Struggling Unions (review)

Anyone who has paid attention to the fortunes of organized labor since the early 1960s knows that the labor movement has experienced serious decline. Few would dispute that the decades of loss that labor has suffered have been very bad for American workers and for democratic citizenship. Although many causes for the decline are discussed, there is one that receives barely a whisper of testimony—the lack of union democracy. The film, Struggling Unions, attempts to address labor's difficulties in organizing new members in part as a result of internal union governance. The film does this by focusing on two outright cases of corruption and reform (the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and New York City, District Council 37 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees), and one case of internal restructuring that weakened the power of membership voting (the New England Regional Council of the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters). Each case is prefaced with a brief history of why the cited union's governance practices are being examined and prominent industrial relations experts are featured in the film offering challenging commentary on the subject.

In the case of the Teamsters and District Council 37, the film producer provides a clear synopsis of the union's illegal behavior and then allows screen time to reformers within and connected to both unions to state their grievances. The film also notes that significant improvements in union democracy have occurred within the IBT and that District Council 37 officers were removed, indicted, and sentenced to prison. In each of the above cases the producer has been able to point to recognized acts of corruption. But the third case, the UBC, is a stickier issue. Here there is no claim of corruption or illegal deeds. Instead, a decision by the International takes power away from the locals to make critical decisions affecting their quality of work-life. The film highlights the cause of Carpenters for a Democratic Union, as well as provides a defense for the International's decision.

The film's position is unequivocal: union democracy flows first and foremost from the ability of members to use their franchise in a fair, honest, and rational manner. While shining a spotlight on union governance may risk charges of "aiding and abetting" capital, there is no profit to be gained by self-ignorance. Until 1991, rank-and-file Teamsters did not have the right to vote for their International officers and local union elections were often mere coronations. New York City Public sector workers did have their 1995 ratification election stolen by DC 37 officials. Carpenters were denied the right to vote for regional officials who negotiate collective bargaining agreements. The film makes clear that a combination of organized union reformers, and court ordered enforcement of labor and criminal law were needed to transform the unions.

Looking inward is never easy. It's always far easier to blame the enemy. Heaven knows when it comes to organizing new workers or winning breakthrough labor agreements there are numerous external villains. But as I watched this film I remembered a jolting message that grows out of often-cited works on union organizing outcomes. It is not just the evil that employers do that determines labor's fortunes, but what truly matters is what labor does in order to win. Struggling Unions looks at one potential winning strategy, that of strong rank-and-file member unionism.

Struggling Unions, produced by Henry Bass, may be ordered from Merrimack Films. Purchase price $225, shipping charge $15 in North America and $150 elsewhere, 1-800-343-5540, fax: 845-774-2945, http://www.merrimack-films.com.