Union Busting: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Union busting is a practice used by employers and management to prevent or disrupt the formation of labor unions or weaken existing ones. The tactics used to accomplish this goal include intimidation, harassment, firing or disciplining union organizers or members, and propaganda campaigns to turn workers against unions.

Union busting has a long history in the United States and has been used to suppress worker rights and maintain corporate power. In the early 20th century, employers hired private security firms and used violence to break up union strikes and intimidate workers. The 1947 Taft-Hartley Act further restricted the rights of labor unions by banning certain types of strikes and picketing, making it easier for employers to fire or discipline union members, and allowing states to pass "right-to-work" laws that prohibit mandatory union membership as a condition of employment.

Today, union busting takes on more subtle forms, such as requiring employees to attend anti-union meetings, using union avoidance consultants to train supervisors on how to discourage unionization, and creating "employee involvement" programs that provide workers with minimal input into decision-making processes. These tactics are often disguised as "employee relations" or "communication" programs but are designed to undermine workers' solidarity and prevent them from organizing for better working conditions, pay, and benefits.

Union busting is especially prevalent in industries that rely heavily on low-wage workers, such as retail, fast food, and healthcare. These workers are often subject to precarious employment, long hours, and low pay, making it difficult for them to advocate for better working conditions on their own. Unionization provides them with a collective voice and bargaining power that can help secure better wages, benefits, and protections.

Despite the obstacles, labor unions continue to organize and fight against union busting. In recent years, the Fight for $15 movement has successfully advocated for minimum wage increases and better working conditions for fast food workers, while nurses' unions have won battles for better staffing ratios and patient care in hospitals. The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, currently under consideration in Congress, would strengthen workers' rights to unionize and bargain collectively, making it harder for employers to engage in union-busting tactics.

In conclusion, union busting is a harmful and anti-democratic practice that undermines the rights of workers and perpetuates economic inequality. As workers continue to organize and fight for better working conditions and pay, it is crucial that we support their efforts and advocate for policies that protect their rights to organize and bargain collectively.