U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and talked about a letter written by 33 U.S. Senators to non-union auto plants following the United Autoworkers organizing announcement to target these plants. Brown also discussed the importance of the trades and union efforts to increase diversity within them.
Brown was one of 33 U.S. Senators to co-author a letter to non-union auto plants located mostly in the southern U.S., and urged them to remain neutral to potential union organizing efforts. Following the success of the UAW’s negotiations with the Big Three automakers in Detroit, many of these non-union plants began raising wages in an attempt to prevent potential unionization efforts. Brown led the charge for unionization and discussed the follow-up plans if they did not receive a response to their letter.
The efforts to unionize have never been easy, but Brown said workers who carry a union card tend to live better lives. He also shared a story about his wife and why she believes in the power of unions, which helped to reinforce Brown’s pro-union efforts. The goal is to get more people into the trades and provide them more opportunities to lift themselves into the middle class.
Brown hopes a diverse group of people are recruited into the trades. He discussed the focused efforts to diversify the trades. Brown explained why it is important for the trades to target underrepresented groups like workers of color or women and how these organizing efforts would help the surrounding communities.
Hear more from Brown by listening to the show above.