Economic Policy Institute Tracks the Resurgence of American Unions

On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Economic Policy Institute Senior Strategist Dave Kamper joined host Ed “Flash” Ferenc to discuss his book, Who’s Got the Power? The Resurgence of American Unions, and the worker-led momentum that has accelerated since the pandemic. Kamper traced his path from skeptical graduate student to union officer and organizer, then explained how EPI research helped ground labor’s moral case in measurable economic outcomes.

The conversation examined why younger workers are organizing at higher rates, how labor’s unity has strengthened compared with earlier eras and why federal worker rights were left vulnerable for too long. Kamper also argued that today’s labor movement is closer to recognizing its leverage, but must shift from a defensive posture to a bolder strategy that matches the moment.

• Economic Policy Institute research reinforces that unions deliver measurable gains for wages, benefits and economic stability, not only moral legitimacy.
• Younger workers are driving a new organizing wave shaped by the failures of institutions during the 2008 crisis and the pandemic.
• Labor unity is stronger than in past decades, and Central Labor Councils are increasingly coordinating resources and action.

The resurgence of American unions is not a slogan, Dave Kamper argues. It is a measurable shift in worker expectations, organizing capacity and public support that has accelerated since the pandemic and is now reshaping the labor movement’s posture from defense to offense.

Kamper, a senior strategist with the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his new book, Who’s Got the Power? The Resurgence of American Unions, and to outline why he believes workers and unions are regaining leverage in workplaces and in public life.

EPI has built a reputation for data-driven analysis of wages, inequality, labor law and the economic impact of collective bargaining, Kamper said. That evidence base matters because it strengthens labor’s argument in rooms where moral appeals alone are dismissed.

EPI Data Shows Unions Build Worker Power

Kamper’s relationship with EPI began long before he worked there. As a union activist navigating difficult years in the labor movement, he relied on EPI research to document how unions raise pay, improve benefits and reduce inequality.

That research, he said, helped translate a moral commitment into a practical case: unions are not only right but also effective. For workers facing unsafe conditions, stagnant wages or unpredictable scheduling, the value of collective bargaining is often experienced directly. EPI’s work helps quantify those outcomes and connect them to broader economic health, Kamper said.

Union Organizing Began for Kamper in Higher Education Labor

Kamper traced his entry into the labor movement to graduate school at the University of Illinois, where graduate workers were organizing a union. He admitted that he started out as a skeptic, but quickly moved into union membership and leadership.

His experience reflects recent trends in higher education, where campuses have become major organizing sites for workers confronting low pay, insecure employment, and high living costs. Over time, those campaigns have produced skilled organizers who carry that experience into other sectors, he said.

Kamper joined EPI roughly five years ago, drawn by the chance to work alongside researchers who connect workplace realities to national policy.

Minnesota Labor Movement and Organizing Infrastructure

Now based in Minnesota, Kamper discussed the state’s political and labor landscape, describing it as closer to the anti-worker policy swings seen elsewhere in the Upper Midwest than many assume.

He pointed out that narrow statewide margins in earlier cycles could have produced a drastically different outcome for collective bargaining and public-sector rights. In his view, history underscores a central lesson for labor: rights that feel permanent can be rolled back quickly if they are not secured in law and defended through organizing.

Federal Unions and Collective Bargaining Rights Left Vulnerable

A major portion of the conversation focused on federal worker rights and how easily they can be weakened when they rely on executive actions rather than durable statutes.

Kamper argued that the labor movement and allied policymakers too often treated federal unions as a constant rather than a priority. While federal workers have long faced limitations compared with private-sector bargaining rights, their unions still provide critical representation on working conditions, due process and workplace protections.

In Kamper’s view, the failure to strengthen those rights over time left federal unions exposed when political conditions shifted. He framed the current moment as a consequence of not “digging the roots in” when opportunities existed.

Who’s Got the Power? Pandemic-Era Worker Demands and Safety

Kamper and Ferenc discussed how the pandemic served as a catalyst for worker action across service industries and high-visibility employers.

As workers were asked to show up in person during a public health crisis, many began demanding higher pay, safer conditions and a stronger voice on the job. That period helped normalize the idea that workers can set terms collectively, especially when labor markets are tight, and employers depend on frontline labor, he said.

Gen Z and the Resurgence of American Unions

Kamper said younger workers are bringing not only energy but also organizing skills and strategic clarity.

He connected that shift to a formative experience: the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent years, when many young people watched institutions fail to protect them. In that context, he argued, solidarity becomes less abstract. Workers begin to see each other as the primary source of security.

That mindset helps explain why union campaigns have expanded in sectors that historically had low union density, including parts of retail, food service and higher education, Kamper said.

Labor Unity, Central Labor Councils and Coordinated Action

Kamper argued that labor’s unity is stronger today than in earlier periods.

He contrasted the movement’s response to political setbacks in the early 2000s with more recent efforts to consolidate and coordinate. He also emphasized the role of central labor councils — often overlooked outside the movement — as practical engines of coalition-building.

In many communities, these councils coordinate resources, align messaging, and create a structure that enables unions to act collectively rather than as isolated institutions.

Worker Power in Strikes: Frito-Lay, Educators and Flight Attendants

Kamper pointed to strike activity as a key indicator that workers are testing and expanding their leverage.

He discussed meeting workers at a long-running Frito-Lay facility where employees walked out for the first time in the plant’s history, describing it as a turning point in how workers understand their own power. He also cited educators and flight attendants as groups that increasingly recognize their strategic position in the economy.

In Kamper’s view, each successful strike or credible strike threat does more than win a contract. It teaches workers that collective action can change outcomes.

Labor’s Inclusion Lessons and a Stronger Solidarity Standard

Kamper also addressed labor’s historical failures to fully represent marginalized workers and the long-term cost of exclusion.

He argued that the modern labor movement is making meaningful progress toward a broader solidarity standard, including stronger support for immigrant workers and a clearer understanding that divisions weaken bargaining power.

While he acknowledged that the movement is not fully unified and still has work to do, he believes more unions are acting as if everyone belongs in the same fight.

From Defensive Crouch to Bold Strategy for American Unions

Kamper’s central message was that labor must shift its posture.

After decades of playing defense — protecting what remains rather than expanding what is possible — he argued that the moment requires boldness. That includes organizing new workplaces, strengthening bargaining rights and building coalitions that can withstand political swings.

He also described his book as intentionally hopeful: a resource for workers and activists who need evidence that the labor movement can win, even in perilous times.

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