught us about racial equity and diversity — and the kind of world we would all like to see.

⸻

All of a sudden, presidential candidates embraced a policy idea they’re calling “No Taxes on Tips.” They didn’t offer many details, but CEPR’s experts were explaining why this notion wouldn’t do much to help workers, especially when compared to other more impactful policies. MSNBC quoted CEPR senior economists Sylvia Allegretto and Dean Baker explaining the pitfalls of this campaign rhetoric.

CEPR in the News

RollCall, quoting Michael Galant, Cuba Embargo Backers Lose Advocate With Resignation of Menendez

Financial Times, citing Dean Baker, How the Lifeblood of Trade Bypasses the World’s Blocked Arteries

Spectrum News 1, interviewing Alex Main, Venezuela-native Living in LA Hosts Online Meditation Space to Hope for Peace Amid Crisis in Country

ABC News, quoting Hayley Brown, UAW Files Federal Labor Charges Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk

Sin Embargo, citing Mark Weisbrot, Trump infligió castigo colectivo a Venezuela y es corresponsable de su crisis

The Independent, citing CEPR, Kamala Harris Could Make History as the First President to Work at McDonald’s

Beat the Press

to Dean Baker's commentary on economic reporting on Patreon to support Dean's work and for early access to special content. Or, sign up for a weekly email roundup of Beat the Press. It's the publication that everyone’s raving about!

New York Magazine: “[Beat the Press] aims a critical but judicious eye at economics reporting.”

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Support CEPR

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Donate

The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank that was established to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives.

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--- alt_text CEPR NEWS FOR AUGUST 22, 2024 CELEBRATE UNIONS THIS LABOR DAY alt_text Unions exist to boost the wages and benefits of their members — and if more workers are represented by unions, there is less economic inequality in society. So ahead of Labor Day this year, let’s take a deeper look. A new research paper looks specifically at the union advantage for disabled workers. The results are clear: between 2016 and 2023, the mean hourly wage for a disabled worker represented by a union was $31.99, while a nonunion worker with a disability earned $27.18. Among workers between 25 and 54, the mean hourly wage for a disabled worker was nearly 18 percent higher for union members. The new paper from CEPR Research Associate Hayley Brown also finds that union workers with disabilities were more likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance (69.7 percent vs. 49.3 percent) and retirement benefits (46.5 percent vs. 30.1 percent) than their nonunion counterparts. All in all, this paper provides more evidence that unions play a vital role in advocating for equitable compensation for their members. Since union membership is a win for workers, how can we boost union membership in the US? The answer, in two words: card check. As CEPR’s Sylvia Allegretto and Hayley Brown explain in a new piece, allowing workers to express their desire for union representation through majority sign-up is a sure path to giving new unions a significant boost. The piece looks at research comparing card check to secret ballot elections — the time-consuming process favored by bosses. Card check works, and this is why we need policymakers at every level of government to resist the bad faith arguments that are deployed to discredit this crucial pro-worker policy. "This Labor Day, workers deserve to see lawmakers tackle one of the key areas of policy hindering their right to organize unions. Federal lawmakers should move to not only codify card check as a valid means of union certification, but also change the laws that give employers undue standing and ability to interfere in union organizing." - Have you been forwarded this email? If so, welcome to the CEPR News! Please sign up here. CEPR News fans, help us reach new readers by spreading the word! - “[THE US] SHOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF BRAZIL, MEXICO, AND COLOMBIA TO SEEK A PEACEFUL, NEGOTIATED SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS.” Amid the ongoing crisis following the recent elections in Venezuela, a new CEPR report examines the dispute over the results, and emphasizes the role that 25 years of US intervention — particularly the broad unilateral sanctions imposed in the past decade — have played in undermining the possibility of free and fair elections. The report outlines the steps that international political actors, especially the US, could take toward a peaceful resolution that avoids further deadly economic sanctions or other violence. In particular, the report advises the US to back diplomatic initiatives led by Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia toward a negotiated solution. ⸻ A new letter, signed by 38 organizations and 200 attorneys, including notable legal scholars, and supported by CEPR, calls on the Biden administration to end the use of broad unilateral economic sanctions, citing their severe civilian harm and their violation of international law. The letter, addressed to the White House, argues that such sanctions, which affect millions in countries like Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea, amount to collective punishment and violate international norms established by the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter. The letter was covered in a Bloomberg article in which, Ntina Tzouvala, Associate Professor at the Australian National University College of Law, stated, “The United States does not consider itself to be at war with these states that it’s imposing sanctions on, and nevertheless is doing things that states have outlawed even in the context of war.” ⸻ Join our upcoming webinar on September 10 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, where we'll discuss the urgent need to end the IMF’s damaging surcharge policy. The event will feature a video screening on the history and impact of IMF surcharges on developing countries, followed by a discussion with CEPR experts Andrés Arauz, Michael Galant, Ivana Vasic-Lalovic, and Mark Weisbrot. We hope you can be part of this important conversation! - Know someone who would want to work at what The Washington Post calls one “of the most prominent think tanks on the left?” CEPR has openings for the position of Director of People and Operations and Program Assistant (International Program). See details and how to apply here. - “THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE SEEN AN ATTACK ON PROGRAMS THAT SEEK TO INCREASE RACIAL DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. THE OLYMPICS, THOUGH, PROVIDE A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF WORLD THAT THE BEST OF THOSE PROGRAMS WORK TO CREATE.” What is it about the Olympics that makes it must-see TV? CEPR’s Director for Race and Economic Justice Algernon Austin zeroed in on what the Paris Games taught us about racial equity and diversity — and the kind of world we would all like to see. ⸻ All of a sudden, presidential candidates embraced a policy idea they’re calling “No Taxes on Tips.” They didn’t offer many details, but CEPR’s experts were explaining why this notion wouldn’t do much to help workers, especially when compared to other more impactful policies. MSNBC quoted CEPR senior economists Sylvia Allegretto and Dean Baker explaining the pitfalls of this campaign rhetoric. - CEPR IN THE NEWS RollCall, quoting Michael Galant, Cuba Embargo Backers Lose Advocate With Resignation of Menendez Financial Times, citing Dean Baker, How the Lifeblood of Trade Bypasses the World’s Blocked Arteries Spectrum News 1, interviewing Alex Main, Venezuela-native Living in LA Hosts Online Meditation Space to Hope for Peace Amid Crisis in Country ABC News, quoting Hayley Brown, UAW Files Federal Labor Charges Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk Sin Embargo, citing Mark Weisbrot, Trump infligió castigo colectivo a Venezuela y es corresponsable de su crisis The Independent, citing CEPR, Kamala Harris Could Make History as the First President to Work at McDonald’s - BEAT THE PRESS to Dean Baker's commentary on economic reporting on Patreon to support Dean's work and for early access to special content. Or, sign up for a weekly email roundup of Beat the Press. It's the publication that everyone’s raving about! New York Magazine: “[Beat the Press] aims a critical but judicious eye at economics reporting.” - If you were forwarded this email, welcome to the CEPR News! Please sign up here. CEPR News fans, help us reach new readers by spreading the word! - alt_text SUPPORT CEPR If you value CEPR’s work, support us by making a financial contribution. Donate The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank that was established to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives. CEPR was co-founded by economists Dean Baker and Mark Weisbrot in 1999. CEPR's Advisory Board includes Nobel Laureate economists Robert Solow and Joseph Stiglitz; Janet Gornick, Professor at the CUNY Graduate Center and Director of the Luxembourg Income Study; and Richard Freeman, Professor of Economics at Harvard University. CONNECT WITH US TwitterFacebookFacebook 1611 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20009 (202) 293-5380 [email protected] If this email was forwarded to you, subscribe to CEPR's email lists here. If you believe you received this message in error or wish to update your subscription, click here:

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