Bob Funk, Founder and Executive Director of LaborLab, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ways corporations pay for union-busting consultants, the tactics these bad actors employ to disrupt union organizing campaigns and how LaborLab is attempting to shine a light on this industry.
While pro-union sentiment has increased in recent years, so has the number of corporate anti-union campaigns. To help combat the increase in union-busting campaigns, non-profit watchdog groups like LaborLab are doing what they can to make a difference. Funk discussed the work that LaborLab does to accumulate data on union-busting activities.
The National Labor Relations Act states that workers have the protected right to join, or not join, a union without fear of retaliation. Funk described how these union-busting campaigns have been funded using taxpayer dollars and then being able to write the costs off on their end-of-the-year taxes. The average cost to retain a union-buster is about $3,000-$5,000 per day, and by the end of the year, the costs can easily be over a million dollars, he said.
According to LaborLab's reporting, union-busting consultants have been hired to fight organizing campaigns in 26 states and one territory in 2024. Funk discussed some of the methods that the consultants have used in their union-busting efforts. No matter the laws in place, as long as bosses are not afraid to cut corners to save money, these bad actors will keep working to disrupt union organizing campaigns.
To hear more on the union-busting industry listen to the show above. Please visit their website to help fund LaborLab’s ongoing efforts to bring light to the union-busting industry.
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