White collar workers seek representation, view unions favorably

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Katie Barrows

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More people are seeking union representation now than anytime in decades. While the increase was boosted by the pandemic, union enthusiasm and favorability was on the rise before COVID-19 hit.

Many unions represent workers in blue collar professions, such as construction or transportation. However, more white collar professionals are seeking representation for various reasons. Department of Professional Employees Communications Director Katie Barrows discussed organizing professional employees and why they are seeking representation.

Who is the Department of Professional Employees?

The Department of Professional Employees is a department within the AFL-CIO, representing professionals in 24 unions. Some of their member unions include the AFGE, SAG-AFTRA, NFLPA, IATSE and more.

The Department of Professional Employees work to establish ways to create collaboration between member unions, develop member engagement strategies and organize, Barrows said.

Why do professional employees organize?

Professional employees are not the first workers many think of when talking about forming a union. Barrows said these employees have begun seeking the same benefits they see other workers receiving.

She said a recent survey showed that over 56 percent of professional employees would join a union if given the chance. Similarly, union enthusiasm and favorability has been on the rise in recent years.

Finally, Barrows said these workers seek union representation for a number of reasons, but the main reasons include better wages, more defined raises, better benefits and improved treatment and working conditions.

America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

White collar workers seek representation, view unions favorably

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