Chris Bohner at Jacobin reports that in the late 1990s, as National AFL-CIO President John Sweeney led the Labor Federation’s ultimately failed program to boost Union Organizing, the phrase “Organize Or Die” was standard rhetoric in Labor Leader speeches and commentary. Unions did not organize at scale, however, losing 1.9 million Members since 2000, with Union Density (the percentage of all Workers represented by Unions) declining from 13.5% of the workforce to 10% in 2023.  Yet, instead of dying a slow death, Organized Labor’s finances have actually flourished.  Labor’s net assets (assets minus debt) grew from $11 billion in 2000 to $35 billion in 2023.  So, how did Organized Labor escape the “Organize Or Die” theory of decline?  Two key pillars have allowed Unions to remain viable despite a steady decline in Membership.  But a second Donald Trump Presidency could unravel both.  For some sense of what that might look like, we can examine a previous Right-Wing Administration that was a bloodbath for the Labor Movement: Ronald Reagan’s first term as President.  The election of Trump for a second Presidential term could remove the political bulwarks that have kept Organized Labor viable.  Unlike with the surprise 2016 Election, Trump has had four years to prepare a government-in-waiting to rapidly enact a wide-ranging attack on the Labor Movement and the Left.  If Republicans gain control of both Houses of Congress, they could quickly implement their agenda.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: How Bad Would a Trump Presidency Be for Labor? (jacobin.com)