Demand for Union Representation has surged in recent years with the COVID-19 Pandemic certainly playing a key role in exposing disparities and accelerating the push by White Collar Workers and other Workers to organize.

Labor shortages gave workers a rare leg up, which Workers are using to seek higher pay and better benefits from employers.

Stagnant wages, job security, role transparency, working conditions and a voice at work are all workplace issues that these Workers are trying to address through Unionizing and collective bargaining.

With that said, the International Association of Machinists (IAM) has launched Organizing Campaigns in non-traditional industries - such as technology, academia and service, and has become the face of growing the strength of the IAM and Working Families.

These typically younger Workers are comfortable using digital communication tools to discuss issues and organize their workplaces.

But organizing new workers remains difficult to do even as Unions are experiencing rising popularity.

A Gallup Poll found that 71% of Americans said they approve of Labor Unions, the highest percentage recorded in more than 50 years.

Still many companies hire Union Busting Firms to thwart Worker’s efforts to Unionize their workplaces.

Also, because they work in industries that have a long history of being averse to Unions, these Workers face well-organized and well-funded Union-Busting Campaigns when they try to organize.

Most Workers care deeply about what is in their Union Contract - not just how much they are paid or what recourses they have for when they are treated unfairly by management, but also a wide range of issues, such as health and safety, schedules and hours, whether they may retire, and everything in between.

There’s a misconception that more educated, White Collar Workers unilaterally have higher pay, better working conditions, and more job security than Blue Collar Workers.

But it’s becoming a common refrain that White Collar Workers are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with how they are treated in the workplace and are more supportive of Labor Unions.

Workers in Union outlier industries are taking notice of the organizing success of the IAM and what once seemed unlikely or impossible has become achievable.

And, Union Organizing Victories can be very contagious.

The IAM has led the way in non-traditional organizing - or organizing outside the box.

The IAM’s Eastern Territory is in the forefront of a new organizing strategy and when they organized the Maine Lobstermen, it was just the beginning.

To Continue Reading This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: New Strategy Leads to Non-Traditional Organizing Wins - IAMAW (goiam.org)